Newbie Question: Mixing Process

[DarkFriend]

I'm new to computer recording/mixing, so please forgive these elementary questions:

I understand the recording process in a computer, where each track is recorded and stored on the hard drive. How exactly does the mixing process work when using a computer? Specifically:

1) Are levels and panning saved on the computer? Is this data separate from the recorded music data?

2) Are effects added from the software, or from external effects units? If added from external effects units, how do the effects process the recorded music, and end up recorded again on the computer as the final mix? Is the final mix part of the original recorded music file, or something separate altogether?

3) Is the same software used for recording also used for mixing?

Big thanks for help on these questions. I need to start at the beginning to make sure I understand what the process is.

Thanks,

DarkFriend

[Hard2Hear]

Lots of these questions are totally dependant on your software. Before you do anything else, go download the trial version of N-Track, to see how it all works.

http://www.ntrack.com/

H2H

[DarkFriend]

Can I run the software even if I don't have a soundcard in my computer yet?

Thanks..

DarkFriend

[Emeric_2]

1) Are levels and panning saved on the computer? Is this data separate from the recorded music data?

The panning, automation, EQ and FX settings are stored seperate from the recorded music data. The music data is written as seperate *.wav files for each track. The automation, EQ/FX, possibly 'undo' data are written to one or more files. This of course, all depends on the software, but most work in a way similiar to this.
[/quote]

2) Are effects added from the software, or from external effects units?

All of the current software multitrackers allow for real time effects. These can be effects that come with the software package, or more popular - 'plugins'. Plugin's come in the form of VST, and directx. These are purchased as seperate add-ons for your multracker software.

If added from external effects units, how do the effects process the recorded music, and end up recorded again on the computer as the final mix?

This depends greatly on the abilities of your soundcard. If you have multiple inputs and outputs, you could send lets say, a vocal track out to an outboard reverb, patch the outputs of the reverb back in to 1 or more inputs of the soundcard, and record that as effected tracks.

Another way (again depending on your soundcard) would be to assign different instruments to individual outputs, or subgroup them within in software, and then output from the sound card into an outboard mixer. Then, use the hardware mixer to mix the song, along with it's inserts, aux etc for using the outboard hardware processing. The master L/R output of the board could then be either sent back into 2 open inputs on the soundcard, or out to another mixdown medium, stand-alone cd-r, dat etc.

Is the final mix part of the original recorded music file, or something separate altogether?

The final mix is the sum of all your individual tracks.

3) Is the same software used for recording also used for mixing?

Most often, yes. Unless you decide to record at home on Cubase for example, and then bring the tracks into a another studio for mixing on pro-tools, or transfer the tracks to ADAT's or some other format, mix on their board, use their outboard gear etc.

[DarkFriend]

Wow.. Excellent information. I think I understand the process better now. I'll post in another topic, but the next question is, which soundcard? It would need to be Windows 2000 compatible, and probably have MIDI inputs as well.

Thanks again for the great info..

[Gidge]

Soundcard depends on the quality you are looking for....The Soundblaster Live has decent quality and does MIDI...if you want to step up to a pro-sumer type card, you are getting up in money and they usually dont have onboard MIDI......

Let us know how good of a sound you are looking for and also input/output requirements.....

[DarkFriend]

I'm willing to spend up to $500, but would rather spend $350. I'd like at least 4 inputs and 4 outputs. MIDI would be nice to have as well, since I'd be using a plethora of synths, drum machines, etc. I'm going to start using n-Track Studio, on a Windows 2000 box.