Hello all! PLEASE HELP!

M

Madmax1949

New member
Hello all, if you could help that would be great! I'm in way over my head.

GOAL: To pre record podcast / music mixes to promote self / live dj business for events. Also, I am a new broadcasting student and would like to practice
fades, talking, music selection, etc.

Basically I would like to record music playing from my ipod and laptop along with 2-3 mics at a time. (the laptop I am playing music from is also what I
have my interface plugged into if that can or cannot be done?

WHAT I HAVE:
Laptop
Focusrite 6i6 with ableton live
Mackie CR 1604 (oldie but earned reputation as a tank)

I don't mind if all is recorded on one track the only reason I got the 6i6 was the external power, two headphone jacks and I didn't want to outgrow too
soon in case I wanted to record more down the road. The only reason I would like to use board is for practice.

Please help if you have any ideas how set up will work or any recording tips for my plans. I appreciate it
 
Hi there.

The best hands on way is probably to
  • plug to ipod into the mixer 1+2 (1/8" TRS to twin 1/4" TS)
  • plug outputs 3+4 of your interface into inputs 3+4 on the mixer
  • Plug the mics into 5,6+7 of the mixer.

Now in your daw, allocate a stereo track to the music you want to play and set the output for that track to interface 3+4.
(this is really necessary to keep things live)

Now all sources are going to the mixer on separate inputs.
Whether you choose to use direct outs, groups, or just the stereo master back to the computer is up to you.
Either way, hook the mixer outputs up to the interface inputs.

I usually shy away from recommending mixer based setups, but it seems to make sense for what you're doing.


Extra:
Now, sidechain compression would be a lovely touch so...

You could group the mixer outputs into two pairs. Music and voices.
Run the pairs into 1+2 and 3+4 of the interface.
That lets you set up a sidechain compressor in the DAW.
If you happen to have a hardware comp with sidechain then you could just sort it out in the analog realm.


If your inputs 1+2 aren't suitable (says inst/pad), you could run the music through the mixer as above and out to interface line inputs 3+4, then just run two mics directly into interface 1+2 which still lets you sidechain in the DAW.
Of course the latter limits you to two mics.

If you happen to have a hardware comp with sidechain then you could just sort it out in the analog realm.
That'd be another way to keep your mixer output stereo to line inputs 3+4 on the interface.
 
Steenamaroo,

Thanks a lot! I am making some progress. I was able to get channels from mixer to interface and then on to ableton. Just some problems.

1. When I plug my PC into the mixer I get a really bad fuzz on that channel. (possibly I am not using the correct cords? I am using a 3.5 (mono) to a 1/4 (Stereo). Perhaps that could be the problem?

Also, when I record on ableton it cuts in and out. Could this because it is too loud?

Where would you use mono and stereo chords? Sorry I am new at this sorry if these questions. I feel like im very close! Thanks for the help and quick response!
 
An alternative point of view (and an attempt to spend your money!).

Steenamaroo's method should work but, since one of your stated goals is to practice being a radio announcer, I'd say that method is probably too "bodged" to give you anything like a studio experience. Therefore:

Second hand desktops are cheap as chips--I picked one up in the UK for twenty-five pounds once. For simple playback tasks, even the most basic PC would be entirely adequate so an oldie, as long as the disk is cleaned off and the OS installed from scratch, would be fine.

If you bought a desktop, you could run some basic playback software (I use one called Soundplant but there are others) for your jingles, idents, sweepers and so on (and maybe some music like a "top 20" and have more music/longer tracks on your iPod.

This way you'd simply plug in your mics to the mixer (likely the first inputs), then your iPod, then the old desktop. The output of your mixer could go to your interface and interface into your existing computer for recording.

It's always easy to spend somebody else's money but I think that, operationally, this would give you a much better experience for very little money.
 
Madmax1949 said:
1. When I plug my PC into the mixer I get a really bad fuzz on that channel. (possibly I am not using the correct cords? I am using a 3.5 (mono) to a 1/4 (Stereo). Perhaps that could be the problem?
Click to expand...

Don't connect the PC output to anything.
I know I put a lot of info up there but re-read the part about using analog outputs 3+4 of your interface for computer music.

Going down this route means your PC music would have to be imported into your DAW, and onto a channel which has its outputs set to interface out 3+4.
You'd just use a pair of balanced patch cables to do this.

It sounds complicated, but really it's straight forward enough.
 
Thanks for the help! I plugged the right and left from the Mackie cr1604 into the front of the interface. I have gotten successful sound and recording from it to ableton. I am still very confused about the PC and outputs from interface. I really would like to play music from my pc (iTunes/ youtube) through the mixer. So hopefully I can get this resolved without uploading the music to ableton. So anymore help on that would be greatly appreciated. sorry Steenamaroo I couldn't not open your attachment.

Thanks everyone im getting close!
 
Here,


Screen Shot 2019-04-04 at 18.20.49.jpg


The diagram assumes you've imported music into a stereo track in your daw, and set that track's output to interface 3+4.
Yeah, it's technically an unnecessary loop, but it keeps everything hands on.

There's nothing definitive about this suggestion. It's just one of many ways to skin this cat. :)
 
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