help with mixing console

[ellenshane]

hey guys i need a little help here.

i just bought a eurorack UB802 home because - if for no other reason - i wanted to see exactly how a mixing console works.

my questions are:
1) what does a mixing console exactly do? does it RECORD?
2) if it does record, so what if i connect it to my computer? do i need a software?
3) how do i get around to connectin my guitar & my keyboard & mic to it? as in how do i actually get stuff recorded?

god im BAFFLED.. i need HELP!

anyway, it's just a tiny 4 track console, if im not wrong.
thanks in advance!

 

[ellenshane]

and if the console cant record, what must i get in order to record my stuff? what should make up my mini "home studio"?

i seriously cant believe im going SAE to do audio engineering with my level of technical knowledge (nonexistent in every sense). haha.

 

[input_output]

and if the console cant record, what must i get in order to record my stuff? what should make up my mini "home studio"?

nope it cant record. first off, u need some cables to connect yer mixer to the soundcard. u might need the adapter to fit the soundcard in thugh. i have a eurorack UB1202 and ive been going from the tape outs straight to the ins of my soundcard. after searhing ard in forums and such. i think its better to find the proper stereo split cable and use that instead. (the tape outs are RCA on one end) other den dat u need a recording softeare to record, try N-tracks or cool edit pro for that. may have missed out on other stuffs, maybesomeone else will come along and fill in on wat ive missed

i seriously cant believe im going SAE to do audio engineering with my level of technical knowledge (nonexistent in every sense). haha.

well...... dats wat ure going there for, to LEARN

 

[ellenshane]

heyhey, thanks! but im still confused. i know abt those recordin software, but does it mean i have to plug my mic into the com??

can i buy an analogue 4 track recorder & then use my eurorack802 to mix it?

what exactly does a soundcard do?

and where can i buy all these??

sorry. im terribly confused. haha.

 

[penguin]

hi...im not gd in explaining ..
pls hop over to http://www.presonus.com/images/firepoddiagram-big.jpg
http://www.m-audio.com/images/en/connectivity/th/audiophile_2496
see if u can understand the idea...

i believe wat u need is a visual explaination.
u can substitude the device with ur equiptment..

there are many ways to record.

gd luck ellen

 

[ellenshane]

thanks penguin.

another question: is it possible to buy a 4 track recorder for under 100 bucks? where can i buy recorders?

 

[soft]

ellenshane, you should look at a software solution instead. since you already have the computer. :wink:

check out n-Track Studio

 

[input_output]

i have juz the visual to help u out

if dat soesnt show. den try dis link http://gallery.clubsnap.com/data/500/nmodisetup.jpg

first thing first gotta read up on the specifics, a good place to ask ard is www.homerecording.com
as wat soft has mentioned, since uve already got a computer use the software method instead of a 4 track recorder. also wat u gotta wigh in is if ure gonna record simultaneously to 1 track or record simultaneously but to diff tracks (which gives u more flexibility for your mixes)

 

[ellenshane]

thanks for all the help guys.

actually i prefer the recorder method becos i dont want the hassle of getting a soundcard blah, besides i like the idea of a recorder! haha. so where can i get one? & what's the price range like?

 

[soft]

8O

that is my first reaction. then i take a deep breath. adjusted my sitting position. think very hard.

dont have a solution. :lol:

 

[exxtreme]

hey guys i need a little help here.

i just bought a eurorack UB802 home because - if for no other reason - i wanted to see exactly how a mixing console works.

my questions are:
1) what does a mixing console exactly do? does it RECORD?

Ok lets see if i can "draw" something to make sense of it all here and give you a crash course.

1) Mixing console
A basic console consist of the following and flows in this path. Remember this is the basic console. Bigger console have more function with their big baddass.

Input -> Preamp -> EQ -> Insert pt* (sometimes before EQ) -> Aux sends* -> Pan pot -> Channel fader -> Grp fader* -> Stereo fader -> output ( speakers for example)

Not going very detail here but here is a breakdown what each part does.
- Input
Well, its ur input duh! Mic, MI whatever audio signal.

- Preamp
Think of a signal booster. Amplifies the audio signal to suitable (line) level so the rest of the components of the mixer can work with it.

- EQ
In simplest terms, treble and bass. It affects your frequency, want more bass turn up the bass knob. More highs turn up the treble knob.

- Insert pt
The break pt where u would want to put in a (usually) external equipment like another EQ or dynamic processor like compressor. Uh lost? Don't bother skip this session.

- Aux send
This isn't really part of the path. Think of it rather as a splitter where you can split the audio signal and send it to another processor like say a reverb machine, or monitor feed. Again if you're lost, skip this

- Pan pot
This knob put your audio signal either Left or Right, Center or anything inbetween of your stereo field.

- Channel Fader
Volume controller for that channel simple enuff.

- Grp fader
You can grp several normal faders to one fader so you can control the volume of several faders with 1 fader. Understood? K next

- Stereo fader
Your main or master fader.

So if you're still with me, a mixer essential take several inputs, combine them to a stereo output. It also acts a place where you can change the signal freq, amplitude (that is loudness) add effects, etc.

Phew ok that's out of the way.... and no its doesn't record as u can see

 

[exxtreme]

2) if it does record, so what if i connect it to my computer? do i need a software?
3) how do i get around to connectin my guitar & my keyboard & mic to it? as in how do i actually get stuff recorded?

2)
Now remember i said it doesn't record? Well i lied, kind of though. Some mixers have intergrated with recorder in them. An example would the Yamaha AW16G (http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA...etail/0,,CNTID%3D2837%26CTID%3D228500,00.html)

Well if its a normal mixer, then u need a recorder, be it hardware or from a computer running an audio software. I'm not going to expound on this coz there is too much to write everything down. But for a trend, everyone is going to computer recording nowadays coz it much cheaper. Software that musicians use to record are Logic Audio, Aberlton live, etc. Sound engineer would use Pro Tools and their alike like Pyramix, etc. There is really a lot of options to look at. A nice site to have an idea of wat is in the market is www.sweetwater.com Its a retail store in US but have a big range of products and information about each one.

3) So to get it record its liek this:

Mic / MI (musicial instrument if u're wondering) -> Mixer -> Recorder

Ah quite simple yah? This is just the basics remember.

 

[exxtreme]

thanks for all the help guys.

actually i prefer the recorder method becos i dont want the hassle of getting a soundcard blah, besides i like the idea of a recorder! haha. so where can i get one? & what's the price range like?

A hardware recorder isn't cheap. I don't know wat is the price out there nowadays but it used to cost like anything from $500 onwards. Might be cheaper. Low priced hardware recorder to look for u can try m-audio maybe? A good sound card from them for computer recording start i think about $200?