Some help with my mixer settings?

[Mike BL]

Hey everyone, I picked up a Yamaha MG 12/4 a month or so ago, and I've been using it to track acoustic guitar and vocals. I've been really happy with the results (it's amazing how much better everything sounds going through the mixers pres before getting to my Fostex MR-8), but this weekend, I'm going to be recording drums for the first time.

The setup I'm going to be using is this:

Oktava MC012s as overheads
SM-57 on the snare
Sennheiser E602 on kick

So, because I can only record two tracks at a time on the MR-8, I have to use the mixer to go from 4 to two. My problem, though, is that I find the mixer's manual incredibly confusing, and I don't understand exactly how everything should be hooked up.

If I just plug four mics straight into the first four channels on the mixer and arm the first two tracks on the fostex for recording, how do I know which tracks will show up where? Also, I'll want to pan the overheads, but for some reason, the pan controls on the mixer don't seem to be doing anything. I assume I'm doing something wrong.

Anyway, that's what I want to do....so if someone with knowledge of both units would be kind enough to walk me through a detailed description of what I should be doing, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[maddrummer]

Hey man, what output do you usually use from the mixer? I'm looking at a picture of the mixer online. So you should be able to just plug them in and use the main stereo out. Or you could push the 1-2 button on each of the 4 channels and that would send them to groups 1 and 2, which is controled by the fader next to the master. On the back there should be Group 1-2 out, or something like that. I would use the groups for recording, then you can use the other tracks on the mixer for monitoring for playback and overdubing. Hope this helps.

Also, when you pan to the left it would go out group 1 and the right would be for 2. So normal panning should work.