using an analog mixer, and inputting something that you can hear, but not record it.

[tojo]

does anyone know how to just simply use an analog mixer so that you can hear a guitar getting input-ed but so that it doesn't get recorded, I want to record drums , but the drummer to be able to hear the click thats routed from my computer to the mixer and out the headphones and to hear the guitarist so that he can play along ... but NOT for the guitar to be recorded. Is there something to do with like muting it and soloing it? or something like pre-fader listen or post fader or something (... by the way what does that mean?)

sorry about the newb question, maybe there's a really simple answer for just using an analog mixer so sorry about that I don't know much about analog mixers.

Thanks

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

does anyone know how to just simply use an analog mixer so that you can hear a guitar getting input-ed but so that it doesn't get recorded, I want to record drums , but the drummer to be able to hear the click thats routed from my computer to the mixer and out the headphones and to hear the guitarist so that he can play along ... but NOT for the guitar to be recorded. Is there something to do with like muting it and soloing it? or something like pre-fader listen or post fader or something (... by the way what does that mean?)

sorry about the newb question, maybe there's a really simple answer for just using an analog mixer so sorry about that I don't know much about analog mixers.

Thanks

Much of the details depend upon how extensive the features are on your mixer and what else you are using it to route other than just a headphone mix and a record mix, but in general, the idea here is that a typical mixer has more than one output bus (i.e. channel or branch) to which your signals can be routed.

A couple of whole book chapters could be written on this, far too much to explain in detail here, but most of this should be explained, at least in basics, in the owner's manual for your mixer (if you don't have one, they can usually be found online), including complete sample in/out wiring diagrams and such.

But let me give you one example: You can route the channels you wish to record out via your main output buss(es) and at the same time use the Aux sends on each channel to send which channels you want to your headphone mix on the Aux outs.

G.

 

[tojo]

i think i understand. My mixer is a small behringer mixer, that has 4 mic inputs and 4 stereo inputs . it has something called a 'alt 3/4' which is an output bus or something? So i think i can tell it to send signals from a channel out the bus instead of the main outs. Now, when you say aux... do you mean like a red and white plug cables? or what exactly is an aux in or out of whatever?

thanks so much.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

i think i understand. My mixer is a small behringer mixer, that has 4 mic inputs and 4 stereo inputs . it has something called a 'alt 3/4' which is an output bus or something? So i think i can tell it to send signals from a channel out the bus instead of the main outs. Now, when you say aux... do you mean like a red and white plug cables? or what exactly is an aux in or out of whatever?

thanks so much.

Well, you have a small mixer, it may not have an Aux bus on it, I'm not sure. An Aux "send" (as it's often called) is simply an auxiliary output, a "side" output, if you will. If you mixer has them, you'd see a separate knob on each input channel strip labeled "Aux". This knob is a volume control for sending that channel to your Aux out. This has no effect on whether it's also routed to your main outs or not, that's controlled elsewhere.

But on a small mixer like yours, it may not have that capability. Behringer should have a PDF copy of the owners manual for your mixer available for download on their website. I'd look at that for an explanation of your "Alt 3/4". That could be either a stereo input, or an alternative set of outputs, but I'm not sure. With that labeling on on a basic mixer it could go either way.

G.

 

[tojo]

thanks a lot I appreciate your help. Yes I believe my mixer has aux knobs on each channel strip. I'm going to fiddling around with it today to see if i can get it to work. So i assume that you could plug headphones into the aux strip so you can hear something without it being recorded (like the guitar as i was hoping to do)

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

So i assume that you could plug headphones into the aux strip so you can hear something without it being recorded (like the guitar as i was hoping to do)

Not directly. What you'd need to do is to run the Aux out (there should be a jack labeled that) to a device like a stereo preamp or receiver, or a dedicated headphone amplifier that has a headphone jack on it.

Alternately, it *may* be possible to send a different mix to your headphone jack on your mixer than what you send out the mains. Again, this is a fairly common feature on larger mixers, but on small mixers like yours may not be an option.

Did you download that manual yet? That will give you a LOT more help than I can.

G.

 

[tojo]

well i figured out that i can mute the track but still solo it and so i can hear a track but it won't get recorded which does everything i need

so thanks a lot for all your help anyways

and yes i downloaded the manual