Mixers

Posted on Aug 23, 2003 09:23 pm
highfour69
Member Since: Aug 23, 2003

I'm new to recording, how exactly do mixers work? I've read the articles on this site, but does it basically mix a bunch of mics together and send out to recorder live so everything has to be recorded at once, or can you play back through the mixer and still be able to adjust each recorded channel on the mixer?

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MinkusMaz
Bane of All Existence
Member
Since: Mar 27, 2003

Aug 23, 2003 09:59 pm

mixers are just collections of mic preamps and EQs and other stuff in a convenient package.

some mixers have direct outs for each channel, the number of which you can use depending on how many inputs your sound card has. soundcards with stereo inputs essentially have two inputs. mixers can also simply output to stereo, which is something that you'd need to do if you wanted to use three or more mics and you only had a sound card with a stereo input.

you adjust each recorded channel inside the recording software itself. you also do EQ, compression, and other stuff. there are a lot of great articles on this site about learning to use those.

Jamie Garrett
Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002

Aug 24, 2003 05:36 pm

if you're new to recording then a small mixer might be the best thing you can add to your studio. Behringer makes some great entry level mixing boards for under $100 USD. I've got the old MX802a model, 8 channels (4 mono w/ preamps, and 2 stereo pairs), 2 bus. It *should* have been the *first* thing I bought, but I didn't know what I was doing a few years ago and waited until much more recently to buy it. Now they have the UB series available which replaces the MX boards.

Loki
Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002

Aug 24, 2003 07:45 pm

your mixer is your control surface. All the sounds go in and out of the mixer.

jues
Contributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002

Aug 24, 2003 09:16 pm

the computer is my control surface. All the sounds go in and out of the computer. ;)

Loki
Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002

Aug 25, 2003 03:33 pm

my computer is my work horse, where everything gets done, but the mixer is at the front of all the work, it's where I connect my effects and mic pre's and compression, where I adjust the EQ and levels of the song or tracks. I could do that all inside the PC, but I prefer the hands on feel rather than the point and click.

jues
Contributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002

Aug 25, 2003 06:19 pm

Hmm, for me all my preamps go straight into my soundcard. I use my mixer for very little other than a cost effective "multi-pre amp" :) It also functions well as a headphone monitor :)

jues.

Loki
Cone Poker
Member
Since: Apr 07, 2002

Aug 26, 2003 02:26 pm

I'm the opposite. I use the mixer for everything

BennisHahn
Ex-Wookie
Member
Since: Aug 29, 2003

Aug 29, 2003 08:42 pm

If I have six tracks on my mixer for drum mics and have them paned out away from center, when I send them into my computer via AUX or 1/4" will they stay panned or will they be recorded as a mono, unpanned track?

-Bennis

jues
Contributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002

Aug 29, 2003 09:01 pm

Hey :)

So basically, what you are saying is - I am gonna use six mics on a drum kit, how do I get them into the computer into a "mixed state"

For this, you will need a mixer with at least 6 XLR inputs. Soemthing like a Behringer Eurorack UB1832FX-PRO Mixer www.musiciansfriend.com/s...ase_pid/631232/ or a Yammaha MG16/4 16-Input 4 Bus Mixer www.musiciansfriend.com/s...ase_pid/630051/ dependant on which side of $250 you look at.

Both of these mixers will allow you to perform the panning and EQing of all 6 tracks and send this mix to the stereo ouput, which in turn can be hooked up to the inputs of your soundcard.

Both of these desks will also allow you to buss all 6 signals out seperatly - this would be useful if your recording device (computer, HDD recorder, etc) had 6 inputs. You would then be able to use software plugins to perform the EQ'ing, compression, etc whilst mixing - definatly something you will come to need.

Although $270 is a bit of a large initial outlay, it is something you really can't avoid when working with drums.

jues.

Hertog
Member
Since: Aug 30, 2003

Aug 30, 2003 10:50 am

Heey,

I´m new here, but I think I really share your problem and a bit of the expertise of the other guys!! Drums are pretty tricky to mix and record, I use 7 mic´s for it in to a soundcraft mixer, I add a compressor to all of the toms and mix the sound till it souds great, then I rout them to a subgroup and compress the overall drumsound again! It may sound like a lot of work and a lot of money (and it does:() but its worth al of that, once you´ve got the hang of it (and ofcourse the equipment) it´s pretty easy and fun to work with.

Hertog