Monitoring is about listening to the audio signal. You can monitor the sound either before it reaches the computer, known as pre-DAW monitoring, or after it’s been processed by the DAW, known as post-DAW monitoring. Pre-DAW monitoring allows you to hear the input signal before it hits the computer, which can be useful for diagnosing problems with signal flow. Post-DAW monitoring lets you listen to the signal after it’s been recorded and processed by the DAW. In our studio, we almost always use post-DAW monitoring to ensure that what we’ve recorded sounds accurate and of high quality. This approach allows us to verify that there are no issues on the computer side and that the equipment is functioning properly. By listening to the actual recorded signal, we can confirm that everything is captured as intended and address any potential problems early on.