Technical Newb posted by tourist

Technical Newb

Posted on Jan 31, 2008 08:30 pm
tourist
Member Since: Jan 31, 2008

Hey guys. I've been recording for a while, but most of my experience was in a band where one of the guys was heavily into recording and had his own studio.

For the past few years I've been coping by using my laptop (which is pretty much high-desktop standard) and an Edirol FA-66.

I'm getting a bit annoyed with having to do everything via software and don't really get good results with it, so was wondering about adding a mixer and some rack effects to spice things up.

Problem is, I'm not sure how to connect all these things or what I need?

Can anyone suggest some cheap, but decent, rack effects (i.e. reverb, v-amp, distortion), perhaps a good compressor too?

In terms of mixers, I was thinking Behringer Xenyx 1204. Does this have MIDI?

So how would I connect my mixer to my laptop (or eventually desktop)? Could i use my Edirol as an interface? Or would a soundcard with an outboard work better?

Cheers for any help. I'm a singer/songwriter, using acoustic, electric guitar, piano, synth keyboard and MPC-500. Also would like to be able to record drums live at some point.

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Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Feb 02, 2008 12:14 am

The mixer can be connected to the FA-66 which is a sound card or audio interface, whichever you prefer to call it. It is also your midi interface which will get the midi note data into the PC as well.

I've got to ask what software you are using to record with that isn't getting you the results you want. Most of us have left the analog world of rack gear far behind. Most of what I have left in my rack is strictly things like compressor's and EQ and a few hardware synths and effects. But are rarely used these days as the software version's of them are so much easier to use, and in some cases better quality in the end.

For guitars I am pretty much through with live amps for my personal use and use a fully loaded PD xt and Tone Port UX-2 from Line 6. The V-amp is pretty good as well on a budget. For reverb you can look into a used Alesis midi-verb or the like. You can always run through a mixer and out to the Edirol as well which will let you run an effects unit via the aux send return of the mixer.

pjk
Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004

Feb 02, 2008 09:40 am

Maybe you're thinking control surface, meaning when you're mixing, the knobs and sliders control things inside the software.

If so, then look through this last few days on the forum (not sure which sub-forum). There's been a few posts about them, with links to 4 or 5 control surfaces.