How do mixing desks work

Almost all mixing desks have a similar signal path. First, the input signal from a line source or microphone is sent through a line buffer or mic amplifier where the signal level is optimized for noise performance and headroom. Auxiliary outputs will usually be located immediately before or after the fader as well as insert points where the signal can be extracted from the mixer, processed though another device —such as effects pedals, external compressors or noise gates — and then returned to continue through the mixer.

Once this is done, the signal is then moved to the available outputs or groups as needed. The reason for the grouping ability is to make it easier to control a large number of signals at once or to allow a single signal processor to work on a number of channel signals simultaneously. How a mic preamp is designed is a strong indicator of the sound and character of the entire mixing board, and any loss and quality at this initial stage can never be regained, making these preamps very important.

With that said, the job of the mic preamp is a very difficult one; it must provide a sufficient amount of signal gain, which is a lot by the way, while keeping the background noise at an absolute minimum.

The Basics of A Mixing Console The first thing that you should always keep in mind in order to make the process of wrapping your head around mixers that much easier is to remember that every single one of these devices are intended to perform the same basic functions.

One for one. In your typical mixerless studio you might have whatever amount of inputs but sometimes only 2 outputs, the ones that go to your speakers. But with a console you can have a one-to-one correspondence - one track in the DAW gets its own channel on the console. If you seriously run out of channels, it's easy enough to assign two or more DAW tracks to a single channel of the board.

Another thing that might cause confusion is that many such consoles are "split" - meaning each channel can serve double duty. Channel One can take in a microphone microphone One and send that mic out to the recorder and at the same time it can adjust the level and EQ of Track One coming back from the recorder.

Usually the EQ sections and aux sends are split-able as well. Meaning you could have some EQ getting recorded and still have some EQ available for monitoring if you like. When you are ready for final mixdown you don't need the "mic" function any more so all of the channel's EQ, effects and auxes can be 'un-split' and put towards playback of the "tape". Consoles that are not "split" in this way will need to have more channels.

A whole bunch of channels dedicated to mics coming in and then another whole bunch of channels dedicated to playback of tracks coming out. Quote: And then where would it go? The number of channels, inserts, busses, groups, auxes, etc. Signals could be coming from and going to a computer at the same time, if you are recording to and playing back from a DAW. And from instruments. And from microphones. And from tape machines. And from your MP3 player.

All at the same time. Your console is your gear for recording and mixing. Hope that helps. You typically record a sound source to your computer with the best signal to noise ratio possible, and then feed each channel of recorded audio back out to the mixing board if you are mixing out of the box and use the faders to adjust volume levels.

In addition to learning about mixing boards and signal flow, you should read up on the differences between tracking vs mixing, and full band multi-mic tracking vs overdubbing.

It will help answer your questions. That whole response was everything I really needed to know! It has 16 input channels on the left, 8 subgroups on the right, and 8 monitor returns above the subgroups that can monitor either the subgroup output or a separate tape input.

I patch 16 microphones into the left input channels and the 8 subgroup outputs into an 8-track recorder. The 8 outputs of the 8-track feed the separate tape inputs on the monitor returns.

My inside kick mic is coming into input channel one and my outside kick mic into channel two. I assign both of these channels to subgroup one and can monitor their blend listening to the corresponding monitor return. The top snare mic is on channel 3 and bottom snare on channel 4, while both are assigned to subgroup 2, which in turn is being monitored on monitor return 2, and so on for bass mic and DI, multiple guitar amp mics, etc.

After recording a take, switch the monitor return to monitor the tape input to listen back. If the recording device is decent, it should be the same mix you were hearing when monitoring the live inputs. You can also listen "through" the recorder so that during play you hear what was recorded but during record you hear the live input, with the recorder handling the switching at it's outputs depending on the playback or record state of that track.

When recording is completed, you can repatch the tape inputs to the input channels on the left side for more comprehensive EQ and routing abilities. Sometimes those subgroup controls and monitor returns are put "in-line" right on the input channels. This basic design also applies 24 subgroup consoles with 48 input channels and 48 monitor returns with full EQ, routing and automated faders for both the input and monitor path. Yes, same. Busses: My vocal is coning into the console, I want to put the tube compressor on it.

So I assign the an insert on one of the buses submixes for the tube compressor. Now I can assign anything t the "buss" I can assign synths, effects, anything TO that tube compressor, or any thing else I have in the rack. And then there are sends, all the reverbs and modulation effects Share 9th August Show parent mikeg. You can take those same output cables and plug into a stereo channel of the mixing console and then monitor off the board.

Does that all make sense? The board adds warmth, color, and character to your sound in various ways. Most interfaces have zero latency monitoring for recording. You just need to click a setting on your interface in the routing section Share 10th August KingsX Gear Maniac I remember when I first started doing studio work, this was the early to mid 90's, so pro tools wasn't really a thing yet so much, and pros were using tape, and some places were using adats and the like.

I remember the first time I encountered a "mix B" on a console and what it was for. My mind was blown! Up until then, I had assumed if you were doing say 24 tracks, you needed a 48 channel console, or had to do patch bay work for monitoring.

Loved those days. Now I'm mostly ITB. Go figure I suppose getting a tape recorder no longer seems like a waste to me now! No, no OK, back to basics. So you already know mixer amplifies, equalises and mixes a number of inputs. YOu want to know how one is used. So, there are two basic stages in making a recording; tracking and mixdown.

In tracking you are recording the basics sounds onto one or more tracks of a recorder pro tools, tape, ADAT whatever. A band could play live in the studio and every instrument and vocal could be recorded via the mixer. You could mix everything straight to stereo or mono as it is played and record the result.

This was the way things were done back in the 50s and early 60s before multi-track recorders became common. Or you could record each input to its own track using the mixer's direct outs. This allows you to do the mix at your leisure. So you would perhaps record some basic rhythm tracks bass, drum, guitar to one or more tracks via the mixer.

Then you play these back via the mixer, use the foldback AUX sends to make a mix that musicians can hear on phones. You can do this as often as you like. EQs that have more than one control per frequency. With intermediate models, the high and low EQ controls are usually at a set frequency whilst the mid frequency EQ has two knobs allowing the user to set both the frequency at which the EQ is applied and the amount by which the frequency is amplified or augmented.

This is great for pinning down and reducing the level of harsh frequencies. Mute turns off that channel completely and no signal is sent to the outputs.

Solo, on the other hand, turns off every channel other than the channel where the solo is turned on, making it useful for fine tuning the mix of a particular instrument or microphone. It can be useful for diagnosing where a hum or background noise is coming from.

So far, we have discussed single knob EQs and parametric EQs. Unlike the EQs mentioned up to this point, graphic EQs have a row of several small faders - at least five but usually eight or more - all at a set frequency allowing the user to fine tune the mix by altering the level of very specific frequency bands. The idea of this is that the signal that is sent out of an aux output to an effects unit is returned to the mixer via its aux return inputs.

This feature is simply a matter of convenience; Aux returns function the same way as stereo channels in that they combine the signal with the main mix, however, they will usually have just a level control rather than the full series of controls found on each of the normal channels. Traditionally, the tape in and tape out on a mixer were used for recording and playback from a cassette desk. In the present day, however, tape has been replaced by the use of a PC or laptop which communicates with the mixer digitally over a USB lead.

Mixers with USB connectivity work the same way that older mixers worked with tape machines: a digital copy of the main out is sent to a computer and the computer sends back a stereo signal for playback. See our full range of mixing desks. Staff are key to any organisation. But before you Reach out if you would like to find out about our Apple Device Management services or creative technology solutions.

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