Computer Music Setups
Example 2, Cont'd
One PC, better recording soundcard called the Audiophile with high quality inputs, one MIDI synth keyboard with it's own sounds, a guitar, a mic and a pair of speakers. Let's see if you can follow this one.
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Setup 2: A bit more complicated including an audio interface, mixer and keyboard.
- Plug a guitar cable into your guitar.
- Plug a suitable cable into your microphone.
- Plug the mic and guitar into separate channels on the mixer. You could use a separate preamp for the guitar and the microphone if you like.
- The keyboard has both a MIDI OUT and IN, this is so we can send MIDI OUT to the computer for recording, and then receives the MIDI back IN from the sequencer so the synth plays the sounds (eg. drums and instrument backing). This assumes your keyboard has its own sounds that you want to use, if not then you just need the MIDI OUT.
- The Audiophile's MIDI interface provides the MIDI IN and OUT sockets. Remember that the OUT from the keyboard goes to the IN on the interface and vice versa. If the keyboard has a USB port then you could use that instead of the MIDI interface.
- We want to be able to hear the synth, so we plug the audio output into the mixer.
- This is the bit people usually have trouble with. We want to be able to record the mic and guitar onto the computer. If we used the mixers master outputs then while we are recording the guitar we would record the backing from the synth at the same time onto the same track. We don't want to do this, we want to record everything onto different tracks, and we don't want to record the synth until we're completely sure of the MIDI arrangement in the software (you still with me?). So, we need to SEND the guitar and the mic to the soundcard on it's own. How do we do this? We use SENDS. All mixers have an auxiliary send or two, sometimes called "FX Sends" as that's what they are normally used for - sending the signal from channels out to effects. However, this time we are going to use them like an output, and send the guitar/mic channel out of the send and to the soundcard. So, turn up the send knob on the guitar and mic channels, and make sure the sends on the other channels are at zero. Now we'll be able to hear the synth, but it won't get recorded with the guitar. Super, got that? Good.
- The output from the aux send, ideally two for stereo, is plugged into the Line Input on the Audiophile (soundcard).
- Now, we want to be able to hear the recorded guitar at the same time as the output of the hardware synth, so the Line Output of the Audiophile needs to be plugged into the mixer.
- Make sure the aux send on the channels for the soundcards output are at zero or you might get feedback through the computer.
- The monitor output of the mixer carries the recorded tracks from the computer and the output of the synth and should be plugged into your speakers.
- All the sound comes out of your powered speakers, or amp and speaker arrangement.
If your mixer has direct outputs, tape outputs or busses then you don't need to use the auxiliaries, just treat the computer like a hardware recorder.
A good note to make at this point is that although you're using a mixer, you're not actually using it to mix anything. All you've got is a stereo output from the synth, possibly carrying multiple tracks of different instruments and the stereo output from the computer, which could carry a couple of guitars, vocals and harmony. So, all the mixing needs to be done on the computer, in Cubase or whatever you're using. Also if your mixer has direct outputs or tape outputs or busses then you don't need to use the auxiliaries, just treat the computer like a hardware recorder.
Example 3 - Recording a band using a proper recording interface
This is a great example drawn by someone else for a change (hooray!). It's from the Presonus website showing how their excellent Firepod could be connected up. The term "Soundcard" is obviously inaccurate in this case as the Firepod is a Firewire interface, however, I use the word "soundcard" to cover all audio interfaces to the PC whether they are PCI cards, PCMCIA, Firewire or USB - just so you don't get confused!
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Setup 3: The full monty including all the trimmings.
This one is probably better explained without the numbers as you get the general idea just by looking at it.
Summary
As you can see you don't need a mixer. The Firepod is providing all the inputs and preamps you need,
for mics for guitars, for whatever you want to throw at it. All the mixing is done on the computer
in your audio software resulting in a stereo monitor output going to your speakers. If you are unhappy
about the idea of mixing with a mouse then you'll need to enter the world of the MIDI control surface
where you have a slab of plastic with a bunch of faders and knobs that you use to control the software
mixer on screen - full tactile control often with motorised faders and all sorts of flashing lights.
Copyright 2008 by Robin Vincent and licensed to Rain Recording. All rights reserved.
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