just getting started - baby steps...

crayner

New member
Hi All,

I am just getting started with this. I have 2 kids, 1 is playing Bass/Keys, the other has an Alesis drum kit... I play guitar. We are in an apartment and I'm looking for the ability to all play together over phones with no sound in the apartment. I'm playing through a Headrush Pedalboard - looking for suggestions on being able to practice together silently... eventually we will move towards recording, so components chosen should have this in mind.

Thanks for any input you might have
C
 
Hi All,

I am just getting started with this. I have 2 kids, 1 is playing Bass/Keys, the other has an Alesis drum kit... I play guitar. We are in an apartment and I'm looking for the ability to all play together over phones with no sound in the apartment. I'm playing through a Headrush Pedalboard - looking for suggestions on being able to practice together silently... eventually we will move towards recording, so components chosen should have this in mind.

Thanks for any input you might have
C

We REALLY need a budget and an idea of what you have already, I mean, do you have enough headphones? Guitar amp? If so does it have an FX out jack? If acoustic best micc'ed up.

In the current (Jan) issue of Sound on Sound is a review of the Zoom Live Trak L8 a mixer/interface that has 6 mic/line inputs and can record up to 12 sources. It also has 4 headphone outputs, almost nothing else on the market does that.

The L8 is just short of £400 but in truth you are not going to do this a lot cheaper. Yes, you could buy a budget mixer with enough inputs but you will then need a headphone amplifier to feed you all (the Behringer HA400 is really good for its money) Come recording time you will have to spend again for an interface.

Dave.
 
Mixer with effects and USB (for recording to computer(stereo mix only, not individual tracks)) plus a headphone amp with ability to connect up to four headphones(?)
Mixer could be handy if you should ever get PA speakers to annoy the apartment neighbors :D
Something like this or a variation thereof..........
Behringer Xenyx QX1202USB Mixer with USB and Effects | Sweetwater
Behringer MicroAMP HA400 4-channel Headphone Amplifier | Sweetwater

"Great Minds" they say Mark!

Dave.
 
Yes, that will probably do the job Chills but looks an egernomic nightmare to me compared to the fairly standard mixer layout of the L8. More money as well. What pray does it do (that the chap might need) that the Zoom does not?

Dave.

The Roland HS-5 session mixer is the perfect practice companion for your band, allowing up to five musicians to rehearse with headphones. The HS-5 allows you and your bandmates to adjust your headphone mixes individually, so everybody can rehearse effectively. Loaded with effects for guitar and bass, including COSM amp modeling, the HS-5 also lets you add reverb and other effects to vocals, ensuring an inspired performance with every run through. You can also make stereo recordings and save them to a thumb drive, or connect the HS-5 to your computer for multitrack recording.

A mixer will not let him have individual mixes. A mixer may not have effects for each individual channels, like compression or reverb, though some do. A mixer won't have amp modeling, though maybe in this case, the OP has that covered. Most mixers will only stream two channel mixes to a PC.

You say the circular shape would cause an ergonomix nightmare, but place it in the middle of the group and it's easier for each person to reach his controls.

I've seen these sort of devices used in a school setting; they're pretty cool for what they do. Also, this is just one example. There might be other products out there that better match his needs and budget. It's the point that they exist that opens more options for him.
 
A mixer will not let him have individual mixes. A mixer may not have effects for each individual channels, like compression or reverb, though some do. A mixer won't have amp modeling, though maybe in this case, the OP has that covered. Most mixers will only stream two channel mixes to a PC.

You say the circular shape would cause an ergonomix nightmare, but place it in the middle of the group and it's easier for each person to reach his controls.

I've seen these sort of devices used in a school setting; they're pretty cool for what they do. Also, this is just one example. There might be other products out there that better match his needs and budget. It's the point that they exist that opens more options for him.

I did say, the L8 can record up to 12 tracks. I do not know if the headphone feeds can be individually assigned but, WTGR neither I think do you?
Effects per channel? Again we don't know but since it is essentially a digital mixer, the possibility exists.

The OP wants a device HE controls I am sure. Then there is the price...

Dave.
 
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