moogyboy
New member
hey folks
So, I'm not really there yet, but I'm starting to get my head around my next generation recording rig and need some experienced advice. Here goes:
Once I move back to my old house I want to build a new recording rig that incorporates an analog console with a PC-based DAW. I still have my beloved old TASCAM M-216 mixer (or at least I hope I do, I left it with my friend/bandmate before I moved to NJ) so if I can use that effectively I will, although I'm not opposed to looking for a more capable console. I also want to tear the guts out of my old AthlonXP PC which fell to pieces years ago and start fresh with a new motherboard, CPU, memory, all that stuff. I'm quite tempted to bypass Windows completely and install a Linux distribution (AVLinux looks especially good) instead, and start experimenting with Ardour, JACK, etc. Tentatively I'm thinking of using my Delta 66 PCI interface with it.
My problem is that I've never really understood how one goes about using an analog hardware mixer with a DAW, what other hardware is involved and how to go about hooking the thing up. I don't know if my 6 channel interface is the right approach or whether some kind of DAC/ADC device would be better. Also curious about whether the M-216 is the right mixer for the job. It's a 16/4/2 with switchable tape inputs on eight of the channels. (I guess it was designed for use with an 8 track open reel recorder?)
I guess whatever hardware I use, I'd like to approach it like my DAW is a digital equivalent of a tape recorder. I'd like to be able to mix from my DAW through my mixer and have the stereo mix go right back into the computer into, say, Audacity. Is that even possible? And of course having all my inputs to the DAW go through the mixer as well--mics, synths, whatever. In a real studio situation would one have things like mics, various DI's, etc always plugged in to the inputs and have the ins/outs from the recorder or DAW always plugged in as well, or would there be lots of plugging and unplugging each session?
As much recording as I've done, I've surprisingly never had to deal with any of that. Ever since I've been recording on the computer it's always been using the DAW software mixer and plug-ins for effects, but I really miss the hands-on aspect of actual faders and knobs, you know? I've always gone straight into my interface alone, never dealt with DACs or any of that other stuff so this is terra incognita for me. If i can get my thoughts in better order I'll try to outline what I imagine is involved but any advice would be really appreciated until then. Thanks, guys...
cheers
Billy S.
So, I'm not really there yet, but I'm starting to get my head around my next generation recording rig and need some experienced advice. Here goes:
Once I move back to my old house I want to build a new recording rig that incorporates an analog console with a PC-based DAW. I still have my beloved old TASCAM M-216 mixer (or at least I hope I do, I left it with my friend/bandmate before I moved to NJ) so if I can use that effectively I will, although I'm not opposed to looking for a more capable console. I also want to tear the guts out of my old AthlonXP PC which fell to pieces years ago and start fresh with a new motherboard, CPU, memory, all that stuff. I'm quite tempted to bypass Windows completely and install a Linux distribution (AVLinux looks especially good) instead, and start experimenting with Ardour, JACK, etc. Tentatively I'm thinking of using my Delta 66 PCI interface with it.
My problem is that I've never really understood how one goes about using an analog hardware mixer with a DAW, what other hardware is involved and how to go about hooking the thing up. I don't know if my 6 channel interface is the right approach or whether some kind of DAC/ADC device would be better. Also curious about whether the M-216 is the right mixer for the job. It's a 16/4/2 with switchable tape inputs on eight of the channels. (I guess it was designed for use with an 8 track open reel recorder?)
I guess whatever hardware I use, I'd like to approach it like my DAW is a digital equivalent of a tape recorder. I'd like to be able to mix from my DAW through my mixer and have the stereo mix go right back into the computer into, say, Audacity. Is that even possible? And of course having all my inputs to the DAW go through the mixer as well--mics, synths, whatever. In a real studio situation would one have things like mics, various DI's, etc always plugged in to the inputs and have the ins/outs from the recorder or DAW always plugged in as well, or would there be lots of plugging and unplugging each session?
As much recording as I've done, I've surprisingly never had to deal with any of that. Ever since I've been recording on the computer it's always been using the DAW software mixer and plug-ins for effects, but I really miss the hands-on aspect of actual faders and knobs, you know? I've always gone straight into my interface alone, never dealt with DACs or any of that other stuff so this is terra incognita for me. If i can get my thoughts in better order I'll try to outline what I imagine is involved but any advice would be really appreciated until then. Thanks, guys...
cheers
Billy S.