How Can I Get The Best Sound Out of...?

[CloseYourEyes]

Ah, now that i got you into my thread; if you have studio knowledge, please help me: I have limited tools and i am wondering: How can i get the best sound? Let me inform you of my supplies:

1 Fostex DMT-8 Digital Recorder/Mixer
1 Powered 6 Channel Yamaha Mixer (an old school one)
2 Shure sm58's
3 or 4 vocal mics (can't remember the brand)
Assorted chords and cables

Okay, all of this recording is done in a small room w/ painted cinder block and sheetrock walls. I usually recorded the drums and one guitar(with this one band), afterwards, dubbing in the bass and guitar and eventually vocals. I failed to mention that i have an older multi-effects rack mount box that i guess could be used in conjunction w/ running the drums thru mics thru the Yamaha powered mixer thru the effects(set on comp), and then into the digital recorder... all onto one track. Would that be a good idea??? i know i'm an idiot but please lmk if i'm doing anything wrong or any suggestions. My recordings usually turn out VERY mediocre(okay, lower-mediocre) on quality scale. This is why i come to you. The pros. Goodnight everybody...

 

[jitteringjim]

There are a few pros here, but most of us just think we're pros.

Ok here's my take:
I'd route the signals from the powered mixer around the power amps if possible. I tried recording through powered gear very early on, and it always sounded like muffled, muddled garbage with a nice noise bonus. I'm not sure if you can do this with your mixer or not, but I've done it / seen it done before.

Mix your drums down to two tracks (stereo), not one if at all possible. You'll have to do the panning during the tracking stage in order to get the imaging you want unless you do 4 tracks of drums & 1 of guitar and mix / bounce down to 2 tracks of drums internally on the Fostex.

You may want to nix the "older effects unit" unless it's a nice old Lexicon or Eventide or something. It may be more of a liability than an asset. Though many may disagree, I try not to compress anything during the tracking stage if I can help it, anyway.

Just a few of my ideas...

Good luck.

 

[TexRoadkill]

If your mixer has DIRECT OUTS or INSERTS use those to send that channel to the recorder for the cleanest path.

I wouldn't track with the effects processor, too noisy.