Hooking up a mixer to audio interface to macbook !

[Valentin0]

Hi Softies ,

As stated above, i wanna get a just a small mixer which is 2-3 channels like that. But i wanna hook up my mixer to my M-audio Fast track pro and lastly to my macbook. Can this be done ? I wanna control all my audio tracks from my mixers . Next question, how can i hook up my mixer to my audio interface which is my M-audio fast track. I need the mixer cos i firstly, i wanna record guitar tracks plus vocals tracks if possible together . Where should i plug the mixer to my audio interface ? If you look at the M-audio Fast track pro, at the back of the AI, there is a TRS output and inserts. So which one should i put my mixer to ? Thanks alot softies !

Does the mixer helps to improve the quality of my vocals clarity ? Will it helps make good/decent sound from the guitar ? Overall, will it improve sound quality if i were to have a mixer ? Thanks alot.. Hope to hear you guys reply . I really need help here . And pls, recommend a good/decent mixer which cost less that $150 or less or exactly . Thank you !

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

i wanna hook up my mixer to my M-audio Fast track pro and lastly to my macbook. Can this be done?

why not? Just connect your instrument accordingly into the mixer and from the mixer out to the input of the fast track and from there, you can record into the laptop via software which most people refer to as daw(digital work station). You need the software to work with recording data.

how can i hook up my mixer to my audio interface which is my M-audio fast track.

theres output from the mixer. Connect output from mixer to input of audio interface. IT doesnt matter what brand of gear are in there. For such connection, just have to think in term of input, output, input and output.

Your signal source(instrument/mic) will be the input to the mixer. And from the mixer output, will be input to audio interface. And thru the audio interface, it will provide input, into the computer and into daw/software for recording. Once recorded, these data will be the input back to your audio interface and finally output to speaker/headphone etc.

If you look at the M-audio Fast track pro, at the back of the AI, there is a TRS output and inserts. So which one should i put my mixer to ?

Read the manual or check out their official sites/forum for it if you bought it used without the manual. Within the manual, it should have the info you want. Most audio interface , will have such info, either on their sites or manual.

Does the mixer helps to improve the quality of my vocals clarity ?

In general, a mixer is to combine signals and re route it to different places/devices. We dont use mixer to improve clarity. But with the eq section found in most mixer, we can either cut or boost certain section of the frequency for the sound thats going into its own individual channel

Will it helps make good/decent sound from the guitar ?

From a basic recording point of view, no. We dont use mixer to improve sound from guitar

Overall, will it improve sound quality if i were to have a mixer

again, no, in general we dont use mixer to improve sound.

 

[jbarks]

Be aware that you will not be able to control individual levels in post if you send a summed mix to your AI. The Fast Track is able to track a guitar signal and vocal mic at the same time... why not do that instead?

Or depending on how many outs your mixer has, you can send a total of 4 inserts from the mixer to the FT. Your choice

 

[logicdroid]

Does the mixer helps to improve the quality of my vocals clarity ? Will it helps make good/decent sound from the guitar ? Overall, will it improve sound quality if i were to have a mixer ? Thanks alot.. Hope to hear you guys reply . I really need help here . And pls, recommend a good/decent mixer which cost less that $150 or less or exactly . Thank you !

Actually, more pieces of gear = more noise.. Also consider the environment..

The sound quality/colour of your recordings depend on the quality of your micPres on your mixer or audio interface (or OutboardPres), mics and several other elements.

Imagine if you bought a mixer with bad, bad noisy micpres?

I would recommend just ditching the mixer. Everything else can be done on your Audio interface and Mac/GarageBand.

I would go further to recommend buying a condenser mic with your $150, or an entry level micpre/DI box.

Best.

 

[kongwee]

Me very simple. Save that money or buy a condenser. Also start to that note with the same function why some brand is cheaper and other double or more pricy. That is you start to take note of sound quality.