Setting up a Scarlett 3 with an AT2020 microphone output for online calls

Question

I'd like to start guitar lessons online. Here is my current setup:

• I have a 6 string guitar (obviously), ad Little Dot Mk II headphone amplifier (which either has a monitor function I use to drive my 250ohm DT990Pros) or an RCA in/out which I effectively use as a switch for my output to bookshelf speakers vs headphones.

• I also just got a Scarlett solo 3 and it's wonderful for hooking up the guitar to guitar rig 6 software; however scarlett only has its own monitor out and RCA out.

• Finally, I have a AT2020 condenser microphone I use for zoom calls.

My question is - can we either finagle these pieces or maybe I could buy something in the meantime so I can get the guitar tone mixed in with the voice input that's being sent to the instructor (presumably via the AT2020 mic? I know it does "magic" to adjust for voice-only)

The lessons are done on a platform that is much like zoom. I think there's something for mac called SoundSource which can route sounds around from input to output and vice-versa but I think it REPLACES the sound and doesn't just mix it in.

Keep in mind the AT2020 is a USB microphone. What is the solution here so that I'm

a) able to speak and simultaneously

b) able to send clear or unprocessed signal from my guitar to the same "out" that my system considers to be a microphone for zoom?

bonus c) pre-process the signal with guitar rig 6 or some DAW

Potential out-of-the-box solution: stream both audios out differently so they don't have to be part of the zoom/platform?

Answer 1

Have a look at Audio Hijack & Loopback, both from Rogue Amoeba, same as their consumer-level SoundSource. Both have far more capable routing possibilities. Both have trial periods you can use for testing.
SoundSource is really just for output routing, so you can, for instance, send iTunes direct to your Hi-fi, through an EQ & compressor, whilst Zoom goes to your headset, etc, etc.

I haven't used Loopback much, so I don't have detailed knowledge of its capabilities, but it seems the more comprehensive router of the three. Hijack & Loopback can be used in tandem to set up even more comprehensive routings. Until SoundSource & Loopback came along, I used to use Audio Hijack for a lot of internal 'semi-pro' routing, anywhere I wasn't using high-end DAWs with ASIO and ReWire [which I think may be overkill].

Links to a couple of other answers on SE with pretty pictures of various Hijack routings…

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/203004/nice-audio-mixer-repeater/203009#203009

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/271164/split-input-channels-using-soundflower-and-aulab/271194#271194

I always seem to come across as a one-man advertising campaign for Rogue Amoeba, but I have no affiliation & just think they make really good apps for audio routing.