how to set everything up

[fletch88]

Hey,

I've got all my equipment set up, (m-audio audiophile 2496, peavey pv-8 mixer, headphones and at-2020 mic and my 2.1 speakers) now i was wondering if you can tell me how you generally set it up for recording.

I have put headphones into the mixer, so when i put my guitar into it via a canon cable, and my mic by one too, i hear myself playing, and myself singing. Is this the right way to do it, because i dont understand how you can record yourself playing to drums if the sound from the computer is not heard through these headphones plugged into the mixer?

could you give me some advice on how to set it up for properly recording, as you guys do so often. it would be really appreciated lol

 

[ermghoti]

Run the output from your card to a couple mixer inputs, and plug the monitors into your main outs. Adjust the headphone and monitor mix to taste, fade the mains all the way off for recording.

 

[fletch88]

umm sorry when you say plug monitors you mean into the outs of the mixer?

currently i am plugging them into the back of the mixer (soundcard to inputs of mixers, and monitors into outputs of mixers -both in back of the mixer)

But not sure if im right in doing this because theres also some inputs in the front of the mixer called A/B input and another A/B input

heres a picture of the mixer if it helps you tell em whether ive got them in the right place already or if i need to put them somewhere else

http://media.zzounds.com/media/brand,zzounds/PV8_mixer-be8dd4c8efa861536b96648a3dd0683d.jpg

Thanks

 

[ermghoti]

I appear to have made a couple hasty assumptions.

Let's back up. You need to hear your backing tracks (drums, other instruments, the song you are playing/singing/rapping/flatulating to), and you need to hear yourself. You also need to get the signals from mics and instruments into the computer to record. You, further, need to hear what you are playing, without creating an infinite loop, by feeding the playback into an input on your card.

The mic/line signals will go to the preamps or line inputs on the mixer. Personally, I would use the inserts to send your signal to the computer. Just put a regular 1/4 cable, one click only, into the insert jack of the channel you want to record, and the other end into the one of the M-Audio's analog ins. You will need an RCA adaptor at the card. Then, connect the outs on the card to one of the B inputs on the mixer, with an RCA to RCA stero cable.

The use of the inserts in this manner means the input signals leave the mixer, never to return on their own. The signal from your software, through the M-Audio analog outs, into the B input on the mixer, will be the only source sent to your 2.1's. If I read you properly, you have the speakers correctly plugged into the main outputs (labeled exactly that on the mixer) of the Peavey.

In any case, any mixing will now occur in the computer, you won't have any control over levels, EQ, panning or whatever on the Peavey. The output generated by your software will be what you hear. For recording, unplug or turn off or down the monitors, and use your headphones.

I think that'll work.

 

[dgatwood]

Hey,

I've got all my equipment set up, (m-audio audiophile 2496, peavey pv-8 mixer, headphones and at-2020 mic and my 2.1 speakers) now i was wondering if you can tell me how you generally set it up for recording.

I would do a full send/receive hookup on the inserts. That's usually a more usable setup. For each channel, you need a cable with a stereo 1/4" on one end and a pair of RCA plugs or whatever the 2496 uses on the other.

With that setup, what happens is this:

line input -> insert:send -> 2496 input -> computer -> 2496 output -> insert:receive ->speakers

mic input -> Peavey preamp -> insert:send -> 2496 input -> computer -> 2496 output -> insert:receive ->speakers

I don't recall if the left (tip) or right (ring) is the send or receive on the Peavey offhand, but if you hook up one of them to the input on the 2496 and you feed a signal to the mixer and you don't see a signal at the computer, you got the wrong one.

 

[fletch88]

and i take it i can do that with the guitar to? if i keep swapping plugs around when i want to record vocals or guitar

 

[ermghoti]

I spaced out on the idea of using the return for the output from your DAW. A much cleaner idea.

 

[fletch88]

thanks for the help people, i need to get a 1/4 cable with connectors for the soundcard on the end, so i will get that in the next couple of days, then i will set it all up and do a picture or something to show you just to assure me that its set up properly

 

[ermghoti]

Remember: stereo 1/4 to two RCA connectors.

 

[TimOBrien]

http://www.tweakheadz.com/how_to_hookup_a_mixer.htm

 

[fletch88]

hey. was just wondering if you could help me find the 1/4 stereo to 2 rca adapters cable on here? ive been on holiday for a long time, so havent managed to get it yet, and thought as the place i usually get cables from has a site then i could order it. but cant seem to find it could you help? maplins

http://www.maplin.co.uk/