Need Effects On Recording Help

[Oldnewbe]

I have a Mackie CFX MKll mixer (with built in effects) trying to record on an Alesis Masterlink disk recorder. I am currently connected from the Alesis "Balanced Inputs" to the Mackie "Main Out", and the "Balanced Outputs" to the Mackie "Chan 9/10 Stereo Line In". This is working fine for recording, except that when I use any effects (ie: reverb), it does not come out on the recording.
I do not have great Mixer Knowledge, and consequently have a hard time understanding the Mackie user manual, so I need some pretty basic help. I also live a long distance from major a metropolitan area, so there
isn't anyone to ask.
Thank you in advance to anyone that can help me keep my sanity.

Oldnewbe

 

[mjbphotos]

IS the 'BYPASS' button pushed in (it's right below the rotary effect selection dial)? Is the white knob that says 'to main mix' (right above the rotary dial) turned up?

 

[Oldnewbe]

Thanks for responding so quickly. The "BYPASS" button is not pushed in (should it be?). The white knob "to main mix" is turned 2 notches to the right of Unity.

 

[Oldnewbe]

Thanks for responding so quickly. The "BYPASS" button is not pushed in (should it be?). The white know "to main mix" is turned 2 notches to the right of Unity.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Are you using headphones or speakers? How are they connected to the board? What are trying to add effects to? Are you hearing the effects through the board before trying to record to the Masterlink?

 

[Oldnewbe]

Using a BOSE tower speaker from the "XLR MAIN OUT". Trying to add effects to the Masterlink. I can hear them through the speaker when recording, but not on playback from the Masterlink.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

So, the recording you want to add reverb to is on the Masterlink, right? Then you're going to have to record to another device while playing back on the Masterlink. You can't record and play simultaneously on that machine. Or you can burn the audio to a disc and put it in a computer where you'll have much more flexibility.

 

[Oldnewbe]

I'm not playing and recording from the Masterlink simultaneously. I'm recording live into the mixer, with output going to both the speaker, and recording onto the Masterlink. But, when the song is done, and I play it back from the Masterlink, I don't hear any of the effects. I believe I am missing something in my connection from the Mackie mixer to the Masterlink.

 

[mjbphotos]

Hold on - you have the Masterlink hooked up to the Mackie Main Outs AND the Alesis at the same time? Are you sure you don't have the Monitor out going to the Alesis?

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Hold on - you have the Masterlink hooked up to the Mackie Main Outs AND the Alesis at the same time?

The Masterlink is the Alesis.

 

[Oldnewbe]

No, I do have both going out of Main Outs. To the speaker I have an XLR cable, and to the Masterlink, are the 1/4 inch cables. Also, you mentioned the "Bypass" button, should it be pushed in? And the "Knob To Main Mix" is turned 2 notches to the right. I assume that's O.K.
Thanks

 

[Oldnewbe]

Yes, Alesis is the company, Masterlink the recording unit.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

No, I do have both going out of Main Outs. To the speaker I have an XLR cable, and to the Masterlink, are the 1/4 inch cables. Also, you mentioned the "Bypass" button, should it be pushed in? And the "Knob To Main Mix" is turned 2 notches to the right. I assume that's O.K.
Thanks

Bypass should be out. If you're hearing the reverb and it's not recording then I don't know what's going on. It's hard to troubleshoot this stuff without being able to look at everything.

 

[dainbramage]

I don't know much about mixers, but I do know people struggle with this on the digital mixer software TotalMix FX that comes with RME interfaces. To record the onboard DSP effects, the trick here is to look for a "loopback" function and activate it. Worth a shot.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

I don't know much about mixers, but I do know people struggle with this on the digital mixer software TotalMix FX that comes with RME interfaces. To record the onboard DSP effects, the trick here is to look for a "loopback" function and activate it. Worth a shot.

It's not a DSP mixer function on a computer, it's a basic analog hardware mixer. If he's really listening to the main out on XLR and hearing effects then recording the main out on TRS should get the same signal with effects.

 

[Oldnewbe]

Hi.....I got it working. I did have both my speaker and the output from the Masterlink on the "Main Out". When I switched the Masterlink cable to the "AUX SEND" (as you would for a monitor), and made a few adjustments on the dials, it worked. Your suggestion about the Monitor was the key. Thank you so very much for your time and effort. I really do appreciate it.