Sending effect to mixer?

K

kr236rk

New member
Hi,

Am trying to get some echo/reverb on a mic. I tried putting the mic through an effects pedal and the result is rather faint and decidedly hissy. There is a 'send' jack on my mixer but I don't know how to use it - the mic goes through the mixer, all my music gear does.

Can I patch an echo or reverb pedal through my mixer - send the effect to the mic channel please?

My mixer is the Yamaha MG102c

Yamaha MG102C 10-Input Stereo Mixer with Compression | Musician's Friend

Thanks,

Ric
 
What I'd suggest given what you have is plugging the mic straight into the channel and plugging the send to the input of the pedal and the output to either an empty channel, or if its a stereo pedal, two channels. (Assuming you can spare them) set the wet / dry on your pedal to 100% <full wet> and then tailor to taste. If you have no spare channels you can use the AUX rtn but You'll have less control over the "Sound" of your reverb. The beauty of using it as a send is you can send to it from multiple inputs.

But Ideally, you don't want to put a vocal signal through a guitar pedal.
 
GazEcc said:
What I'd suggest given what you have is plugging the mic straight into the channel and plugging the send to the input of the pedal and the output to either an empty channel, or if its a stereo pedal, two channels. (Assuming you can spare them) set the wet / dry on your pedal to 100% <full wet> and then tailor to taste. If you have no spare channels you can use the AUX rtn but You'll have less control over the "Sound" of your reverb. The beauty of using it as a send is you can send to it from multiple inputs.

But Ideally, you don't want to put a vocal signal through a guitar pedal.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm obviously going to have to experiment! :D

Am considering looking for a dedicated mic-reverb box, the hiss from the echo unit is pretty intrusive. Funny, though, it sounds ok through phones but not so good on play-back.

Have only ever tinkered with studio recording, but now I want to get a very small basic kit together for live performance, and I'm trying out ideas at home. So it's complicated, will be using multiple inputs from several devices - semi acoustic guitar thro practice amp, no problem. Mouth harp - will need compression / reverb, done that before ok ~ another small amp. Vocals: probably also through the same amp as the harp. Have a small Black Star amp with reverb, so that might also turn out alright. Finally, a very simple percussion - portable unit: electro-pad kick-bass & hi-hat (or similar, the hi-hat is a bit quiet).

Meanwhile i need to demo material to myself thro phones ['Home Recording']to see what's what, hence the need for 'live' mic reverb vocals, I could easily add digital reverb afterwards but that's giving me no idea about the live feel and live balance - all important.

Here's the set-up of the mixer

mixer1_zpslkvqkrhw.jpg

I have only two channels for dual recording via my interface, so at the moment the guitar takes one channel & the vocals / percussion share the other.

Still have no real idea of how to use the send jack though - where would the 'in' and 'out' jacks from my effects unit go please?

Thanks again :)
 
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I would have responded almost word for word as GazEcc with one addition to the part below:

GazEcc said:
But Ideally, you don't want to put a vocal signal through a guitar pedal.
Click to expand...

And a guitar pedal is not the right thing to connect to a mixing board. There are reverb/multi-effects units more suited to connecting to a console. For a few examples look at the Yamaha REV500 and SPX990, Lexicon MX series, T.C. Electronics M-350 etc.
 
kr236rk said:
I have only two channels for dual recording via my interface, so at the moment the guitar takes one channel & the vocals / percussion share the other.

Still have no real idea of how to use the send jack though - where would the 'in' and 'out' jacks from my effects unit go please?

Thanks again :)
Click to expand...

You shouldn't share inputs like that. Is there a reason you're not connecting the Stereo Out or Rec Out to your interface? Sometimes there's good reason to use the inserts, but I don't know if this is one of them.
 
Since you are looking at future live use, I'd recommend either a dedicated external reverb or get a new mixing board that has FX built-in.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
You shouldn't share inputs like that. Is there a reason you're not connecting the Stereo Out or Rec Out to your interface? Sometimes there's good reason to use the inserts, but I don't know if this is one of them.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm not sure what you mean though - which jacks should go where please?
 
mjbphotos said:
Since you are looking at future live use, I'd recommend either a dedicated external reverb or get a new mixing board that has FX built-in.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea - live performance is at the mercy of in-house set ups so you need to go prepared. A one-man band, i need all the electronic support I can muster to get the material across, my songs are electric guitar based, I don't want to do an acoustic set.

How does this look please?

