anonymous
7 October 2002
Hello everyone! I just started getting into recording and I was wondering if you could help me figure out a few things on my mixer. It’s a vintage Randall Stereo Mixer, and there are a couple of outputs on the back I’m not really sure what they do: Monitor output, Direct to Mon. Bus, 2 effects loops – but only one had a output? I will be recording directly into my sound card, so should I use a stereo ¼” plug and covert it to 1/8” stereo? Thanks for your time.
Cheers, Justin
Comments
Hi Justin, I've been busy, so I apologize for not answering t
Hi Justin,
I've been busy, so I apologize for not answering till now (where's everybody else?)
anyway...I need an answer from you first
Which one of the afforementioned ouputs, really has an out?
A mixer generally will let you make several mixes. One mix will be the one that the "audience" hears, whether the audience is a cd burner or a real one at a club. This is the main stereo or mono mix. The monitor output refers to a seperate mix, independent of the first one I mentiones. It is usually for the operator (you) or the other musicians involved. If at a club, you could send the mix of the drums/bass/gtrs/keys/vocals to the audience out of the main stereo (or mono) mix, ANDF just send the vocals only to the band via the "monitor" mix. This mix is derived from a point BEFORE your main channel faders, so, that the mix you have for the audience has noe affect on what you send to the monitor. Two separate mixes.
Direct out. Derect out is just that...a direct output of a particular channel or section that does not go thrugh the main stereo active combining network (ACN). If you have one of these for each input channel on your mixer, here is a great way to send the gtr only to tape. Send to you sound card that gtr, from the direct output of it's channel. it usually is after the main channel fader so you have final leve;l control that way. And since it by passes the stereo bus (the palce where mutiple mono sources are combined or "mixed" together, giving you your resultant stereo output), it should sound better because it's going through less stuff. Things almost always sound better with the least amount of processing.
I've got to get going now...perhaps some one else can chime in. Please answer my question, and we'll help you get an answer. Pick up a recording primer, like "modern recording techniques" or whatever else is hip on the subject.
have fun
-rm