Probably stupid questions

[matt_sparks]

Hello

I've decided this entire summer I'm dedicating to putting together a home studio. I've been reading quite a bit of information regarding various subjects like mixing, eq's, and all that good stuff. However I have a few questions.

1) My current plan is to get a good mixer (24 track) plus mics and stuff (doesn't relate to the question). I want to run all my instruments to the mixer, then to my computer sound card and use software on there. I have a pretty good budget to do this and I want to get some pre-amps, condensers, etc. However when I read about mixing down it talks about using eq's, processors, etc. I thought I could do that using the software? Or do I run from the mixer to the eq's and such, then to the computer? I'm completely lost.

2) I'm going to use a certain area of my building to build a "mixing" room. I'm going to make a glass to see the rest of my stuido. I'm afriad however that things like my headphones will not reach. I'm completely lost here too :-D.

Any help would be greatly appreicated. I'm very interested in recording my own music (and others) and an very willing to learn. Don't be afraid to tell me how stupid I am .

 

[matt_sparks]

Thanks very much for your help... if it's cool I have a few more questions

- So a patch bay is basically used as a sort of "port?" So I can have it in my recording room and it goes to the control room into the mixer? So I don't really need to put everything threw the mixer? I can put a guitar threw the patch bay then it goes to the mixer? Am I close?

- Let's say I've recorded the tracks for a song and there on my computer. This is where I would mix down correct?

Thanks very much for your help.

 

[Turnip]

Thanks very much for your help... if it's cool I have a few more questions

- So a patch bay is basically used as a sort of "port?" So I can have it in my recording room and it goes to the control room into the mixer? So I don't really need to put everything threw the mixer? I can put a guitar threw the patch bay then it goes to the mixer? Am I close?

- Let's say I've recorded the tracks for a song and there on my computer. This is where I would mix down correct?

Thanks very much for your help.

Here's a little reading on patch bays. You can pick them up fairly cheap; ebay has a lot of them, and your local Guitar Center (or equivalent) probably has a wide selection. The point of the patch bay, in your instance, is that you're not going to have to run 200 miles of cable between your live room and your control room. Connect the patch bays, and run with it.

http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/mar98/articles/patchbays.html

I'm a Pro Tools (recording software/hardware) guy, so the answer to your second question - for me - is that you do the mixdown with both the mixer AND the computer. So long as your mixer serves as a control surface for your computer program, you'll use both during mixdown.