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Multi-track mixing desk (need advice)
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| Tech0rz |
My m8 hires out practice rooms for bands who need a place to practice and as he's in a band himself he is setting up a recording studio.
It wont be anything too over the top, just a mixing desk, capable of at least 4 track multi-track recording (possibly 8-track if there isn't much difference in price) as it will be used by his, and other bands who want to record there. He will also be buying monitors and a laptop and some mic's in addition to the mixing desk.
What i want to know is does anyone have any recommendations for what kind of mixing desk he would need, what are the features that are important for this type of usage?
He reckons decent ones cost about £1500, he doesn't want to pay that much tho. He wants something that can record with decent quality well and just basically does the job described above, but second hand and good value. Where would be the best place to look also?
thanks! |
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| jdat |
First of all how is he planning on recording this?
Otherwise I could suggest the older Mackie 1604's which are ok for starters then there's the newer Onyx's but that are costly when you buy the firewire card.
There's so many options out there.
You could even look into some Yamaha digital mixers.
But really it depends on how you are planning on recording. According to that your mixer will be truly the workhorse or just a means of control for software etc.... |
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| Tech0rz |
| Hmm...well in the past he recorded through microphones. Is this the norm for this type of recording? or is there a way with a digital mixer to input the instruments directly and improve recording quality? |
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| jdat |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
Hmm...well in the past he recorded through microphones. Is this the norm for this type of recording? or is there a way with a digital mixer to input the instruments directly and improve recording quality? |
Well obviously he would be recording with microphones :haha:
What I'm asking is into WHAT he is recording? An adat recorder? Multitrack software? DAW? |
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| Tech0rz |
:crazy:
Multi-track
Mackie seems to be recommended as the lower price range, yet good to get the feet wet with. Not sure where to look for second hand ones tho, of any brand. Any ideas? or any other advice?
thanks! |
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| jdat |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
:crazy:
Multi-track
Mackie seems to be recommended as the lower price range, yet good to get the feet wet with. Not sure where to look for second hand ones tho, of any brand. Any ideas? or any other advice?
thanks! |
No offense but you really don't seem to know what you're talking about?
Am I right or am I right ;)
I'll just assume you meant Multi-track software ( protools cubase and the likes ).
There are really several ways to go about it. You can get for around 600 quid a multitrack soundcard to install in your computer with 8 inputs by companies like Aardvark for starters ( possibly cheaper ) or Protools higher end ( but they are making much more affordable packages nowdays).
Then you can get a control surface or a mixer like possibly a Mackie like the ones I suggested. Good place for second hand is looking on ebay.co.uk and checking in music magazines for places that sell these things used. I'm not based in the UK so I can't really suggest stores over there.
Either way you'll need a souncard that can handle all the I/O's and also a mixer be it hardware or just a control surface.
Just so you get a better idea of the differences:
Control surface:
Cheap, works with midi, controls your software
Digital mixer:
Expensive, sound and midi control, controls software too, integrated effects etc
Analog mixer:
Midrange pricing, total manual control,while you are working using it modifying all the EQs live you can have the sends send the signals pre- ( before ) processed and the rest of that gets worked on your multitrack software
Digital/analog mixer:
This here is something kind of new by Mackie, it can be used like a regular analog mixer but you can buy an optional firewire card to output the sends to your computer. Midrange pricing not exactly cheap. |
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| Tech0rz |
Nope i don't know much about the hardware and recording aspect, thats why i'm asking ;)
I was actually referring to multi-track recording hardware. But anyway thanks alot for the advice that helped.
So, the basic setup that he would need to record and master rock music would be:
Mics
Monitors
PC
Software
and one of the things u suggested
That would be sufficient to produce, record, master? |
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| jdat |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
Nope i don't know much about the hardware and recording aspect, thats why i'm asking ;)
I was actually referring to multi-track recording hardware. But anyway thanks alot for the advice that helped.
So, the basic setup that he would need to record and master rock music would be:
Mics
Monitors
PC
Software
and one of the things u suggested
That would be sufficient to produce, record, master? |
You're still confusing me as to if you plan to record on hardware dedicated to that or a PC?
add to that list a multitrack soundcard ;) ( 8 track minimum )
that'll work fine yes.
You will have the advantage if recording to a pc that you can work with effect plugins instead of buying units.
When working in a digital setting it's not as much of a necessity to have all the external effects/compressors etc units to get by.
But when you're trying to go a little further getting actual hardware is always a plus.
Has your mate figured out what type of mics he would be using?
Are you guys also micing your guitar amps, drum set etc etc? |
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| Tech0rz |
tbh i'm still confused myself now u say that...am i right in saying that everything recorded ends up on the PC? How is it done in a real studio (but one that uses the setup we will be using) ?
One thing i think is for sure is that all fx and stuff will be added using the PC like compression, sound levels and the other stuff. That is, once the seperate instruments are recorded. |
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| JakeC |
When i record rock bands using a mackie.
i record onto the mackie hard disc then ftp them onto a pc for mizing in cubase. |
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| Tech0rz |
ah ...see...i didn't know you could do that, that the stations had built-in (or external?) hard drives. Do they generally come with them as standard? or always?
Also, if you can do that, then it isn't important to buy a 8-track soundcard ? as once the sound files are sent to pc, they are just opened in your software? or is this not the case? |
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| jdat |
| quote: | Originally posted by Tech0rz
ah ...see...i didn't know you could do that, that the stations had built-in (or external?) hard drives. Do they generally come with them as standard? or always?
Also, if you can do that, then it isn't important to buy a 8-track soundcard ? as once the sound files are sent to pc, they are just opened in your software? or is this not the case? |
Hard disk recorders come with a hard drive included ( as implied in the name )
But these aren't exactly cheap and offer poor basis for upgrade and if you're not going to use it much there's really not much in investing in a system like that.
here's what mackie used to do :
http://www.mackie.com/products/hdr2496/index.html
A lot of other brands do equivalent systems
If you have something like that you can simply bring the files unto your mixing pc without a need for a multitrack soundcard
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...ase_pid/240769/
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...ase_pid/246019/
While they're convenient they're certainly not cheaper then building a dedicated recording pc. They came out as a big fad several years back but are dropping out now.
The trend now for smaller recording outfits is the digital recording workstations but once again not so cheap either
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/category/c556
In multitrack sound cards there's the Digi 001 or Digi 002 ( the newer version ) that are real good.
You may be on a budget so getting the Digi's sounds like a better idea
ps are you on msn? might be better to talk about this on there if so add me [email protected] |
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