basic mixer ?'s what's this, what's that..

[dabluesman]

What are AUX RETURNS and AUX SENDS? Do mixers have just one main (or two if stereo) output? I need multiple outputs, so are mixers what I should be looking at? What do people use to run their signals through before the sound card inputs? (i'm not talking about effects or tube/amp emulators here) Thanks!

 

[MISTERQCUE]

Aux sends and Returns are basically used for efx boxes
and or stereo instruments such as keys and drum machines.
A signal to be processed is sent to the Aux send "dry" for
routing to an efx box and the effect box returns the same
signal back "wet"(reverb,chorusing,flange etc.) thru the aux returns on the mixer.
Most mixers have Group or Main outs (l/r) for control room,
final mixdown or straight to a amplifier. Certain mixers have from 4,8-16,24 and or 48 direct outs for recording tracks to an Adat or other multi-track recorders.
L/R main outs are usuually connected to th L/R inputs of a sound card.
Hope this helps!

 

[dabluesman]

My situation - Please Help!

Ok, this is my situation. I want to be able to record a bass guitar and a regular guitar on seperate tracks through my Delta66 onto my computer at the same time. I have a Bass DI for my bass and a tube emulator for my guitar. If I plug these directly into the Delta66 I dont get enough volume in my signal and it only records in mono. However I have a drummachine that has an input and left, right outputs. I have the left & right outputs on my drummachine going to inputs 1&2 on my Delta66. If I plug in my guitar into the input on the drummachine I get a stereo signal to the inputs on the Delta66 and I can turn up the volume on the drummachine (not the tubeamp emulator for the guitar) to get the desired volume for the track. So, this way I can record one at a time (whichever one is plugged into the drummachine.) So I figured a mixer is what I would need to bypass the drummacnine's input & outputs all togeather. However, I need a mixer or something that I could, for say, plug my guitar into input 1 and my bass in input 2 and have the guitar come out outputs 1&2 (for stereo) and the bass to come out outputs 3&4 so that I could run all outputs (1,2,3,& 4) into the inputs on my Delta66. Does this make sense? If my drummachine had another input and another left & right outputs I would be in business, but it doesnt. It seems that mixers have only one output for all the inputs. I need something that has seperate left/mono & right outputs for each input and atleast four of these. I've confused my self here, I hope that someone can see what I'm tring to do here and give me some advice. This is so frustrating, I'm so close to haveing a setup ready for recording but it's not working right. Please help!

 

[Emeric]

There are lots of small mixer's around that will do what your describing. The Mackie 1402 for example. The first 6 inputs are XLR and 1/4". The first 6 inputs also have 6 outputs via the Inserts. So you could plug your drum machine into 1 and 2 (or direct into your delta), Bass into 3, Guitar into 4 - Send each one out seperatly via the Inserts to you Delta.

Also, You would run 2 outputs (or more) from your Delta back into the board for monitoring.

As for stereo output. There is also a main l/r stereo output for sending to your monitor amp. These smaller mixers offer quite a few options for sending signals around.

 

[MISTERQCUE]

What Emeric said is correct and let me add
1 more mixer to this equation.
Check out Alesis studio 24 mixer.Though your
set-up indicates that you basically need 4 tracks
and the Studio 24 has 8 plus 4 stereo tracks,the unique
feature of this mixer is that it has "Direct Outs" for each
track which can eliminate the need for re-patching.
If you were to hook-up your drum machine to tracks 1&2,the Bass to track 3 and the Guitar to track 4,you can run a cord from each direct-out from each channel into your Delta66. Granted the Alesis is not the greatest of mixers and your choice of mixers are great,this asset might assist
you with your current set-up.
Peace.