you use a mixer to merge the audio from several hardware synths into your soundcard/PA system. If you have no hardware gear, then you have no reason the go spend a bundle on some shiny new mixer.


Rule of thumbs: If you don't know what it's for, then you don't need it!

there's not real benefit. some people just like touching faders and knobs more than others. others prefer the mouse.

Boy people can be off base at times...

Ok, hardware mixers are considered by most a neccesary evil if you are working with "real" gear. The key thing about the mixer is it is arguably one of (if not the most) important peices of kit in the studio. It provides a lot of the "color" of the mix. A cheap desk which may look pretty will mess up the coolest sounding synths, and a great but simple desk with get the most out.

On the other hand a real console can provide some amazing facilities to gel a mix together and practically be used as an instrument in its own right.

If you're working "In the box" at the kind of level most people are on here then I'd say there is little practical benefit to having a mixer. If you want to add a couple of hardware synths to your arsenal then you should invest ins a good quality small mixer (No, absolutely no Behringer!).

At the other end of the scale you find people with monsterous Pro Tools rigs who actually send their audio out of separate outs to a "Summing bus" which is basically the heart of a mixer, but with no eq etc, or out to their shiny SSL or Neve etc.

Why go to analog? In those cases there are strong arguments to be made that things sound better. there is also a lot of hype, but hey there always is.

Please bear in mind this only applies at the high end of the scale. Outputting analog to an aforementioned Behringer mixer will do nothing to improve your sound.

As for mousing Vs faders that's a real discussion, but outside of do I need a hardware mixer.

I also agree if you have to ask what something does then you're probbably not ready for it.
On the other hand by asking questions is a good way to learn, so long as you are prepared to filter the answers you get and not accept everything you read as gospel. Including this.. :-)

Well, I had to ask because I figured that I could simply bounce different synths at different times and mix them in Cubase. I only have one MIDI port in my external soundcard, anyway.

But, I am old school and I like to do as much with hardware as possible. (I make movies, too, and if I had the money I'd go film over digital any day.) So, can you recommend a quality mixer that doesn't have many tracks, since I don't need them? I'd like it to be inexpensive, too, since I'd rather spend my cash on, well, synthesizers.

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One always has to remember these days where the garbage pail is, because it's so easy to make sounds, and to put sounds together into something that appears to be music, but it's just as hard as it always was to make good music.
- Robert Moog

Let's start with the basics.. How many inputs do you expect to need at once? Equally imporant, what's your budget?

I expect to need no more than 5-6 inputs. My budget is, well, as cheap as it can be while still being worth my while and quality.

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One always has to remember these days where the garbage pail is, because it's so easy to make sounds, and to put sounds together into something that appears to be music, but it's just as hard as it always was to make good music.
- Robert Moog

Yamaha or Mackie mixers should do it. There's 12 input Yamaha mixer you can pick up for about $100 - it may even have few FX in it.

I am currently using Yamaha 01v 96 v2 digital console - it rox but definitely should not be a first mixer. If you have more cash to throw around, you can pick up a very decent SSL mixer for under 1K. The reason I chose Yamaha 01v series - it can also be used as a control surface (HUI) and mine has 24 ADAT channels with 16 Analog chanels. It's a great mixer but bitch to get your head around for more advanced stuff.

I'd recommend learning about mixers with Reason before moving on to "real thing".

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quote:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

--Steve Jobs (1955 - 2011)

+1 on the Smaller mackie consoles, though they are not the only game in town.

Also the Yamaha 01v is a very solif piece of gear, but probbably overkill for your needs.

Another manufacturer to look at is soundcraft. They produce some slamming desks (Practically everything Armin has released has gone through their mid range (Still several thousand dollars!) Ghost console)

Down the lower end of the spectrum the Sprit range is very good. The M4 is good value (especially second hand).

http://www.soundcraft.com/product_s...p?product_id=24

It comes in a varety of sizes, and has enough facilities (EQ, Sends etc) to qualify as a desk. It also has the added extra that it will act as a A/D converter so you can hook it to your sound card and bypass the invariably shoddy onboard converters.

Most of the Folio range is "Ok", but build quality isn't much to write home about.

If you are wanting something very simple and decent quality just to match levels then the little Folio Notepad may be just the ticket. It's build quality is pretty good. It's to be found in many an A/V suite and is a great little (and inexpensive!) tool.

http://www.soundcraft.com/product_s...sp?product_id=1

I know I'm harping about Soundcraft, but they really do make some great mixers, and the ones I've highlighted should fit your needs for some time to come.

As with everything, it makes sense to buy something that has room to grow as opposed to something that just fits your needs right now. Changing mixer every 6 months is expensive.

small desk mixers have another added bonus, it makes ajusting the volume on your monitors more convenient

i use a compact 4 it's great
http://www.soundcraft.com/product_s...?product_id=121

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serpmusic.com

the 01x might be right up your alley.

8 line inputs, doubles as a control surface via firewire card, has good sounding, on-board fx, not as complex as its bigger brothers, and costs between $800-1000.