FoxeRoxy wrote: How tough is a mixer to operate? I'm technology minded but just do not have a lot of time right now for learning curves... Just curious if it's as simple as you've made it sound.
What does a Mixer actually do? A mixer allows you to balance, position, effect and equalize its different audio channels into a good sounding sonic image that we call a mix. You can add effects to some channels but not others, position instruments to a location in the stereo field, route channels to outboard gear that produces an interesting effect and "sculpt" the sound of each channel with a dedicated equalizer where you can vary the bass, treble and mid range in such a way that the whole song "gels" into a work of beauty.
Here's the simplest computer-based setup, using a standard stereo soundcard:
Plug the sound sources (microphones, DI for electric guitar or bass, outputs from MIDI synths) into the appropriate inputs on your mixing board.
Plug the mixer's stereo line-level Main Outputs (L-R) into the LINE IN of the computer's sound card/audio interface. Some mixers have a 2-Track output in addition to the Main Outs. Either one can be used, though in most mixers only the Main Outs are controlled by the Main Out output level fader.
Plug the LINE OUT from the computer's sound card into a line-level stereo input (or pair of channel inputs) on your mixing board. Be careful not to set up a feedback loop by routing the output of your soundcard through the mixer back to the soundcard's input!
It helps to use a mixer with an ALT3/4 output, which routes the signal from a mixer channel with the MUTE switch engaged to a separate set of outputs from the mixer. This can be used as a Record Enable switch for whichever channels you want to record. You'll be able to monitor the ALT3/4 outputs by switching them to be heard through the MAIN OUT L/R on the mixer (read your mixer's owner's manual for info).
Another way to wire up a small mixer to a soundcard is to use the AUX SEND's as recording outputs to the soundcard's LINE IN. This gives you level control on each channel to be recorded. Set the AUX SEND's to Post Fader if you want to be able to record your insert effects and/or EQ along with the source.
Plug the mixer's Control Room (or Monitor) outputs into a pair of line-level inputs on your stereo amplifier or powered speakers. (Typical line-level inputs on a home stereo receiver will be labeled "CD," "AUX" or "TUNER").
To record a track to the computer, enable the soundcard's LINE IN as the recording input in your recording software. Assign the outputs from your recording software to the soundcard's LINE OUT.
There are some (more expensive) computer audio interfaces that come with mic inputs and mixing controls built in. If you have one of these, you should contact their tech support for advice on how to set up your studio with their product.
Here's a quick overview of the process of making a multitrack audio production for distribution on Audio CD:
Tracking: Record basic tracks onto hard disk. As you go, you'll make a working mix, often called a "rough mix.". You'll use this rough mix as a "guide track" for the performers to play along with, as additional tracks are added to the production.
Overdubbing: Record additional tracks over (and in synch with) the original tracks, while listening to ("monitoring") the rough mix, as desired.
Editing: Once all the basic tracks are recorded, you can edit those tracks, if desired. This is where pitch-correction is applied to vocals, wrong notes are replaced with "right" ones, "comp" tracks are created out of multiple takes, etc. The editing stage is where the computer-based DAW can really strut its stuff — edits can be performed with 'copy and paste' ease and precision.
Mixdown: Add effects, perform last-minute edits, make tonal adjustments to individual tracks or groups of tracks ("equalization" or "EQ"), adjust levels of tracks, add reverb or delay effects, place tracks in the stereo field ("panning"), etc. Once everything sounds like you want it to, you record the playback from the multiple tracks (with all your edits, levels, effects, panning, etc.) onto a new stereo pair of tracks. This is the "final mix."
Mastering: Once you have a collection of selections mixed down to stereo, you will want to begin the assembly of the final CD (what we used to call an "album"). You'll want to make sure each selection sounds in character with the rest (similar tonal balance, amount and type of compression, reverb levels, etc.) and that the selections are of appropriate relative loudness (the soft tunes aren't so quiet compared to the loud tunes that you need to adjust the volume between selections). At this point, many people will add a few final EQ tweaks and a final pass through a "mastering limiter." Then you'll want to make the CD layout, with appropriate silences between selections, etc. Then you burn the final CD (the CD "master"), and your production is done.
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. Right away I just so excited to be able to record that I didn't care but now that I'm getting the hanging of recording now I want it to sound better - 
- one thing leads to another! Ya know what I'm talking about!
