S
Schecterplayer
New member
i have wondered how a studio is set up with a mixing console for recording then mixing. more specifically how do the pros record to a computer or any other device then mix through the mixing console?
Steenamaroo
...
There are a number of ways.
A modern approach is to use a large control surface through which the audio doesn't actually pass.
The faders and pans and stuff correspond to what's on the screen but ultimately it's just a big fancy mouse.
With analog consoles there are two main ways to do things.
You can record through the console and into the pc, or you can record straight to the pc and mix through the console.
(You could, of course, do both.)
For recording you'd need A/D converters and the line outputs from each channel of the console would go to a separate line input of the converters.
For mixing, you'd use D/A converters from the computer which would give a line output for every track in your computer session.
These would be routed to individual inputs on the mixing console so your faders/pans/eqs actually effect the audio in real time.
Some of these consoles have automation so they will 'remember' the moves you make.
Others don't in which case you'd probably need to be really on the ball for all your fade ins/outs etc.
I watched a guy do that once when his automation broke. Some show! lol.
Ultimately the final recording would be all your tracks summed to stereo and that'd either go back into the computer, down to tape, or be recorded to some other medium like a cd recorder.
You could organise your mix in to aux groups and record down stems instead if that's what you want. Some do to give the mastering engineer more options.
If there's no computer in the mix you can use an analog console in conjunction with a digital recorder or some adat recorders.
I'm sure there are more options but that covers the basics I think.
Hope it helps.
A modern approach is to use a large control surface through which the audio doesn't actually pass.
The faders and pans and stuff correspond to what's on the screen but ultimately it's just a big fancy mouse.
With analog consoles there are two main ways to do things.
You can record through the console and into the pc, or you can record straight to the pc and mix through the console.
(You could, of course, do both.)
For recording you'd need A/D converters and the line outputs from each channel of the console would go to a separate line input of the converters.
For mixing, you'd use D/A converters from the computer which would give a line output for every track in your computer session.
These would be routed to individual inputs on the mixing console so your faders/pans/eqs actually effect the audio in real time.
Some of these consoles have automation so they will 'remember' the moves you make.
Others don't in which case you'd probably need to be really on the ball for all your fade ins/outs etc.
I watched a guy do that once when his automation broke. Some show! lol.
Ultimately the final recording would be all your tracks summed to stereo and that'd either go back into the computer, down to tape, or be recorded to some other medium like a cd recorder.
You could organise your mix in to aux groups and record down stems instead if that's what you want. Some do to give the mastering engineer more options.
If there's no computer in the mix you can use an analog console in conjunction with a digital recorder or some adat recorders.
I'm sure there are more options but that covers the basics I think.
Hope it helps.
Last edited:
S
Schecterplayer
New member
so do most pros use the preamps on the board itself or patch in external pres for recording? whic is the best way for a home studio setup to mix?
Steenamaroo
...
You're asking about professionals in one breath and home studios in the next. In my opinion those are two very different things.
They probably use both. If you have a nice big neve or SSL or something, you're certainly gonna track through it.
If you've that much money to spend on a console though, you're probably gonna have a few other boutique preamps lying around.
Guys like that know their gear and they know which voice/preamp/mic combo is gonna work.
Any professional setups with analog console that I've seen are using consoles that cost about the same as my house.
OK, there are certainly cheaper quality mixers available, but there are also a lot of cheap mixers available that just aren't worth incorporating into a home recording setup.
I don't know what stage you're at but when I first started out I bought a behringer mixer because obviously it's not a studio without a mixer, right?
I learned very quickly that the functionality just wasn't needed and the quality wasn't worth putting in my chain.
I now use a motu interface and 8 outboard preamps.
My opinion is, the best way for a home studio user to mix is to buy a recording interface (or converters and separate preamps) and a computer, then just mix in the box.
Alternatively, use a standalone digital recorder.
Bottom line? It all depends on how you prefer to work and the quality of the mixer in question.
They probably use both. If you have a nice big neve or SSL or something, you're certainly gonna track through it.
If you've that much money to spend on a console though, you're probably gonna have a few other boutique preamps lying around.
Guys like that know their gear and they know which voice/preamp/mic combo is gonna work.
Any professional setups with analog console that I've seen are using consoles that cost about the same as my house.
OK, there are certainly cheaper quality mixers available, but there are also a lot of cheap mixers available that just aren't worth incorporating into a home recording setup.
I don't know what stage you're at but when I first started out I bought a behringer mixer because obviously it's not a studio without a mixer, right?
I learned very quickly that the functionality just wasn't needed and the quality wasn't worth putting in my chain.
I now use a motu interface and 8 outboard preamps.
My opinion is, the best way for a home studio user to mix is to buy a recording interface (or converters and separate preamps) and a computer, then just mix in the box.
Alternatively, use a standalone digital recorder.
Bottom line? It all depends on how you prefer to work and the quality of the mixer in question.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
For preamps, I can use both the ones in my console (a Tascam M-3500) or stand alone units (I have 16 of those by various manufacturers). All are connected to a series of patchbays so making connections is VERY easy.
Ethan Winer
Acoustics Expert
These days, a lot of people don't use a mixing console at all. I certainly don't. Modern DAW software does everything needed right inside the computer.
--Ethan
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
Generally they are either split or inline. A split console has one bank of channels to send signal to the recorder and another bank of channels getting signal from the recorder. An inline console has the I/O, switching and aux sends to let each channel change function between tracking and mixdown.
If this really interests you go find manuals for some consoles. They will explain their use and sometimes even show routing diagrams.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
You need as many converter channels as console mixing channels you plan on using.
I still record to tape...transfer to digital...and then mix from the computer out through my console and outboard processing.
My computer has (3) 8-channel A/D/A converters...so I can send 24 individual channels to the computer, but more importantly, I can bring 24 individual channels out of the computer and through my analog console.
I rarely need more than that, and if I have a few more tracks than that in the computer, I can sub-mix some of them in the DAW to bring it down to 24....but I think I've done that maybe once or twice only. Most cases I can do what I want with 24 tracks...so that works out just right for my 24 channels of A/D/A. If I really needed more, I could get another 8-channel converter and have 32 total...but so far I've not had the need to do that.
While tracking to tape is becoming less and less common....lots of pros still like to mix through an analog console using outboard processing, as there are things that software still doesn't do as well as hardware...or in many cases, it's a personal taste thing and how people like to work.
Mixing on a computer is not that exciting unless you have a multi-fader controller...otherwise it's too much mousing around, IMO. With the analog console and outboard gear, it's just much faster to access everything, as there aren't a bunch of "windows" to click-though for parameters...and with a quick glance you can have the big-picture visual of what all the gear is doing...instead of digging through various menus.
