How to run effects

E

en7ropia

New member
I have a small studio setup but have recently been wanting to switch completely to the PC. I was using an older 8 track Yamaha tape unit, with an effects loop. And just recording one track at a time by sending the stereo out to the sound card on my PC, and using Magix 2005 to record and mixdown.

I am bumming :( because I can't record multiple tracks live. So I figured I needed a mixer with firewire out to the PC.

I've been looking at the Alesis Multimix16 mixer and its firewire capability to send 8 individual channels back to the PC to be multi track recorded in something like cubase.

However, in researching this unit I found that when the line in channels are sent through an effects loop via 2 auxilliary channels (with send/return), the processed signal (now with effects) never reaches the PC. Only the raw channel signals get with some basic filtering, get sent along the firewire to the PC. So the effects loop here is useless for me in my situation.

I have external effects that I'd like to use and share with others during sessions. What is the better option for providing effects. Something like a patch panel? How do these work? Also, is it normal to have to have an additional preamp before the signal reaches the mixer? My mic levels are crap. Depends on mixer?

Was also wondering if any firewire style mixers send effects track by track to the PC? Anyone know if Mackie 1620 does this?

** update: no the mackie 1620 does not, but if you only need to record one track at a time you could feed the effects return back into an input channel on the mixer and record that channel. (defeats the purpose)

Do I even need a mixer if I'm primarily concerned about getting the individual tracks seperated to the PC with effects applied already?

My problem is really on the input side I guess.
Thanks
 
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You could get a sound card that supports 8 tracks in, rather than purchasing a new mixer. The Delta 1010 is one such card.

-MD
 
Here again with the Delta 1010, I would need some kind of effects panel. I guess with outputs from the panel to the inputs on the Delta 1010. Anyone know how these patch panels work or if they work?
 
en7ropia said:
Could I plug directly in to this card. Or would a preamp or di be needed?
Click to expand...

Yes you need a pre or DI and yes this will likely be good for your sound anyway! I recommend you get a solid 8 pre strip like the Octane, the Digimax LT, the Octopre LE, or if you're on a budget than get a ADA8000 or a Nady PRA-8...

en7ropia said:
Here again with the Delta 1010, I would need some kind of effects panel. I guess with outputs from the panel to the inputs on the Delta 1010. Anyone know how these patch panels work or if they work?
Click to expand...

You can route the channels in Cubase to go out your Delta 1010's outs and then run them back in after your effects into new Mono channels which are then routed to your main mix...

Jacob
 
Thats what I don't get.. If I was recording 4 live tracks and wanted to send them through an effects loop how do I hook it up so that the tracks stay seperate even after the effects. I don't want to simply record the main mix, but rather each seperate track.

I am out of my mind. Help me. :eek: Kidding.

Thanks
 
Hi en7ropia

Depending on your software, you should be able to set up an aux send to utilise the other outs in the Delta1010 card for effects send. You will then have to ensure you have a couple of input channels free to hear the resulting effects.

If you can get hold of a mixing desk with 8 busses/subgroups, you can have cables permanently patched from the desk into the inputs of the Delta card and route your audio to your computer whenever you need to.
The software will be able to keep the eight tracks separate for mixdown later on....you just need to make sure that the audio card you have can support more than two inputs (like the Delta1010 mentioned)

You can then use the aux sends on the desk to listen to the effects (simple send/return loop) while still recording the audio without effects. (You can add effects later on)

Dags
 
Thanks for the responses. Adding effects after the tracks are recorded is OK for certain things but there are times when I'd like to have the effects already mixed into the individual tracks at the time of recording. (I understand the cons of doing it this way)

It seems like an effects loop like I've been discussing is not the way to go. Is there another option for having people in a live jam share effects while being recorded? Something like a patch panel. How does a patch panel work?

Any other recommendations for effects setup?
Thanks.
 
Here's something to think about, The 1010 (great card, I use one myself) works best with an external mixer setup. There are other boxes out there with 8 inputs and preamps built in, but if you have a mixer you have the preamps and the routing options for effects sends and returns, headphone mixes, EQ. This is where the 1010 was aimed at I think. A no fuss 8in/8out AD/DA converter
 
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