Preamps, Audio interfaces, amps, Mixers

[johnlimed]

Let's use the following setup to have a few discussions:

4 piece band is on stage with back up vocals
lead guitar > effect board & eq stuff > amp > mixer
bass > amp > mixer
drums > mixer
Vocals > mixer

Let's also say we're recording using a firewire audio interface.

So let me start off the discussion with the following questions:
1) How will the firewire audio interface fit into the layout? Does all the instruments & vocals go to the audio interface first? Then out again to the mixer? Or?

2) If instruments like the lead guitar and bass use amps and their eq stuff, what is the use of their specific preamps? I mean doesn't the bass amp and effects board + eq stuff shape the sound of the lead guitar and bass already? So what does the preamp do?

For vocals, ok the preamp would be of use to help shape the vocals or am I wrong?

Anyone care to share their views/thoughts/experience?

 

[soft]

It will depend on the equipment you are working with.

Does your audio interface have many inputs? You must have more/equal number of inputs if you wish to record the instrument individually.

Ideally, you can use an audio splitter(snake splitter).

http://whirlwindusa.com/support/tech-articles/microphone-splitters/


If your audio interface do not have enough inputs, you can (hopefully) ask the FOH engineer to Group the drums to a 2-track and then Direct Out the other microphone to your interface.


Which audio interface and mixer are you working with?

 

[johnlimed]

Hi Soft,

Thanks for your reply. I'm not working with any audio interface at the moment. I'm just a bassist and I'm interested the know how of 'lve' recording. So I'm asking hypothetically, haha.

Ok, so lets say we can have the most ideal situation where we have access to any and every equipment out there, how do we do the live recording through the audio interface? *You would have probably figured that I'm a total noob to sound engineering by now*

All the lines go to the mixer and then out again to the audio interface? Or the lines go into one of those snakes to split into the audio interface & mixer?

 

[blueprintstudios]

this should answer most.
http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/showthread.php/38326-DIY-Recording-FAQ

drums > mics > xlr > preamp/audio interface > DAW recording.
guitar > pedals > amp > mic > xlr > preamp/audio interface > DAW recording
OR
guitar > pedals > DI 1/4" /amp simulator > preamp/audio interface > DAW recording
same for bass.
vocals (dynamic mic for live) > mic > xlr > preamp/audio interface > DAW recording

for everyone on headphones -
audio interface > output to a headphone amp > splits into multiple headphones for everyone to monitor.

 

[kongwee]

If you wanna multitracking your gig, then you have to tap the insert from the mixer to your audio interface. Make you are using TRS/patch cable.