Use Console to control software mixer

nickd123

New member
Can i use a physical console to control a software mixer?

Like, if I were using, say, Reason 3.0, could I hook up a mixing console and control the digital mixer in Reason with the physical console?

That way I could record and then mix physically in the software.
 
Is there a specific reason why you would need to do this? IMO, for the average home recordist (well at least for me) it is much more practical to mix with (inside) the software. It's much easier to just click & mix, as opposed to setting everything up to mix with the console.

I remember you from your last post about which mixer would be best, and that you were fairly new to the process. Really, keeping everything IN the software will be less of a learning curve, and will let you gain some critical experience before "moving on" to other things.

But if you really need to for some reason, just click the link ErichS posted and pick one!

I may be way off, but isn't Reason just a sequencer? Like a FL type deal? If so, I would advise you to do your recording elsewhere (different program)... If not, disregard.




Just my .02
 
I was just naming a software. I really don't use Reason 3. So would it generally be easier to mix with a mouse than mix on an actual console/control surface?
 
I think it's not about easier or more difficult - it's about personal preference.

Some people are happy to work entirely in software, adjusting level, pan, etc. with their mouse. Others prefer to move real faders and twist real knobs.

Hard to say what will work best for you unless you've tried both. It's certainly cheaper if you can just do the mixing in your software - you avoid the cost of the control surface.

Why don't you try just working in the software first? If you find it too fussy to tweak things with a mouse, then you'll know you have to start saving for a control surface.
 
It also depends (and dictates to some degree) how you mix. In software, if you want to move multiple faders at one time you have decide what faders you want to move and group them. It can be tedious. With a mixer you have the fine and instantaneous of your fingers.

However, in software you can setup a mix through automation and recall (and edit) that, so you can don't have to remember what you did last time (you can also store mixes in most (all?) digital mixers). A control surface would seem to be a nice addition to software as you can do both.

With all that said, I mix in software because that is what I have. I would like to try a control surface but haven't had the cance yet. Some people complain of buggy behavior from some of the budget ones.
 
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