how to use a real mixer in digital multitrack recording

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dontouch

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This is a total newbie question from someone who has recorded 2 albums in the box.

I saw on youtube Butch Vig breaking down the Nevermind album...He seemed to be able to solo/mute tracks on a real mixer, while he played the session from the computer(you can see the waveform on his computer monitor and he used spacebar to play/pause the song), instead of playing from the tapes. How does that work?
I guess my question is the same as: how do you mix a digital multitrack session on a real mixer, and where does the mix-down go to?

I know this is really a no-brainer for most of you out there. So please share your thoughts!! Much appreciated.
 
You need an interface with multiple outputs; 8-16-24 etc.
each output goes to the line-in on the mixer's channels.

Output 1 to Ch. 1 line-in
Output 2 to Ch. 2 line in
Output 3 to Ch. 3 line in
Etc....
 
It could have been a large control surface for the DAW. That wouldn't actually pass signal, it would just provide knobs and switches to operate the DAW's functions instead of using a mouse and keyboard. Or it was a big console with a multi-channel interface connected to it.
 
guido #2 said:
You need an interface with multiple outputs; 8-16-24 etc.
each output goes to the line-in on the mixer's channels.

Output 1 to Ch. 1 line-in
Output 2 to Ch. 2 line in
Output 3 to Ch. 3 line in
Etc....
Click to expand...

That is the most likely scenario. It is also how I mix. My digital recorder has 14 analog output channels. I send the 12 most important tracks to 12 individual analog inputs on my mixing board, and everything else gets mixed digitally and sent out the remaining two output channels and into the mixing board with everything else.

Then you take two of your mixing board's outputs and send them to your monitors to listen. Take two more outputs from the mixing board to go into whatever recorder you feel like using to print the mix.
 
Chibi Nappa said:
That is the most likely scenario. It is also how I mix. My digital recorder has 14 analog output channels. I send the 12 most important tracks to 12 individual analog inputs on my mixing board, and everything else gets mixed digitally and sent out the remaining two output channels and into the mixing board with everything else.

Then you take two of your mixing board's outputs and send them to your monitors to listen. Take two more outputs from the mixing board to go into whatever recorder you feel like using to print the mix.
Click to expand...

I see. So for a 8-track recorder you really need a 16-track plus mixer. But how do you visually see the waves on a monitor? Is there a AVG output from your digital recorder? There's none here:
http://tascam.com/content/images/universal/product_detail/90/large/hs-8_rear2.jpg
 
dontouch said:
I see. So for a 8-track recorder you really need a 16-track plus mixer. But how do you visually see the waves on a monitor? Is there a AVG output from your digital recorder? There's none here:
http://tascam.com/content/images/universal/product_detail/90/large/hs-8_rear2.jpg
Click to expand...


Let's say that you've got 8 channels coming out of your interface and into your mixers' Line Ins. Take those channels on your mixer and assign them to two Aux busses (other outputs could be used). Take those two Aux Sends and send them back into your interface and record them. That would be your stereo mixdown.

If you could give us more details about which mixer, interface, DAW we could give you a little more detailed answer.
 
dontouch said:
I see. So for a 8-track recorder you really need a 16-track plus mixer. But how do you visually see the waves on a monitor? Is there a AVG output from your digital recorder? There's none here:
http://tascam.com/content/images/universal/product_detail/90/large/hs-8_rear2.jpg
Click to expand...

Wrong product, for one thing.

Any console Butch Vig is using I'm assuming will have individual inputs/outputs for each track. Assuming, once again, he's using Pro Tools, he'll have enough interfaces to use however many inputs he needs to use at once. He'd be using a console he likes to color the sound, so it's more than just controlling his DAW with a mixing desk.

It's the same as using a 8 track mixer with a 4 or 8 input audio interface, just on a larger scale.
 
dontouch said:
I see. So for a 8-track recorder you really need a 16-track plus mixer. But how do you visually see the waves on a monitor?
Click to expand...
No. For an 8-track recorder, you need an 8-track mixer. 1 recording track out = 1 mixer track in. Two of the in's and out's are reserved for a sub mix of "everything else". So in an 8-track case it would be 6 individual instruments on the mixer, and 2 channels of every other track mixed in the DAW and sent out as a stereo pair. This does not necessarily mean bouncing ahead of time. The DAW can be up and running mixing the stereo pair. Just send the tracks out to a stereo buss.

As for how you see the wave...for the individual tracks on the mixing board, you don't. There is no need to see tracks when mixing anyway. Do the whole thing by sound alone even if you don't have a mixing board at all. Visual aid is way more harmful than helpful.

Is there a AVG output from your digital recorder? There's none here:
http://tascam.com/content/images/universal/product_detail/90/large/hs-8_rear2.jpg
Click to expand...
That digital recorder does not have the needed output. You need analog out ports. And lots of them. They look like sockets for either a guitar or microphone plug.
 
FunkDaddy said:
How so? He's muting/soloing the Pro Tools tracks on the mixer. It's integrated into the system.
Click to expand...
He is muting and soloing the channels on the mixer, not the channels in Protools. He is using Protools like a tape deck, it's just a playback machine.

I do the same thing sometimes with my setup. I have 32 channels of inputs and outputs. I have a 32 channel board. The outputs are connected to the tape returns of the mixer. Inputs 31 and 32 are connected to the main output of the mixer. I record the mix on to a stereo track in the same session that the tracks are in.
 
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