Whether you’re a musician looking to get their first big break, or you’re an up and coming podcaster, we’re sure that you’ll agree with us when we say that, when it comes to capturing high-quality, premium audio – a Focusrite Scarlett is an essential tool to have in your recording set-up.
Still, despite the fact that the Focusrite Scarlett offers so many benefits for musicians and podcasters – the only question is, can you use a Focusrite Scarlett without a computer?
If you are currently asking yourself this question, rest assured that you have come to the right place.
To help get to the bottom of this question, we are going to be taking a closer look at whether or not you can use a Focusrite Scarlett without a computer or not.
So, without further ado, just keep on reading to discover everything that you need to know!
What Is A Focusrite Scarlett?
Before we jump any further into this guide, we first think that it would be a good idea to talk you through what a Focusrite Scarlett is, exactly, as this will help you to better understand whether or not it can be powered alone or not.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Review
To cut a long story short, if you have ever found yourself working in a recording studio, then we’re sure that you will have no doubt found yourself using a Focusrite Scarlett to be able to provide you with an “all in one” solution for being able to produce high quality home recordings. See also our guide on finding the Best Audio Interface For Podcast for a deeper dive.
Due to this, it means that the Focusrite Scarlett is essential for anyone that wants to produce and create their own music from either the comfort of their own home or in a recording studio.
Along with that, a Focusrite Scarlett can also be used to help improve the overall audio quality of a podcast, too.
Following on, the Focusrite Scarlett is highly versatile and can be used with a variety of different softwares to help capture high quality, premium sound quality – including Garageband, Cubasis 2, Auria Pro, Amplify Launchpad, Amplify Blocs, FL Studio and even Cbasis 2.
Can You Use A Focusrite Scarlett Without A Computer?
Now that you have a better understanding of the Focusrite Scarlett, we’re sure that you might very well be wondering whether or not it can be used without a computer or not.
To cut a long story short, if you are wanting to use your Focusrite Scarlett to be able to capture high-quality sound recordings, you are going to need to make sure that you are correctly connecting it to an adequate power supply (such as your computer or laptop) via the USB C cable that it will have come with in the box when you purchased it.
Not only that, but to help make the installation and setting up process as simple as possible, you might also be interested to learn that the Focusrite Scarlett also comes complete with Focusrite’s very own online tool that is made available to all Focusrite equipment owners.
There, you will be able to access tips and tricks on how to maximize its performance, as well as general instructions on how to properly connect your Focusrite Scarlett to a power supply.
As a side note, you should also keep in mind that all Focusrite Scarlett’s come with the status of being “Class Compliant” which means that they can be easily connected to a Mac computer without having to go to the trouble of installing a separate driver.
In other words, the Focusrite Scarlett is a “plug and play” which, like the name suggests, means that all you will need to do is connect it to your Mac or other computer without having to install a thing at all. Convenient or what?
However, please keep in mind that if you are going to be using your Focusrite Scarlett on a Windows PC, you will need to make sure that you have taken the time to install the driver.
If you do not make sure that you do this, then you will be unable to effectively connect your Focusrite Scarlett to your computer, which means that it will not be given an adequate power supply and you will be unable to use it for your recording purposes.
All that being said, let’s move on to our next section to take a closer look at how you can effectively use your Focusrite Scarlett by connecting it to a computer or alternative power supply.
How To Connect A Focusrite Scarlett To A Computer
So, now that we have uncovered that a Focusrite Scarlett does need to be connected to a computer (or similar power supply) in order to be able to use it, we are now going to be providing some simple instructions on how to successfully connect the two together.
Let’s discover how you can do this below:
Set Up Your Focusrite Scarlett
First things first, you are going to need to make sure that you have set up your Focus Scarlett in your recording studio.
Remember, you are going to need to connect your Focusrite Scarlett to your computer or laptop, so make sure that it is positioned somewhere close so that the cable has the ability to reach.
Connect Your Focusrite Scarlett To Your Computer
Once you have finished setting up your Focusrite Scarlett into your recording studio, you will then be ready to connect it to your computer!
To do this, all you are going to need to do is insert the USB C into the port on your computer and then insert the other end into your Focusrite Scarlett.
The two connectivity ends are a little different in design, so make sure that you are inserting the correct ones into the right ports. You don’t want to damage anything!
Follow Any On-Screen Instructions
As we have already mentioned above, the Focusrite Scarlett is considered to be a plug and play device.
However, there are some instances where you might be required to install a driver in order to be able to both connect and run it on your chosen device.
That being said, if you are using a PC that requires you to install a driver, you’ll need to make sure that you are following the instructions as instructed.
Finishing Setting Up And Begin Using
After you have finished installing the driver (if you are required to, that is) you can then go ahead and complete the setup process.
Usually, you will be prompted to follow on-screen instructions via a pop up window, although this can sometimes change depending on what device you are using.
After you have completed setting up your Focusrite Scarlett, you will be ready to begin using it to capture audio.
Scarlett 2i2 VS 4i4
Scarlett 2i2 Vs Solo
As a side note, if you are finding yourself struggling to effectively connect your Focusrite Scarlett to your computer, then we recommend that you either read through the owner’s manual for further instructions on how to connect the two, or alternatively reach out to Focusrite’s customer service team for future assistance.
The Bottom Line
You’ve made it to the end of the guide.
Now that you have taken the time to read through everything that we have talked you through above, we hope that we have been able to settle any confusion that you might have had surrounding whether or not you can use your Focusrite Scarlett without a computer or not.
Just to sum up everything that we have talked you through above, if you want to use your Focusrite Scarlett to be able to record music or create a podcast, you will need to make sure that you are connecting it to a power source by connecting it via a USB C to A cable.
Additionally, every Focusrite Scarlett comes with a cable in the box, although you can also purchase them separately, too.
However, while the Focusrite Scarlett is recommended to be used while connected to your main recording/producing source (such as your laptop) in order to ensure that it can be supported properly, it is also worth keeping in mind that it can also be used with an alternative power sources such as a tablet or an iPad.
Again, please keep in mind that you’ll need to make sure that you are using your USB C cable, which might mean that you need to use an adapter for these alternative options.
Of course, if you are still experiencing some confusion on how to correctly connect your Focusrite Scarlett to a power source so that you can begin using it to record audio, we recommend that you reach out to Focusrite’s customer service team for more assistance.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this guide, we hope that it has been helpful to you. Goodbye for now!
