Just getting started, need some help!

C

Coops409

New member
So I'm planning on making a home studio of sorts and am a little unsure about how to go about doing it. I know I want to mix on a DAW (Audacity, SoundBooth, Cubase are at my disposal). I've been looking at the 16 channel Behringer XENYX X1222USB because it has a decent amount of channels, 6 preamps, and a USB out.

I can't find what the ratio is set as on the built in compressors (my guess is 2:1). My question is how would I use a board to get signal in to, and run it to a MacBook so I can mix using the Mac? I don't want to just buy an interface because I'd rather have a board to use later on if I move in to small live shows (house shows, very small). I've heard that just using the RCA outputs gives you a 2track to use on your computer but that doesn't get me anywhere. I need to move all the signal coming in to the board in to my computer track-for-track just as it comes in so I can mix it.

Thanks, Cooper.
 
I got fooled by that when I bought my Xenyx. It's 2-channel USB only - they ship you a mixer and a basic RCA interface. No way to get channel-for-channel. Best I've managed is pan hard left and right on channels one and two for true 2-channel recording.
 
First of all, you are not going to find many Behringer fans on this forum.
They make decent stuff for the money but probably not the way to go in regards to the direction you are heading.
As I believe that your MacBook has a firewire input (?) a quick and easy solution would be for you to save more money and buy a firewire based interface or mixer.
Some interface examples:
PreSonus FireStudio Project Recording Interface: Shop Pro Audio & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend
Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 FireWire Interface: Shop Pro Audio & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend
(you could conceivably buy 1/2 of these interfaces now and then use them later as interfaces between a nice analog mixer and your MacBook.

Some mixer examples:
Mackie Onyx 1220i Firewire Mixer: Shop Pro Audio & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend
Mackie Onyx 1620i FireWire Mixer: Shop Pro Audio & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend
Yamaha n8 Firewire Digital Mixing Studio: Shop Pro Audio & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend
PreSonus StudioLive 16.0.2 Digital Mixing System: Shop Pro Audio & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend

Just some thoughts. BG
 
First question is how many tracks do you want to be able to record separtely at 1 time? What's your budget? Most 'affordable' mixing boards with USB only have stereo (2 tracks) USB output.
 
Use the appropriate tools - a cheap live mixer isn't going to act as a fully functional recording interface.

If you want to record, buy an interface. Examples above.

If you want to play live, then buy a mixer when you need to, and you're probably not going to need a 16 channel mixer to do, by your description, very small house shows...

Which do you want to do first / more?
 
You haven't shared with us who or what you plan to record and that makes a big difference!
Vocals? Electric or Acoustic or Bass Guitars? Keyboards? Midi stuff?
What equipment do you have already?
FYI, with one of the firewire interfaces, a good microphone w/stand etc, and a set of good headphones, you would be ready to lay down tracks "right now".
If you play guitars or keyboards you can plug directly into the inputs too!
 
Coops409 said:
So I'm planning on making a home studio of sorts and am a little unsure about how to go about doing it. I know I want to mix on a DAW (Audacity, SoundBooth, Cubase)

Thanks, Cooper.
Click to expand...

Hi Cooper,

It can be pretty confusing at first, that's for sure. If you want to mix in the DAW then you don't need an external mixer at all. You can do the job perfectly well by operating the controls in the DAW with a mouse and keyboard. Or you could look into using some kind of 'control surface'. It's not easy to tell how far down the learning track you are, but it seems to be a common mis-conception that you can buy a cheap mixer and then use the knobs and sliders to control the DAW, but that's not what they're designed to do. So if you're not sure about that aspect, here's an article on Control Surfaces that might make it clearer .

If you're not sure about the difference between using external mixers and mixing "in the box" or combining things to some degree then this is a pretty good place to start Tweakz guide to setting up your audio. He has good guides on Mixers, etc too.
 
Wow so many replies! Sorry I tried to stay away from my usual wall-of-text that I end up posting but I guess I'll go in to full detail.

Let's see. I'm a college Audio Engineering student so I know my way around a mixing board and around DAWs. I've just never set them up. I don't want a giant mouse. I understand that when using a DAW you can control the faders/EQ/etc. just as well as you could in analog.

My goal is to record demos in my garage for local bands as a sort of "home studio" if you will. Mainly doing this to get extra practice at engineering by myself since in school we're in groups until the last 2 audio classes. Also doing this for a bit of money on the side. The reason I don't want to just settle for an interface is because if I do well for people and they like working with me, they may be putting on a backyard show, or a show at a small venue that doesn't have a sound system and they could hire me to run their sound for that night there (yes I know I never mentioned anything about power amps, snakes, monitors, speakers, etc.) I'd rather have a board that can firewire to a computer track for track AND run sound live. If such a board does not exist then I'll just settle for an interface, but I know there's a board out there somewhere that isn't too expensive, with enough preamp channels that can transfer to a DAW track for track and not in just a stereo 2 track. I really like the Alesis MultiMix 16USB 2.0 Mixer and it seems to be just the board I'm looking for, but I'm worried it won't transfer track for track. It's got enough to mic drums how I want (K S HH T1 T2 T3 OH1 OH2), then obviously guitar, bass, vox, etc. It's got built in effects (probably cheap sounding but eh) so I wouldn't have to go out and buy a reverb unit or delay, etc. Aux for a monitor send.

The reason I liked that Behringer was because it had everything I would want and it had a built in compressor (probably just 2:1 but it would save me from buying a whole compressor unit for a backyard/small venue show).

My budget probably caps at about $500. I wouldn't like to even spend that much but the Alesis on Amazon is about that.

Don't have any equipment other than a 2007 MacBook 15inch with 2gb ram 250gb hard drive with Adobe Audition, Audacity, and Cubase 5. Just ordered a few mics from eBay but they're not here yet.

I think I touched on all of your posts that weren't clueless to what I was asking. :D

EDIT: So can the Alesis MultiMix 16USB 2.0 Mixer transfer to DAWs track for track? Or is it just a stereo 2 track? Can I use it to record an 8 channel drum set straight to my DAW?
 
Last edited:
I think with a budget of $500 you are out of luck. The Mackie Onyx series will do the individual channel sends but at $600 for the 1220i, it only has 4 mic preamps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top