Multi-track/monitor/mixdown question

[WagTheDog]

I'm trying to set up a DAW and I'm getting lost. Here is my setup:

Asus P4P800 motherboard
1 Gig Kingston 3200 DDR memory
Intel 2.4 CPU (overclocked to 2.69)
nVidia 64 MB video card
Pioneer CD-RW
HP DVD-RW, CD-RW
Soundblaster Audigy2
M-Audio Delta 66 (may trade in for a FireWire 410)
Event PS-5 monitors
Mackie 1202-VLZ Pro mixer
Kawaii synth


I record electric/acoustic guitar, sax, vocals, keyboards.

Mic into the Mackie, out from the Mackie to the Delta 66, from the Delta 66 into the computer
(CakeWalk Sonar 3). MIDI from the Kawaii into the Audigy2 into Cakewalk. Drums from Soundfonts
from Audigy2 into Cakewalk.

What would be the best way to layer tracks down? Run out from the Audigy2 and Delta back into the
Mackie and monitor thru the Mackie headphone jack? Where would the PS-5's fit into this? If I have
all my tracks laid down and I'm doing the final mixdown (and I'm going out from the Audigy2 and Delta
into the Mackie), then how do I get an accurate sound since it will be "flavored" and output-leveled
by the Mackie settings? If I got the FireWire (with MIDI) would this simplify things? I'm a little
confused (OK, ALOT confused) about how to multi-track/monitor/mixdown with this setup.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[DonF]

It looks to me like you have everything you need. The PS-5's should be plugged into the Control Room outputs on the Mackie. Naturally, you'll be turning the monitors off, and monitoring with headphones, when recording "live" stuff with a microphone. (The 1202 uses the same knob to control the CR and headphone outputs, so you can't just turn it down.)

Does that help at all?

 

[WagTheDog]

Thanks for the reply....

I guess what I'm asking is this....if the outputs of all the digital audio are coming out the outputs of the Delta 66 into the Mackie and then out the PS-5's, isn't the level and EQ affected by the Mackie settings? So what I am listening to on the PS-5's versus what I actually have on disk (and what will actually be burned to CD) is different? Also, to hear the MIDI tracks on mixdown, don't I go from computer thru Audigy2 to Mackie to PS-5's? Same thing?

For that matter, do I actually need the Mackie? Would it be better to buy a standalone mic preamp (or use the ones in the FireWire 410) and EQ/effects everything in the Sonar mixer?

I'm just trying to make sure that the sound I'm hearing on mixdown is the EXACT same that I actually have on disk.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[DonF]

It makes perfect sense, and you are right to be concerned.

You certainly have the option of mixing within Sonar rather than using the Mackie. I don't have a mixer, so this is the way I work all the time.

If you're going to mix with the Mackie, though, you'll probably want to use the main L-R outputs looped back into two of the Delta's inputs. (The monitors should be connected to the Control Room outputs, as I said before.) Route those inputs to two blank tracks (or a blank stereo track — I'm not familiar with Sonar!) which are (is) set to record*. Get your levels set, hit the Record/Play button, and you should have your mixdown, exactly as you're hearing it on the monitors, on your new Sonar track(s). Export those two tracks (or that stereo track) to a 16-bit, 44.1kHz stereo WAV file, and burn to CD!

There's more you'll probably want to do to the mix before burning, but the process I've described will get you most of the way there.

* Make sure the new tracks, and the Delta inputs, are not being routed to your outputs — or else you'll get some very unpleasant feedback.