Questions on mixer routing and compression

[dmc777]

Thank you for the help I've found this place very helpful.

I've only been into recording for about 5 months now and so far I'm using BehringerUB802 mixer>Fostex MR8 digital multritrack> and a shure sm57 microphone that I use to mic my guitar amp. I'm using the mixer for pre's to the mr8 b/c it's pretty weak and I wanting to make sure i'm pluggin everything up right. I plug the mic on the mixer mic input and I connect the mr8s input A guitar jack to the L main out of the mixer. Is this right. I also use the mixers phone jack for monitoring. Also I have a question regarding monitoring. First I turn up the gain on the mixer to where i think, then the level for the track, then phones and main mix. Also I turn up the trim on the Mr8 about half way up. I know this sounds confusing but a little insight on wheter I'm doing this right would be appreciated.

Now to another question. I transport the files to my pc from the mr8 and I have adobe audition 1.5 for editing and mixing. What are probably the first effects such as compression and noiselimiting, etc. should I do first for the quality of the sound? Thanks everyone for the help and for reading all this.

 

[reshp1]

Basically that is correct. Except that if you want the mic to appear only in channel A of the Fostex, you want to turn the pan knob on the UB802 all the way to the L side for the mic channel.
I'm not familiar with the Fostex, but I would think you'd want the trim on the Fostex all the way down. Then, with the main level at 0, turn the trim/gain on the mixer such that the loudest signal the mic will see is just below 0dB on the mixer's meters. Then adjust the headphone level to something that's comfortable.

 

[dmc777]

Doesn't the main mix knob have some control on the overall output? The phones control only controls volume right. Also, Should I direct record my amp at the same time as I'm micing it? If so, how would I got about doing this? I have a Fender hot rod deluxe. Also, how loud should my volume be on my amp? Sorry for all the questions and thanks again for the reply.

 

[reshp1]

Yes the main mix knob is the last control of the level going out. Basically you have three places to apply gain to the mic signal, the mixer preamp, the main mix, and the Fostex trim. You probably want to limit the gain to one stage only, i.e. the mixer pre amp gain or trim knob. Leave the main mix knob at 0, which neither boosts or attenuates, and the Fostex trim all the way down for no (or minimum) boost.
What do you mean about direct recording the amp. I would stick with the mic, you DO NOT want to tap off the speaker out of the amp. The volume of the amp isn't all that important, tube amps generally sound better cranked a little.