How to Record a Zoom Guest in Logic Pro Without Echo

What is mix-minus?

A mix-minus sends someone the complete audio mix minus their own voice. In this setup, your microphone travels through Logic Pro into Zoom, while the Zoom guest is captured on a separate Logic track with no output back to Zoom.

        Your microphone
            ↓
        Podcast Inputs — Channel 1
            ↓
        Logic microphone track
            ↓ EQ and Compressor
        Logic to Zoom
            ↓
        Zoom microphone

        Zoom guest
            ↓
        External headphones
            ↓ captured by Audio Router
        Podcast Inputs — Channels 3–4
            ↓
        Logic Zoom Guest track
            ↓
        Recording only — No Output

The guest can hear you, and you can hear the guest through your headphones. Logic records both sides separately, but the guest track is not returned to Zoom.

1. Prepare the Logic Pro project

1. Open Logic Pro and create an empty project.
2. Create a mono audio track for your microphone.
3. Name the track Host Microphone.
4. Click the track’s R button to record-enable it.
5. Speak into the microphone and confirm that its meter responds.

You do not need to press Logic Pro’s main Record button yet. The track only needs to be record-enabled to receive the live input.

2. Add microphone processing

1. Select the Host Microphone track.
2. Locate an empty Audio FX slot.
3. Add EQ → Channel EQ.
4. In the next Audio FX slot, add Dynamics → Compressor.
5. Use the mono versions when available.

        Microphone
            ↓
        Channel EQ
            ↓
        Compressor
            ↓
        Logic Pro output

The exact processing is up to you. EQ and compression provide a simple starting point for spoken-word recording.

3. Create the Logic to Zoom output device

1. Open Audio Router.
2. Click the large + button at the bottom of the session sidebar.
3. Rename the new session Logic to Zoom.
4. Keep the default Pass-Through source.
5. Confirm that Pass-Through is connected to Channels 1 and 2.
6. Make sure the session is enabled and unmuted.

            
        Pass-Through Left  → Channel 1 Pass-Through Right → Channel 2
            

This virtual device carries Logic Pro’s processed output into Zoom.

4. Create the multichannel Podcast Inputs device

1. Create another Audio Router session.
2. Rename it Podcast Inputs.
3. Remove its default Pass-Through source.
4. Use the button beside Channels to add a second stereo pair.
5. Confirm that the session now has four channels.

The four channels will be assigned as follows:

Channel 1

Host microphone

Channel 2

Unused

Channels 3–4

Zoom guest audio

5. Add the microphone to Podcast Inputs

1. Click the + button beside Sources.
2. Select your microphone or audio interface.
3. Remove any unwanted automatic connections.
4. Connect the microphone’s active output port only to Channel 1.
5. Speak and confirm that Channel 1 responds.

            
        Microphone → Channel 1
            

Channels 2–4 should remain inactive when only the microphone is producing sound.

6. Add Zoom to Podcast Inputs

1. Open Zoom.
2. Go to Settings → Audio.
3. Under Speaker, select your external headphones or headset.
4. Start Zoom’s speaker test so the application produces audio.
5. Return to Audio Router.
6. Click the button beside Sources.
7. Select Zoom or Zoom Workplace.
8. Remove any automatic Zoom connections to Channels 1 and 2.
9. Connect Zoom’s left output to Channel 3 and its right output to Channel 4.

        Zoom Left  → Channel 3
        Zoom Right → Channel 4

Open the Zoom source options in Audio Router and make sure Mute when capturing is disabled. This allows you to continue hearing the guest through your headphones.

7. Configure Logic Pro’s audio devices

1. Return to Logic Pro.
2. Open Logic Pro → Settings → Audio → Devices.
3. Set Input Device to Podcast Inputs.
4. Set Output Device to Logic to Zoom.
5. Apply the device changes if Logic Pro asks.

Set the existing Host Microphone track to mono Input 1. Speak and confirm that its meter still responds.

8. Create the Zoom guest track

1. Create a new audio track in Logic Pro.
2. Set its input format to Stereo.
3. Select Input 3–4.
4. Name the track Zoom Guest.
5. Set the track’s output to No Output.
6. Click the track’s R button to record-enable it.
7. Run Zoom’s speaker test again.
8. Confirm that the Zoom Guest track meter responds.

