Mixers.

[bassdrummer2333]

I know absolutely nothing about mixers, how to use them in a home studio, there purpose in recording if you can do it digitally and how to hook them up. Also the types. I have an "M-Audio MobilePre USB" interface, do I need a mixer? and how would I go about hooking it up using it? Also, are mixers program specific? Like can I use any of them with Pro-Tools M-Powered?

[Tristan Needler]

You can use a set them up in tons of different ways, and there are tons of different kinds. You don't need one by any means. There's a mixer built into all sequencing software which you can use. I don't use a mixer.

[bassdrummer2333]

What's the point of having one for recording? Do they just make it easier to adjust volume and stuff?

[Tristan Needler]

It's a physical piece, rather than sliders on a screen. Unless you're dropping tons and tons of money, for mixing they're probably not that great for you. Besides, you'd need a lot more inputs on your interface for it to help you mix stuff. Each output from the mixer would need an input pair from your interface, I think.

For you, the best reason I can see for having one would be if you wanted to record some bands live or something. For that, you'd be mixing with the mixer before/while you record the band, then all the sound goes out one cable and gets recorded to one track.

There's tons of different kind, digital, analog, and they all work sort of differently.

One that might be useful to you if you really want to mix your recordings with a "mixer" would be what is called a 'control surface.' It looks exactly like a mixer, but it really isn't. It sends MIDI data that you use to control the mixer in your sequencer. So you move the fader on the board, and the fader moves on the screen.


There's tons of stuff about mixers that I don't really know about because to my setup it's not that important. You can read more here and on the pages that follow: http://www.tweakheadz.com/choosing_a_mixer_for_your_studio.ht ml and all over that site.

[Tristan Needler]

Check out this too for a bunch of studio setup ideas: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

[bassdrummer2333]

Thanks those links are great. I think I might buy an M-Audio NRV10 down the line it's a live mixer and recording mixing. Firewire. Looks like a great buy.