Sure thing, Dave. Happy to help when i can. Everything i've learned about recording, i learned on N. I do have some FOH mixing experience, but had never sat behind a recording desk until i DL'd, demo'd, and bought N about 5 yrs ago. It's amazing how powerful this little program is.
Splitting the signal really simplifies things. I mean, a typical signal path would be...
- Mic
- Mic PreAmp
- Sound Card
- DAW Software (for recording new and for playing back existing tracks)
- Sound Card
- Monitor mixer
- Monitor amp
It's rather like a circle.
Most folks use a mixer as the PreAmp. Many use an additional mixer as the Monitor mixer. I figure; why have both when one will do. Tapping into the signal chain just after the mic preamp by using the Inserts allows two, one-way signal paths instead of a circular path.
The thing about Inserts, tho', is that they're not designed for this. They're designed to be both output (to effects) and input (from effects) back into the channel's signal path. If you plug a 1/4" phone plug all the way into an Insert, it won't work. You have to know how the Insert jack is wired. On most mixers, the send is the tip. So, inserting a 1/4" plug barely into the Insert (1 click only), you're tapping into the signal path without disrupting the existing path that extends on down the channel.
But some mixers (my Behringer, for example) aren't wired that way. The tip is the Return instead of the Send. So, you have to wire a special plug that will extract the signal while still allowing the rest of the signal to continue on down the channel.
Man, this is hard to explain without a diagram. Am i making sense?
tj
