M-30/788 Expertise Sought...

[sloom]

Hey folks. I've got this M-30 mixer finally out of the shop, and I want to use it to front-end my recording jig. I know next to nothing about it, and am gearing up to do a band's demo session (mine!). Here's the trip, and it's a long one:

I'm recording my reggae band next Sunday. There are 4 of us: Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keys/Vox. There are Backing Vox too...

I'm using a small Studiomaster (Logic-Twelve) mixer for it's Phantom Power, and plugging Drum OH L & R (condensers), kick, and a Room Ambient (Omni) into it. This I'll sub-mix to stereo, and send L & R over to the 788's inputs A and B.

Into the Tascam M-30 mixer goes a DI'd Bass, DI'd guitar, and DI'd Keys. Direct Outs for these channels from the M-30's back panel go to the 788 Inputs C, D, and Aux L (Keys). We record all this from both mixers simultaneously, with headphones from a Behringer 4600 headphone monitor- which signal will be originating from the 788. The only live room instrument will be drums, because we want the ability to "Toast" it- or do a "Dub" type mix, afterward. No bleed allowed!

Then the Vox'll go in to Aux R of the 788. Backing Vox'll go to other virtual tracks in the 788 (I'll be taking the time to name all my virtual tracks!).

I'll burn all the raw .wav files to CD (got the proper CD burner) for transfer to the PC. After everyone goes home, I'll load the .wav files into my PC and plug it all into Sonar HS4 for the finished mix.

Issue: After we get the rhythm tracks done, I want to get the lead vox, right. I'm thinking about how to get a mix from the 788 back into the M-30 for the singers' headphone mix, and record his resulting lead vocal track (from a mic into the Phantom-Powered Logic-Twelve mixer) to the 788. Problem is, the 788 doesn't have individual channel Direct-Outs; only Aux, Monitor, and Stereo Outs. Can these be used for sending individual tracks, or a custom-made mix, to the M-30 Submix In jacks? While I also record- at the same time- to the 788? Of course I'd now have the signal to the Behringer Headphone Monitor coming from the M-30. And am I thinking right about the Submix ins?

Alternative to Issue: Use the 788/Behringer 4600 to give the singer his mix? Is this a no-brainer? I could do a bounce of rhythm tracks to 7/8, and record the lead Vox to some other channel.

This could be simpler- using the PC and n-Track or Sonar with the routing panel for my Terratec soundcard. But the PC is out of service right now.

Some answers to these specific issues will save some serious time, and some embarrassment for me!

I have another Q or two, about "Re-amping", etc,... but I'll see if this gets anywhere first. Thanks for your time!