Mixers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter SteveCPerrino
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SteveCPerrino

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I'm quite new to recording, so I'm still learning how everything connects together (no pun intended).


Is there a way to connect an analog mixer to a computer and connect it with your computer software? (not as one track but seperate tracks?)

Thanks!

-Steve

PS: I know there are digital mixers and control surfaces that do this, but analog mixers are much cheaper and it'd be nice if there was a way around digital mixers haha
 
SteveCPerrino said:
I'm quite new to recording, so I'm still learning how everything connects together (no pun intended).


Is there a way to connect an analog mixer to a computer and connect it with your computer software? (not as one track but seperate tracks?)

Thanks!

-Steve

PS: I know there are digital mixers and control surfaces that do this, but analog mixers are much cheaper and it'd be nice if there was a way around digital mixers haha
Click to expand...

Not directly. You need an interface or converter in between. For example, I use a TASCAM 1804. It has 8 inputs and connects to my computer via Firewire. So I can record up to 8 separate tracks (i've got another device connected that adds 8 for a total of 16).

Now I can plug right into my Tascam with mics or guitars or whatever and that's all I really need. But if I really wanted to use my mixer, I need one that has a line out on each channel. So I would connect the line outs from channels 1 through 8 of my mixer to my TASCAM. Then I could get 8 channels of my mixer onto separate tracks on my computer.

Without the interface/converter, all I could do is take the stereo out of the mixer into the soundcard of the computer. No separate tracks that way...
 
what kind of mixer do you have? because i would need one with direct outputs right?
 
I use a cheap UCA202 USB to plug into my computer via the USB port, it basically bypasses the Soundblaster in the PC.
Seems to work pretty well with Cubase and Ableton software.

M-Audio Fast Track USB Computer Recording Interface
Behringer U-CONTROL UCA202 USB-Audio Interface

I'd think some Firewire Interface would work just as well.
 
SteveCPerrino said:
what kind of mixer do you have? because i would need one with direct outputs right?
Click to expand...

Yep you need direct outputs. Don't get hung up on the idea of using your mixer though. You'd need an interface anyway right? Well many of those have mic preamps in them already, and may just be better than your mixer.
 
If you want to record 2 different tracks at once, you can do this with an analog mixer. Just pan left and right, and record stereo in Audacity. Do I recommend this? No. It's the setup I use, because I'm stupid and went out and bought a mixer thinking it was exactly what I needed when it wasn't. I thought the same thing that you did, that an analog was a lot cheaper so I should buy one of those. Here's a price comparison, though:
analog mixer: Around 40 at a pawn shop
stereo 1/4" cable: 10 bucks
1/4" to 1/8" adapter: 10 bucks
That's 60 bucks for 2 tracks at once.

Let's look at 2 tracks digital:
Behringer interface: 30 bucks
2 XLR to 1/4" adapters: 20 bucks
2 1/4" cables: 15 bucks
That's 65, for 2 tracks digital recording.
 
WhiteStrat said:
Yep you need direct outputs. Don't get hung up on the idea of using your mixer though. You'd need an interface anyway right? Well many of those have mic preamps in them already, and may just be better than your mixer.
Click to expand...

I already have a Presonus Firepod, I'd just be more comfortabe using an analog mixer rather than a computer software mixer.
 
SteveCPerrino said:
I already have a Presonus Firepod, I'd just be more comfortabe using an analog mixer rather than a computer software mixer.
Click to expand...

You want to use it to mix your tracks that have been recorded? Then you need a control surface one that sends midi data to your computer to control the software mixer such as the behringer bcf2000
 
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