What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

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miuzik
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What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by miuzik »

Many artists and producers use an analog mixer (console, desk) in combination with hardware equipment (synthesizers, drum machines, modular, etc). I understand the convenience that use a mixer for jamming all those instruments, but when you have to record the signal from mixer, I lost myself.

For example in this video the musician uses a Soundcraft FX series (min 6:44), in this other the musician uses a Mackie mixer (min 4:40). Those mixers are analog and they are using in studio context, so...

How do they record their sessions? I have some ideas:

  • Instrument by instrument, mute everything and record only one through the main output from the mixer.
  • They use the different outputs from the mixer (aux, headphone, groups, etc) and record in a audio interface with many inputs and simulating a multitracking mixer or live recorder.

My question is If you have synthesizers and an analog mixer, How do you work?

Last edited by miuzik on Sat Jun 03, 2023 12:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by merlyn »

A mixer that is aimed at recording will have 'direct outs' that can be connected to an audio interface with multiple ins. A mixer I am familiar with is the Spirit Folio SX :

Image

The first row of jack sockets, labelled 'DIR', are the direct outs. There are eight, so these could be connected to an interface with eight ins. I couldn't see a mixer in the first video. Some mixers now, like the Soundcraft MTK series, have a built in multi-channel USB interface.

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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by miuzik »

I couldn't see a mixer in the first video.

I edit the first video (another performance from the same artist).

Well, the case is that I see many videos where the artists work with analog mixer without "direct outputs" (Yamaha MG, Mackie, Soundcraft EPM or similar, or vintage mixers) and I think What is the process in that case?

Another thing, Direct outputs are regularly "pre fader", I don't know the reason for that, but if I use a mixer I think that you can use all the characteristics of the channel strip. Post fader is a behavior more logical for me.

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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by erlkönig »

miuzik wrote: Sat Jun 03, 2023 1:03 am

Another thing, Direct outputs are regularly "pre fader", I don't know the reason for that, but if I use a mixer I think that you can use all the characteristics of the channel strip. Post fader is a behavior more logical for me.

That highly depends on your workflow. I used to mix monitor while recording via left and right, so i didn't want to have fader movements on the track. Or, if you are recording multitrack from a liveevent, you also don't want to have the faders printed. Pre fader is what you want then. Some studios were wired that the monitormix came via auxes/fbs. Then it doesn't matter, if DI is pre or post. Much more important is: where does the DI come from? Some desks get it after EQ/Inserts, some desks before.

If you feed your device from l/r or via auxes depends on your personal style in working.

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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by merlyn »

On the Folio SX there is a switch to change the direct outs between pre and post fader :

Image

It's under the rubber grommet.

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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by Linuxmusician01 »

miuzik wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 7:21 pm

[...]
How do they record their sessions? I have some ideas:

  • Instrument by instrument, mute everything and record only one through the main output from the mixer.
  • They use the different outputs from the mixer (aux, headphone, groups, etc) and record in a audio interface with many inputs and simulating a multitracking mixer or live recorder.

I always thought that they didn't record multichannel then... I thought they mix, jam and record in stereo. In the 70's 24 track tape machines became the de facto standard. I don't know how they recorded then... Maybe the tape machines had 24 inputs. But more often than not they'd record their parts one by one. Drums were a different story: one drum kit is usually recorded with multiple microphones.

Anyway, producers that have an analog mixing desk might have themselves a very expensive professional solution to digitally record more than a 8 inputs at the time. Or they might have a "multichannel analog in to multichannel dig. USB out" audio device like the Behringer U-Phoria 1820 (270 Euro):
Image

I've thought about buying me a cheap patch-bay (65 Euro) to quickly connect the synth in use to a USB audio device like this one:
Image

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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by miuzik »

For many people like me mixers and hardware are stranger things, but my doubts are very old. How to work with a cheap analog mixer and DAW? Here the explanation: http://ethanwiner.com/mixer2daw.html

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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by Linuxmusician01 »

miuzik wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2023 12:30 am

For many people like me mixers and hardware are stranger things, but my doubts are very old. How to work with a cheap analog mixer and DAW? Here the explanation: http://ethanwiner.com/mixer2daw.html

Quote from that nice, informative, web-page that might answer the top post:

If you have only one stereo sound card, you can record only one stereo source at a time, or optionally two mono sources. (Of course, you can record any number of additional tracks later as overdubs.) If you have a multi-channel sound card, you can record as many separate tracks as the sound card has inputs.

So one needs an audio device with a many inputs as one want to record at the same time (simultaneous).

Last edited by Linuxmusician01 on Tue Jun 20, 2023 8:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What is a best workflow and setup for analog mixer with hardware synthesizers?

Post by khz »

A bit pricey but the best audio I've ever heard - I'm a bit audiophile impaired - and you have 16 I/O via USB with the SSL Big SiX viewtopic.php?p=150691#p150691.
All instruments/effects are connected via patchbays (SAMSON S-Patch Plus 48).

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