9. Configure Zoom

1. Open Zoom’s Settings → Audio.
2. Under Microphone, select Logic to Zoom.
3. Under Speaker, select your external headphones or headset.

Do not select Logic to Zoom as Zoom’s speaker. Incoming guest audio should go directly to your headphones.

10. Check the Logic track settings

11. Record the podcast

1. Confirm that both Logic tracks are record-enabled.
2. Start or join the Zoom meeting.
3. Confirm that you can hear the guest through your headphones.
4. Confirm that the guest can hear your microphone.
5. Press Logic Pro’s main Record button.
6. Record the conversation.
7. Stop Logic Pro when the session is complete.

Logic should create two independent recording regions:

• Your microphone on the Host Microphone track
• The remote participant on the Zoom Guest track

Separate tracks allow you to edit, process, balance, and export each side of the conversation independently.

12. Set healthy recording levels

Run a short test before beginning the real conversation. Ask the guest to speak at their normal volume and watch the Zoom Guest track meter.

Adjust the Zoom source level inside Audio Router if necessary. Aim for typical peaks around −18 to −12 dBFS in Logic, with occasional louder peaks remaining safely below 0 dBFS.

Do not judge the captured level solely from your headphone volume. Zoom’s speaker volume and Logic’s recording-input level are separate signal paths.

13. Review the recording

The Zoom Guest track uses No Output during the call, so it will not play through Logic’s normal output until you change the review configuration.

1. End or leave the Zoom meeting.
2. Disable record-enable on both Logic tracks.
3. Temporarily set Logic Pro’s Output Device to your external headphones.
4. Change the Zoom Guest track from No Output to Stereo Out.
5. Play the recording and review both tracks.

Verify the mix-minus

1. Restore Logic Pro’s Output Device to Logic to Zoom.
2. Restore the Zoom Guest track output to No Output.
3. Run Zoom’s speaker test without speaking.
4. Confirm that the Zoom Guest track receives the sound.
5. Confirm that Zoom’s microphone meter does not significantly respond to its own speaker-test sound.
6. Speak into your microphone.
7. Confirm that Zoom’s microphone meter now responds.

A successful test proves the intended routing:

        Your microphone → Zoom
        Zoom guest → Logic recording
        Zoom guest ✕ back into Zoom

Troubleshooting

Zoom does not appear in Audio Router

• Make sure Zoom is open.
• Run Zoom’s speaker test so it actively produces audio.
• Close and reopen Audio Router’s Sources list.

The Host Microphone track receives nothing

• Confirm that Logic Pro’s Input Device is set to Podcast Inputs.
• Set the track to mono Input 1.
• Record-enable the track.
• Confirm that the Audio Router microphone source reaches Channel 1.

The Zoom Guest track receives nothing

• Set the track to stereo Input 3–4.
• Record-enable the track.
• Confirm that Audio Router routes Zoom Left and Right to Channels 3 and 4.
• Run Zoom’s speaker test while checking the meters.

The guest hears themselves with a delay

• Immediately confirm that the Zoom Guest track is set to No Output.
• Do not route Zoom into the Logic Stereo Out.
• Check that Zoom has not been added to the Logic to Zoom session.
• Use headphones rather than speakers.

The recorded guest sounds quiet during playback

• Remember that No Output prevents normal Logic playback during the call.
• For review, temporarily set the Zoom Guest track to Stereo Out.
• Temporarily set Logic Pro’s output to your headphones.
• Adjust the track fader during editing if necessary.

The guest recording level is genuinely too low

• Ask the guest to speak at their normal recording level.
• Raise the Zoom application-source level in Audio Router.
• Watch Logic’s input meter and avoid clipping.
• Do not rely on headphone loudness to judge the recording level.

Final configuration checklist

Audio Router: Podcast Inputs

• Microphone → Channel 1
• Zoom Left → Channel 3
• Zoom Right → Channel 4
• Zoom Mute when capturing: Off
• Session enabled and unmuted

Audio Router: Logic to Zoom

• Pass-Through → Channels 1 and 2
• Session enabled and unmuted

Logic Pro

• Input Device: Podcast Inputs
• Output Device: Logic to Zoom
• Host Microphone: Input 1 → Stereo Out
• Zoom Guest: Input 3–4 → No Output
• Both tracks record-enabled

Zoom

• Microphone: Logic to Zoom
• Speaker: External headphones or headset