Wharfedale Connect 1202FX / USB Mixing Desk - PMT Online

Alternatively there is this:

Yamaha MG06X 6-Channel Mixing Desk with FX | Andertons
 
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kr236rk said:
Thanks, I'm not sure what you mean though - which jacks should go where please?
Click to expand...

Connect Rec Out to your interface's input. Connect your interface's output to 2-Track. Move the drum pads to Channel 3 L/Mono. The Monitor output of the board would go to your studio monitors. Aux Send goes to the input of your effects unit, and the output of the effects could go into 9/10, Return or about any stereo input. Stereo Out could go to the PA amps/speakers.

There are many variations but this should get you started.
 
Many thanks BSG: getting a mixer was a step forward & learning how to use it properly will by a further step in the right direction! :)
 
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bouldersoundguy said:
Here's a nice little effects unit:

NanoVerb 2
Click to expand...

That looks cool. My vocal presence is pretty non-existent without some reverb. The mouth harp will need compression but I have a compressor stomp box which will take a retro high impedance mic, ideal for amplifying blues harp, add an echo unit & there you go.

There are two practice amps - both tube driven - one for the guitar and one for the vocals + harp, it has dual inputs, a master and line in. The line is default set but a stomp box with adjustment knobs doubles for a volume control.
 
Here's a slightly earlier Yam mixer but with FX. I followed the advice re sockets but am still in a muddle. Can't seem to separate out the mic (vocals) from the guitar - am I plugged in wrong again?

This time it's all electronic via usb interface to a pc mix/record software. It's too complicated simulating a live scenario because of course in a small room the vocal mic is picking up the guitar, so I thought by channelling everything electronically it would be easier to isolate what does what?

Mixer_Panorama1_zpsrhrvqaly.jpg

Ideally, I'd like an FX on the mic and nothing on the guitar - I'd certainly like to separate the mic from the guitar so I can work on them individually.

Thanks.
 
C/R Out is for control room monitors but in this case you might not use it. Move the guitar out to the right channel of the stereo out. To record vocal and guitar to separate tracks through that interface pan them to opposite sides on the mixer.

But there's a problem. The built in effects will go to both channels. If you had a separate effects unit you would have the ability to route the effect to one channel with the vocal.
 
I agree with all who have said a guitar pedal reverb is not really suitable. Apart from inherent low quality, e.g. noise, such devices are designed to work at much lower signal levels than those going in and out of a mixer. Pedals are approx' -10dBV devices, mixers generally work at +4dBu, a difference of about 12dB and that is a lot of noise!

But! I wonder why you have not tried the verb pedal in the AUX send FX Return loop? The mixer is so equipped and this gives you control of both send (keep clipping at bay) and return signal levels and thus a happy medium might be struck?

If this is a "knockabout road rig" I suggest you look for something a bit more robust from such as Allen and Heath or Soundcraft, second hand if the pennies are tight.

Dave.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
C/R Out is for control room monitors but in this case you might not use it. Move the guitar out to the right channel of the stereo out. To record vocal and guitar to separate tracks through that interface pan them to opposite sides on the mixer.

But there's a problem. The built in effects will go to both channels. If you had a separate effects unit you would have the ability to route the effect to one channel with the vocal.
Click to expand...

Thanks but aaagh! woops! Whole reason I picked this mixer up was to direct reverb to the mic & leave the guitar clean. I kept wondering why when I turned FX down on the guitar I still got reverb - thought I must be doing something wrong? Apparently not, this may not be the unit for me! :-o
 
btw

As an aside, what sort of unit might be used to add reverb to a stage mic, not necessarily an entire mixer unit but something small, portable, and dedicated to reverb? Thanks again!
 
ecc83 said:
I wonder why you have not tried the verb pedal in the AUX send FX Return loop? The mixer is so equipped and this gives you control of both send (keep clipping at bay) and return signal levels and thus a happy medium might be struck?
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave,

Regarding the mixer pictured at Post #3 [Yamaha MG102c], this also has an Aux Send. Could I plug the verb pedal to this unit please - to send verb to the mic only - & if so, which of the other sockets would I use on it for this?
 
kr236rk said:
Thanks Dave,

Regarding the mixer pictured at Post #3 [Yamaha MG102c], this also has an Aux Send. Could I plug the verb pedal to this unit please - to send verb to the mic only - & if so, which of the other sockets would I use on it for this?
Click to expand...

If you send JUST the mic channel from AUX to the input of the pedal then only the mic will be "effected" . The return signal will be mixed with the main output AFAICT..Problem? Mixers such as the A&H can setup different monitoring regimes.

Dave.
 
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