I'm helping a friend setup a small recording studio so he can produce narrative Bible stories (voice, sfx, and some music). He's already got his gear, as he had someone else working on this project for the past year. That guy's moving away, and my friend has been looking for someone to take over. I got picked, but my background is broadcast/video and film production - but not on the audio side.
The gear was delivered and I've set about hooking it up on my own. I think I've got it, but there are some subtleties I don't get. Here's the list, followed by my questions. (If it's easier just to reply with "Here's the way you *should* have hooked it up" rather than detailed answers to my hookup/questions, that's okay too!)
--Mackie 1202-VLZ mixer (not the more recent PRO version)
--Shure SM58 Mic + Boom Mic Stand
--Gina Sound Card (20-bit, 2 in by 8 out)
--dbx MC6 MiniComp compressor
--DOD Dimension 3 digital effects unit
--Sony MXD-D3 Mini Disc Rec/Player
--Celeron-powered CPU w/6x CD Burner
--Mixed XLR and Oxygen-Free TRS cables
I am at somewhat of a loss figuring out the most effective way to connect this gear; and I think some of this may be overkill (based on how they thought they were going to use it versus the way it seems they did end up using it). My friend is an older man who is not very computer- or equipment-literate; and the other person is currently unreachable.
From reading the docs, my "theory of hookup" goes like this--don't laugh--and my questions follow.
a) Shure SM58 connected to Mic 1 input of Mackie;
b) INSERT 1 tapped from Mackie through the dbx compressor;
comment: This lets me compress the mic input or not (compressor has a bypass switch). I think I'm good here.
c) AUX SEND 2 from Mackie to DOD3 sfx unit L IN;
d) DOD 3 sfx unit L OUT connected to Mackie LEFT AUX RETURN 2;
comment: I believe this lets me mix some amount of effects with the original dry mic signal. at the moment, I'm not hitting the right combination of buttons to make this work, though. any help? the Mackie's controls on the right side confuse me there.
e) ALT 3 output from Mackie routed to Gina LINE INPUT 1. Audio recorded in CakeWalk 9.
f) Gina LINE OUTPUT 1 connected back to Mackie LINE IN 5 (L) for playback through Mackie.
g) Mackie MAIN OUTS to a set of powered speakers
comment: I know that (f) creates a feedback loop ... so one question I have is: how do I properly switch things so that I both record and playback from this setup without causing that? That is, without having to patch cables each time? I'd like to be able to push a button or two and have it work correctly. Possible?
h) What's a reliable way to make sure that my levels are correct throughout this hookup?
comment: Both the compressor and the DOD3 unit have adjustable output gain, however when I use them to get up to the recommended dB-meter levels suggested in their docs it's distorted to the Gina card (at least, the CakeWalk meters go solid and my ears hurt!). Is there a way to "calibrate" a signal through this chain? How do you ensure consistent levels without boosting too much?
Final question (as if these were not enough) is, with nothing connected to the Mackie except for headphones, there is a low level hum in the phones, sounding like 60 Hz. Is this normal? My power is properly grounded. Anything else to look for? I get a higher pitched tone when I listen to the playback from the Gina card through the Mackie. Again, it may be my unfamiliarity with the Mackie's settings causing this, and this other tone may be unrelated to the first one.
The final goal here is a mixdown of however-many tracks (3-6 maybe?) to an audio CD. It seems to me that it could all be edited, mixed, and output from CakeWalk to a .wav file, and then burned to disc. So the Mackie may seem to be overkill here. Plus, I've not yet figured out how the MiniDisc player fits in the picture.
I'd appreciate any help you can offer, and will answer any questions I can. I'd like to get this studio rigged up for simple use - recording, editing/mix, and playback.
Thank you!
kirkhere
The gear was delivered and I've set about hooking it up on my own. I think I've got it, but there are some subtleties I don't get. Here's the list, followed by my questions. (If it's easier just to reply with "Here's the way you *should* have hooked it up" rather than detailed answers to my hookup/questions, that's okay too!)
--Mackie 1202-VLZ mixer (not the more recent PRO version)
--Shure SM58 Mic + Boom Mic Stand
--Gina Sound Card (20-bit, 2 in by 8 out)
--dbx MC6 MiniComp compressor
--DOD Dimension 3 digital effects unit
--Sony MXD-D3 Mini Disc Rec/Player
--Celeron-powered CPU w/6x CD Burner
--Mixed XLR and Oxygen-Free TRS cables
I am at somewhat of a loss figuring out the most effective way to connect this gear; and I think some of this may be overkill (based on how they thought they were going to use it versus the way it seems they did end up using it). My friend is an older man who is not very computer- or equipment-literate; and the other person is currently unreachable.
From reading the docs, my "theory of hookup" goes like this--don't laugh--and my questions follow.
a) Shure SM58 connected to Mic 1 input of Mackie;
b) INSERT 1 tapped from Mackie through the dbx compressor;
comment: This lets me compress the mic input or not (compressor has a bypass switch). I think I'm good here.
c) AUX SEND 2 from Mackie to DOD3 sfx unit L IN;
d) DOD 3 sfx unit L OUT connected to Mackie LEFT AUX RETURN 2;
comment: I believe this lets me mix some amount of effects with the original dry mic signal. at the moment, I'm not hitting the right combination of buttons to make this work, though. any help? the Mackie's controls on the right side confuse me there.
e) ALT 3 output from Mackie routed to Gina LINE INPUT 1. Audio recorded in CakeWalk 9.
f) Gina LINE OUTPUT 1 connected back to Mackie LINE IN 5 (L) for playback through Mackie.
g) Mackie MAIN OUTS to a set of powered speakers
comment: I know that (f) creates a feedback loop ... so one question I have is: how do I properly switch things so that I both record and playback from this setup without causing that? That is, without having to patch cables each time? I'd like to be able to push a button or two and have it work correctly. Possible?
h) What's a reliable way to make sure that my levels are correct throughout this hookup?
comment: Both the compressor and the DOD3 unit have adjustable output gain, however when I use them to get up to the recommended dB-meter levels suggested in their docs it's distorted to the Gina card (at least, the CakeWalk meters go solid and my ears hurt!). Is there a way to "calibrate" a signal through this chain? How do you ensure consistent levels without boosting too much?
Final question (as if these were not enough) is, with nothing connected to the Mackie except for headphones, there is a low level hum in the phones, sounding like 60 Hz. Is this normal? My power is properly grounded. Anything else to look for? I get a higher pitched tone when I listen to the playback from the Gina card through the Mackie. Again, it may be my unfamiliarity with the Mackie's settings causing this, and this other tone may be unrelated to the first one.
The final goal here is a mixdown of however-many tracks (3-6 maybe?) to an audio CD. It seems to me that it could all be edited, mixed, and output from CakeWalk to a .wav file, and then burned to disc. So the Mackie may seem to be overkill here. Plus, I've not yet figured out how the MiniDisc player fits in the picture.
I'd appreciate any help you can offer, and will answer any questions I can. I'd like to get this studio rigged up for simple use - recording, editing/mix, and playback.
Thank you!
kirkhere