Ins/Outs Mixers and Recording

[lilspanisheddie]

This is a setup question...

I record into a preamp that feeds a Layla that goes to my PC and I can record multiple tracks in Reaper. I would like to use rack mount gear (reverbs, delay, compression) after I get the recorded sound into the PC. I have plenty of plugins that allow me to do this, but how can I do this with rack effects? I do own a mixer (stereo out) and currently I have the audio output from layla going to it to feed my monitors. I would like to be able to listen back to what I recorded and then add effects and record them when I like the sound. This might be a bit confusing because I have no idea how to do it, so I might not be able to explain it. I guess the output from reaper needs to come into the mixer, then there needs to be effects sent to that and then sent back to reaper to be recorded. Is this possible with the gear I have?

 

[Steenamaroo]

You have line level analog inputs and outputs, so you do the same thing you would to reamp guitar.

Don't use the mixer unless it has the built in effects that you want or, or you want to apply effects to a group of inputs.
Keep in mind, that group would then be summed, and you wouldn't be able to edit what were previously separate inputs.

To add effects after recording.
Record a track of audio
Send that recorded audio to line output 1 from your software.
Set up a new track to record from line input 1
Arm that second track.

Line out one goes to outboard effects. Outboard effects output goes to line input one.

Now hit record. Your existing audio will play out the hardware output, be processed, then be rerecorded onto a new software track.

What you'll end up with is your original dry recording, and a copy with whatever hardware effects applied.


To add effects during recording.
(i know you didn't ask for this, but here it is.)

Signal path for each microphone/line in device should mic

mic -> Preamp - >line out to effects line in -> effects line out to layla line in.

Obviously this means if you have one compressor, you can only compress one input in any group of simultaneously recorded inputs.
This is where you could use a mixer as the front end and apply effects to the whole group, but you then lose the ability to edit individual tracks afterwards.

 

[lilspanisheddie]

Thanks a bunch, that was a very quick and helpful response. 'Preciate it.

 

[Steenamaroo]

No problem.
Don't hesitate to let us know how you got on.....Good or bad....