Computer AND External Mixer Setup?!?!

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MusicMan91

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Alright. This may be a Newbie question but here goes.

I have heard there were some advantages to going the Computer Route. Though, I am still a beginner, I do enjoy the external consoles. And I have also heard you can incorporate the best of both worlds by: hooking the mixer to the soundcard. Described In This Post

My question here is how basically does that work? With me using a Fostex M-8, would I just a)record the song via the MR-8, b)plug in the CF Card into my Card Reader, c)open up the file via Pro Tools Free Version for my Mac OSX, d)??? To add insult to injury. I have been reading quite a lot, yet I am still extremely confused. How does the whole process of external mixing work? And, what would the advantages of incorporating the Computer and External Mixing so that as I played the song back, I would get a read on both the Comp, and the External Mixer?

Or is there just a way to plug the MR-8 into the Mixer which would plug into the soundcard?? I do see a lot of advantages to this sort of setup if I am willing to spend about $1,000 on a new Soundcraft mixer and a undetermined soundcard. Any advice on the soundcard??

Please don't mock me for these absurdly newbie-like questions. I came here looking for answers, and I am sure I will find them.

Thanks and God Bless
Chris
 
It's been discussed here many, many times. I can't comment on your setup as I'm not familiar with it. I do use a hybrid system myself consisting of a StudioMaster console, a MOTU 2408 mkII with a P III 700MHz computer running cakewalk Pro Audio 9 and Vegas and an Alesis HD24 which funtions as a recorder and as my A/D, D/A converters (well, 24 of them anyway).
The advantages of a hybrid system as far as i can see is the ability to edit in the digital world, and when mixing, I can use both software plugins and hardware devices both simultainiously. But all of that wouldn't matter if it didn't sound better than just software mixing. I think the analog console just SOUNDS better. It's not the touchy, feely thing either. I would much rather mix with a mouse. The ability to perfectly recall a mix is too cool for school and store multiple mix versions of a song. But software mixes of tunes I've done vs the same tune mixed thru the analog console just don't sound as warm, big and round. Recalling an old mix is harder but that's the price for a better sound. Just my humble opinion.
 
The basics of digital recording and analog mixing are that you record your tracks to the digital device like you normally would.

Then you route each track, or group of tracks, through the availible outputs of your digital device to an analog mixer.

Mix away! Using whatever you like in both the analog and digital domains.

Record the main outs of your analog mixer back to the digital device or to any other device.

I'm not familiar with your hardware, so I can't be more specific. One thing, though: does digidesign make a PT Free for Mac OS X? I'd be kinda surpirsed as they just recently released their first PT version for OS X a few months ago.

Take care,
Chris
 
So, basically what I could do is hook up my Fostex MR-8 to the Soundcraft Mixer and then I would play it back via the Soundcraft and edit it as it was playing back?? Then I could route it to the soundcard, do any final editing on the computer and have it stored on the comp?? If so, that would be well worth the extra money to incorporate both.
 
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