recording set up

  • Thread starter Thread starter guitarbaz
  • Start date Start date
guitarbaz

guitarbaz

Old's Cool
first of all, hello (first post and all that) :)

i'm currently getting back into home recording after about 7 years in the wilderness (very literally actually). and how things have changed....

so, i bought a macbook, a motu 828 and a rode NT2A and i'm planning on using a behringer europower as my desk. i do loads of live work so i've got guitars / amps everywhere as well as a drumkit and a yamaha clavinova so i'm well served from the input side of things.

i've already been using the mic direct into the motu with some decent results (recording into garageband atm) but i was curious as to how i connect the desk up to the motu? i can't see any direct outputs from each channel and was considering using the I/O purely as a send, is this feasible? or i'm i missing a point by a mile?!
 
guitarbaz said:
first of all, hello (first post and all that) :)

i'm currently getting back into home recording after about 7 years in the wilderness (very literally actually). and how things have changed....

so, i bought a macbook, a motu 828 and a rode NT2A and i'm planning on using a behringer europower as my desk. i do loads of live work so i've got guitars / amps everywhere as well as a drumkit and a yamaha clavinova so i'm well served from the input side of things.

i've already been using the mic direct into the motu with some decent results (recording into garageband atm) but i was curious as to how i connect the desk up to the motu? i can't see any direct outputs from each channel and was considering using the I/O purely as a send, is this feasible? or i'm i missing a point by a mile?!
Click to expand...

You could use the inserts as channel sends. It'd be the signal right after the preamp/gain.. Pre fader, pre eq, pre everything. You'd have to return the signal to get it into your main mix on the desk.
 
suprstar said:
You could use the inserts as channel sends. It'd be the signal right after the preamp/gain.. Pre fader, pre eq, pre everything. You'd have to return the signal to get it into your main mix on the desk.
Click to expand...

i see, that might well serve my purpose actually as i'm not after eq-ing before the motu, just use the preamp to get the levels somewhere close. i did read somewhere that i'd need to modify a lead to achieve this? or can i just use a mono lead? cheers for the info :)
 
guitarbaz said:
i see, that might well serve my purpose actually as i'm not after eq-ing before the motu, just use the preamp to get the levels somewhere close. i did read somewhere that i'd need to modify a lead to achieve this? or can i just use a mono lead? cheers for the info :)
Click to expand...

No, you can't use a mono TS cable, it needs to be a stereo TRS cable taht splits into 2 mono TS's on the other end. One is the send, one is the return. You can buy an 'insert cable' at guitar center or whatever.

You can also use a headphone->rca cable with rca->TS adapters on the rca end, which is what I end up doing since I live near a radioshack, and none of my local music shops stock insert cables.

You might be able to get away with half-jacking a TS instrument cable at the mixer, but it'd be a fragile connection.
 
suprstar said:
No, you can't use a mono TS cable, it needs to be a stereo TRS cable taht splits into 2 mono TS's on the other end. One is the send, one is the return. You can buy an 'insert cable' at guitar center or whatever.

You can also use a headphone->rca cable with rca->TS adapters on the rca end, which is what I end up doing since I live near a radioshack, and none of my local music shops stock insert cables.

You might be able to get away with half-jacking a TS instrument cable at the mixer, but it'd be a fragile connection.
Click to expand...

ah ok i'm getting it now. basically a stereo to 2 mono jacks but only using the "send" mono jack into the motu. i'm guessing it's just trial and error to suss out which is send and which is return. i might even have something in my bag of cables which will do the trick until i get down to maplins...:)

thanks for the info, much appreciated! :D
 
Sure, np. The tip is send, and it's the left channel on a headphone jack,
 
Unless you have more than that NT2a you bought and an extra instrument channel and you need to live mix down to stereo as you record, I'd bypass the desk altogether and run right into the 828.

G.
 
motu gubbins

if you are using recording software, you need a mixing desk, as such. The Motu is the interface to the computer, the Beringer desk is the preamps to get the signal from your mics nice and warm. The mixing is done in the computer software (Garage band)... so if you want to get a desk that controls the computer's mixer... try the beringer BCF2000.

I would recommend the Presonus FP10 (Firepod). Which is a 10 channel audio interface with 8 mic pre-amps! Ditch your desk and get the BCF2000 control surface. Infact if you sold your gear and bought the FP10 and BCF2000 you'd prob have so cash left over. As for the Rode mics, they are all great!
 
Squiksilvery said:
if you are using recording software, you need a mixing desk, as such. The Motu is the interface to the computer, the Beringer desk is the preamps to get the signal from your mics nice and warm.
Click to expand...
Incorrect. The MOTU includes two mic preamps w/phantom power that are probably going to be quieter and better sounding than the preamps on a PA mixer like the Europower, along with 8 channels of line level analog input.

The only reason the OP would have for using that PA mixer would be if he needed more than two mic pres and 8 line ins. But since the only mic mentioned in his gear was the single Rode, if that is indeed all he has - or if he doesn't intend on recording more than two miked channels at a time, direct to the 828 and bypassing the PA mixer would not only be all he needs, but would most likely sound cleaner and better that way.

G.
 
That's true, I thought of that too, but I assumed he wouldnta bought an 828 to just plug in one mic.. $750 is a lot to spend when you can accomplish the same with a $100 yamaha USB mixer,
 
suprstar said:
That's true, I thought of that too, but I assumed he wouldnta bought an 828 to just plug in one mic.. $750 is a lot to spend when you can accomplish the same with a $100 yamaha USB mixer,
Click to expand...
$750 is also a lot to spend just to plug a noisy inexpensive PA mixer into the front of it.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
$750 is also a lot to spend just to plug a noisy inexpensive PA mixer into the front of it.

G.
Click to expand...

ok, a couple of things to clarify here..

firstly, i'm looking ultimately to use the full 8 audio tracks for recording drums and also the full band in rehearsals. the rode mic is the first condenser mic i've bought, i've got 58's and 57's aplenty from all the live work, i'm just building all the recording stuff up from scratch really.

secondly, the behringer desk is what i have at hand and i'm going to use it as far as i can to get me up and running. i'm not looking to replicate abbey road here. not initially anyway.. it'll give me what i want in the short term til i deem further expenditure is justified. the motu i got is the 1st incarnation of the 828 and was a lot less than the desk ;)

ta for the advice all those who have pitched in :)
 
silly me!

OH CRAP - I MISSED THE WORD "DON'T" OUT!!!!!!!

with software you DONT need a mixing desk! A control surface sunch as the BCF2000 is ideal.

Sorry, I caused confusion!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top