Mixing board or no mixing board?

L

libertad

New member
I'm building my studio slowly but surely. I have a space I am happy with, Sonar as my DAW, a Tascam US-1800 input device. So, basically I do everything "in-the-box". But I used to record at analog studios back in the day, and kind of miss the days of the 16-channel mixing board.

I see all these pro-studios and they always seem to have a mixing board. I know it's necessary for a home studio with a DAW to have a mixing board these days, but what are the benefits of having one versus not?

And aesthetically, I think a board just makes a studio look more like a studio. Whereas just a computer looks like... well, just a computer...

Thoughts?
 
Analog studios - multi tracks going to a multitrack recorder, so you need to control each track's EQ, volume, etc - with a board.
You can get a mixing desk that will physically give you control of all the DAW features, but they are not cheap, depending on how many channels you want.
There are no benefits to having a regular analog mixer if you already have a multichannel interface and are working 'in the box'.
 
The benefits are pretty much as you already have said. Many engineers are trained to work on consoles so they like the feel of working with real faders etc. Studio owners also agree that a console just looks better. If your working in digital, you can do everything in the box though, so no difference.
 
Some boring old git wrote THIS FAQ about the whole subject of mixing boards and home recording.

They're not necessary but can add convenience IF YOU GET THE RIGHT MIXING BOARD. Most cheap mixers are worse than useless.

Basically, you need a way to get individual channels from the mixer into your DAW...and a way to get individual channels from the DAW back into the mixer (if you want to work that way). You also need sufficient pre fade auxes to create a sufficient number of headphone mixes. Most cheapies fall down on both the direct outs and few have sufficient (if any) pre fade auxes. Even with direct outs though, you existing interface will limit the number of channels you can feed.
 
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm just so unknowledgeable about mixing boards, even though I used them in the past as a recording artist (not an engineer.)

I suppose a big question of mine is, if everything is available within ProTools, why do you usually always see a huge mixing board in big money studios on television, band documentaries, Pensado's Place, etc?

I know that's a very basic question, but it seems the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.

Bonus question, if you had virtually unlimited money, would you buy yourself a big mixing board for your studio, or stick to just great in-the-box usage?
 
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libertad said:
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm just so unknowledgeable about mixing boards, even though I used them in the past as a recording artist (not an engineer.)

I suppose a big question of mine is, if everything is available within ProTools, why do you usually always see a huge mixing board in big money studios on television, band documentaries, Pensado's Place, etc?

I know that's a very basic question, but it seems the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.
Click to expand...

Well, a couple of reasons. First, on a big session, it's much easier to set levels on all 48 or 96 tracks using faders you can see, feel (and grab a handful of all at once rather than work one at a time with a mouse. Similarly, the big boards have lots of aux sends that can be used for setting up multiple monitor feeds to personalise what people are hearing in their headphones.

Second, the big ones tend to include automation facilities that let them control Protools (or whatever) using the motorised faders, again rather than using a mouse. Watching a huge board with flying fader operation is fun...have a look at THIS! However you don't get these sorts of facilities in the sort of mixer you can afford in a home studio. I just did a search and found a 48 channel Neve...used...for $95,000!
 
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