Playing a guitar through a Babyface Pro FS on a Mac

Register, install software, and flash the Babyface Pro FS.

1. Register the Babyface Pro FS here. When you've finished you should see this message. Click the "REGISTER HERE" link to get to the next page.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. If you didn't receive the message above, “Register” the Babyface Pro FS again to get the free plugin bundle here. It can take a couple days to validate your receipt. They accepted my Amazon (sold by Amazon) receipt without issue. I did pay full price for mine, and it wasn't any kind of a package deal. Your mileage may vary.



3. You may have to disable a security feature on your Mac to install the software so shut down the Mac.



4. Power up the Mac while holding down the power button until you see “Loading startup options”. A screen showing the “Macintosh HD” icon and the “Options” icon will appear next.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Click on Options, then click Continue.



6. Click your user account name icon.



7. Click Next.



8. Enter your password.



9. In the menu bar click Utilities, then select Startup Security Utility.



10. Click the Security Policy button.



11. Check the button for Reduced Security.



12. Check the box for Allow user management of kernel extensions form identified developers.



13. Click OK.



14. Reboot the Mac.



15. Next download your drivers from RME here. Select your product, your operating system, then click on Driver. We’ll come back to the Flash Update later.
    
    
    
    Download the appropriate files. These were current as of September 2024: driver_usb_mac_333.zip, driver_usbdk_mac_414.zip



16. I ran this installer first: driver_usb_mac_333/Fireface USB 333.pkg   A pop up will appear: System Extension Blocked. Click Open System Settings. You should be in the Privacy & Security tab. Go to where it says “System software from developer “RME GmbH” was blocked from loading.” Click the Allow button. Click Restart. The Mac may reboot twice.



17. In System Settings, General, Login Items, RME GmbH is now added.



18. I ran this installer next: driver_usbdk_mac_414/Fireface USB DK 414.pkg   A pop up will appear: System Extension Blocked. Click Open System Settings. You should be in the Privacy & Security tab. Go to where it says “System software from application “Fireface USB Settings.app” was blocked from loading. Click the Allow button. Click Restart.



19. Two apps will be added to your Applications folder: Fireface USB Settings and Totalmix. Both of these applications will automatically launch when you connect your Babyface Pro FS.



20. Now that you’ve installed the drivers, check for a flash update for the Babyface Pro FS here.
    
    The file you're looking for is called fut_usb_mac.zip. Open the .zip and run the RME USB Series Flash Tool.app.
    
    
21. When running the flash tool, if the New Revision version is greater than the Current Revision version, click the Update button. It only takes a minute to do this.



22. When finished updating, disconnect the cable to the Babyface Pro FS and reconnect it. When Fireface USB Settings relaunches you should see the new firmware version at the top of the app.



23. You’re done setting up the device. If you had issues refer to the manual, the websites, or the user forums for assistance. I have links below. I had no issues.

If you want to use Logic Pro to record your guitar...

1. Connect the Babyface Pro FS to the Mac with the USB cable.



2. Plug the guitar into Input 3 or Input 4 on the side.



3. On the Input side of the Babyface Pro FS screen, press the IN button until Ch 3/4 is lit.



4. TotalMix FX will be open when the Babyface Pro FS is connected.
   
   Note that you do NOT have to use TotalMix FX to control routing if you don't want to. You can switch it into DAW mode and handle the routing in Logic Pro. To do that... go to Options, Operational Mode, Digital Audio Workstation Mode. If you switch this with an open project you'll most likely need to close your project and create a new one as some settings may not work. When I did this I lost the ability to monitor my instrument through the speakers while playing.



5. If you want to do the routing in TotalMix FX then ...go to the Hardware Inupts row (top row). Go to Instr. 3 or Instr. 4 depending on the jack you used on the Babyface Pro FS.



6. Click the wrench icon to expand the control panel.



7. Now click "Stereo", which de-selects Stereo. The channel can now be edited seperately.



8. Click the wrench icon on whichever channel you just plugged your instrument into to expand it again. There is a setting with Boost, -10dBV, or +4 dBu. Choose whichever you like. +4 dBu will give you the signal with the least noise. I prefer -10dBV.



9. Turn the rotary Gain knob up (you can also click in the numeric window to enter a number directly) to your liking. That should give you sufficient gain. 9 is the maximum. If you turn the dial labelled “L##” straight up you’ll hear yourself in both ears of the headphones.



10. There is a slider next to the VU meter that can also raise your signal. Remember, the noise floor in modern audio interfaces is really low, so it should probably be ok to raise the gain digitally in your DAW if you find the input signal too low even after this.
    
    On the interface press the IN button until it highlights Ch 3/4. These are the guitar inputs. Next press the OUT button until it highlights Phones, for headphones output.
    
    
    



11. Open Logic Pro.



12. Select Empty Project, then click Choose.
    
    
    



13. You'll be at the Create New Track Screen.
    
    Go to the Audio Input dropdown and select Input 3 or 4 depending which jack on the BabyFace Pro FS you picked.
    
    Up above go to the Audio section, and select Guitar or Bass.
    
    
    



14. You should see “My instrument is connected with: (Babyface Pro)”. Otherwise click the arrow and select the device you want. If even after selcting it from the next screen it still doesn’t appear, cancel creating this project, and try again. It should appear the next time.



15. At the Input dropdown box above, select either Input 3 or Input 4 depending on which jack you plugged your guitar into. If you leave it set to the default (Input 1) you’ll never hear your guitar through Logic Pro.



16. You can set you audio output to stereo Output 1 + 2 or mono it.



17. These settings can later be changed at Logic Pro - Settings.



18. Click Create when done making selections.



19. If you strum the guitar you should now see it register on the VU meter in Logic Pro and hear it on your speakers/headphone output jack from your Mac. If you don’t, close the project and open a new one. It happens.
    
    
    



20. You could also plug headphones into the Babyface Pro FS directly, and hear the guitar if you select Phones on the Output side of the device, by pressing the OUT button until it’s lit.

Some additional notes.