Newbie needs your opinion and advice.

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Ncuab

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Okay, so recently I got into home recording. I record using a Behringer 10 channel mixer which goes into my sound card's "line in." It gets the work done, but I want to upgrade. My current computer can handle today's programs, so my computer is good. But at the moment I can only record ONE track at a time and that's not too practical. I mean I can combine 10 tracks w/ my mixer but when it goes to my computer, it's all in just one track.

This is what I want to be able to do, to record mulitple tracks at once, at least 8 tracks of audio to 8 differnt tracks on my computer all at once. What should I do next? What should I get next? I know I should get a better sound card but which one? But if I can get a sound card that can record up to 8 tracks at the same time, my mixer only has two mian "outs." I'm so confused. I need you're help, please reply.
 
You may be limited by the mixer. I'm still a noveice at this also but I'll try to help out.

Does your mixer have channel inserts? If so, a neat trick is to use these as direct out's instead of the mains to feed your soundcard.

For example:
I have a Mackie 1402(14 channel w/ 6 inserts on the first six channels, and a Layla24 10in/10out soundcard)

I plug anything that I'm recording into the first 6 channels, connect the inserts to line-in 1-6 of my Layla. These inputs are dedicated to 6 seperate tracks in SONAR. I then run the the line-outs 1-6 of the Layla to channels 7-12 on the Mackie. For my final mix, I connect the mains on the Mackie to line-in 9-10 on the Layla and record it as a stereo track.

Essentially what I'm doing is using the mic pre's on the Mackie and putting them into SONAR as a rough mix with no effects. This gives me 6 dry tracks. I can then apply my software plug-ins (aka reverb, compression, eq, etc..) to these tracks and send them through my audio card line-out 1-6. These outs are sent through the mixer channel 7-12 where I can use the faders for each channel to adjust the levels the way I want. These final six channels are sent to the main mix and go back into my line-in 9-10 to SONAR and I can tinker some more.

From what I hear you saying, You probably want a 10in/10out soundcard that has the capability of adding another if you need it in the future.

You can check out the Delta 10/10, the Echo Layla24, the Tango24 from Frontier Designs too. Hope this helps get you started.
 
In a nutshell, that's pretty much how it's done. If you're mixing within the computer and not using outboard gear, it can be simplified, as well as having 8 tracks available on the way in. This is what I do, and it works very well for me.

Also might want to check out the ST-Audio C-Port (10 in, 10 out). It's the least expensive of the bunch.
 
Thanks guys.

but one more question, Some of those cards don't have a headphones jack. so when i need to hear the guide track or need some playback, where am i suppose to get this from? Do I keep my old sound card in my computer and use it for playback? Thanks.
 
If I'm recording direct, I just listen with my monitors. If I'm recording from a mic, I either:

- use headphone jack from the monitors (if I'm lazy)
- or run the output back into the mixer and use the headphone jack in the mixer.

It helps to have at least a 12 channel board so that you have the option.
 
you also run an OUTPUT from your soundcard into your mixer and get a headphone mix from that.

xoox
 
Can i just plug my computer speakers into my headphone jack on my mixer. Will that work just as well? I mean, it will be in stereo. What do you guys do? Where do you guys plug your monitors into?
 
For me, I mainly use my mixer for inputs because I do my mixing in the computer. I route my soundcard through a 3 way switch and into my amp/mixer/powered monitors respectively. I don't route the sound through the mixer to the monitors, but some people do.

Assuming you've got powered monitors (or computer speakers ...ach!), I'd route the sound card into either the tape-in or into 2 channels, then out through the mains instead of the headphone jack.
 
Evil, why do you use an external mixer to mix everything down to 2 tracks? Why not do it in Sonar?
 
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