Bedroom Studio

[musicman1]

Ive been producing for about 3/4 months now, and i want my music to be mixed down to a average standard, so im thinking about getting a quick 12 BEHRINGER mixer: http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR264181 which already comes with a audio interface, and some WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 8.2 speakers,and i dont know if i need a soundcard?

Im just wondering is that all i need for a lil studio because i dont mc so i dont need all that business

any help would be appreciated

God Bless:D

[croydonbeats]

If you're making music on your PC you shouldn't need an external mixer.

You'd need an external mixer if:

1 You're working in the old-school way, with all your sounds coming from a number of hardware keyboards and instruments... so you're mixing sounds in the mixer on their way INTO the computer
2 You're mixing lots of separate outputs from the computer (EG drums, bass, keyboard, vocals, FX) in the mixer and then... well, either recording them back into the computer again - which is a bit complicated - or recording them down to something like a CD recorder or minidisc. So this way, you'd probably also need that CD recorder or minidisc.

Personally I've found that I've been able to gradually improve my sound working purely on the computer (Cubase in my case, although the same goes for Logic, Reason, Fruity, Live, Pro Tools, Reaper or whatever). I'd save your money by not buying the mixer; if you want advice about mixing or homebrewed mastering, feel free to post up a MP3 or message me with one, I bet there's plenty of producers on here who'd be up for having a listen.

It could be that buying a good pair of speakers is the best thing you could do for your music.

Cheers

Dave

[Retrofreak]

llow Behringer apart from the "Composer" I wouldn't touch their dodgy equipment with a barge pole.

If you want to mix externally get:

1. Soundcraft M8/M12
2. Mackie CR 1604/VLZ

[musicman1]

yeah thanks for the advise Croydon Beats.

but if i just get the speakers how would i be able to connect to the pc?


yeah ill get some beats showing up on there soon

Cheers

[musicman1]

lool what would be a good mixer in your opion?

[Wiz]

You need 3 things for a decent home studio to make beats in:
1- a decent computer
2- a decent sound card
3- a decent set of monitor speakers

You don't ever really need a mixer unless you're recording multiple things at the same time.

[Retrofreak]

You need 3 things for a decent home studio to make beats in:
1- a decent computer
2- a decent sound card
3- a decent set of monitor speakers

You don't ever really need a mixer unless you're recording multiple things at the same time.

I agree with your 3 points ,but external analog mixers are far superior to any software mixer when it comes to processing drums and bass.

[critic of musical arts]

As said by others in this thread no need for an external mixer.

[croydonbeats]

I agree with your 3 points ,but external analog mixers are far superior to any software mixer when it comes to processing drums and bass.

I'm sure that's true, but probably most true for high-quality mixing desks - and if I started mixing through a high quality desk (which I can't afford anyway), I'd start thinking about needing high quality hardware compressors etc to go with it. For a bedroom studio, I just don't think that's an affordable way to go - and I think software mixing's good enough to get good musicians to a point where they demo music from home, then maybe take it into a hardware studio for mixing...

[Retrofreak]

I'm sure that's true, but probably most true for high-quality mixing desks - and if I started mixing through a high quality desk (which I can't afford anyway), I'd start thinking about needing high quality hardware compressors etc to go with it. For a bedroom studio, I just don't think that's an affordable way to go - and I think software mixing's good enough to get good musicians to a point where they demo music from home, then maybe take it into a hardware studio for mixing...

Its very affordable to be honest you can pick up a small analog desk for £150-300.


1. If you route the outputs of your sound card to the mixer then record them back into your computer you will get a better sound..fact.


2. External drum compressors you find them cheap in 2nd store's...these will sound much better than any plugin and you find them from £50 -150.


3. Fact is digital is good for taking snap shots of the sound, but analog is levels above it when it comes to driving the sound as it distorts better.


I use analog to process drums and bass then record the result back into the computer for level mixing and editing.

[croydonbeats]

I use analog to process drums and bass then record the result back into the computer for level mixing and editing.

You've got me thinking now :)

So you're using quite normal kit to do this? That's proper interesting...

I was wondering whether you've got any hints about how you're working? With a limited number of soundcard outs (I've got 8 mono, so 4 stereo) I'd be able to send 4 groups/busses into a mixing desk. Then... is it about pushing the input gain to saturate each group, then pulling the faders down to stop the overall mix wigging out too much?

Or is it more about sending every sound within a percussion mix through separate outputs, maybe mono, and building up a percussion mix in the mixing desk, and recording that perc mix back into the computer as a stem?

I've been using PSP Vintage Warmer for a while on the occasional mix/group track, and my mixing desk's long gone, but I've got a couple of bits of cheapish analog outboard still, like a DBX266 compressor. I'll have a bit of an experiment with that next time my head's not mashed from work... I can't mix with it cos I've only got one stereo channel, but... maybe it'd still do usefully squashy things to the audio.

Sorry, I'm drifting off the point of the post - are we kind of saying that while Musicman1 doesn't NEED a mixing desk, they still definitely have their uses, because they mix tracks in a very different and somehow funkier, more hilarious way than software?

[TempahProductions]

tbh i only use a mixer for my speakers

if u wanna start making mix downs get urself a pair of krk's cubase and Waves Mercury

at my yard i got a pc and laptop my laptop just for mixing down and my pc for beats i bounch down tracks then mix on my lappy ur better off with software vst i could list u loads wot are great for diff things.

but if ur just useing fl studio u can do a basic mix just messing with the levels and gettin the sounds where they should be

some tips

claps:
Really tight delays can help claps and snaps sound natural. 5-20ms, etc.

snares:
Compressing all together is a good idea but don't over do it

i have loads more just not the time

[Wiz]

Analogue equipment is actually better (in a way) because of unplanned faults lol, that goes for all stuff like synths, mixers, effects, etc. That's why analogue stuff has more authentic sound than software, because they end up with things they didn't anticipate due to not counting in all factors during design.

[critic of musical arts]

Analogue equipment is actually better (in a way) because of unplanned faults lol, that goes for all stuff like synths, mixers, effects, etc. That's why analogue stuff has more authentic sound than software, because they end up with things they didn't anticipate due to not counting in all factors during design.

Gas, SMH i hate it when people say things like this (Just like the Vinyl / CDJ's debate).

[croydonbeats]

Gas, SMH i hate it when people say things like this (Just like the Vinyl / CDJ's debate).

I use Reaktor a lot, I made a model of a Moog Prodigy and spent more time adding hum, hiss, distortion and randomness to it than building the synth model itself. Sounds great. Although when I used to use old hardware, I hated the crackles, because they always happened in places I wanted to sound clean and it was fucking difficult tracking them down and fixing them :|

[TempahProductions]

I use Reaktor a lot, I made a model of a Moog Prodigy and spent more time adding hum, hiss, distortion and randomness to it than building the synth model itself. Sounds great. Although when I used to use old hardware, I hated the crackles, because they always happened in places I wanted to sound clean and it was fucking difficult tracking them down and fixing them :|



that reaktor is a fucking beast if uno how to work it ive been useing it nuff but just aint had time really i wanna get back on that but native inst are all good

[4737]

Analogue equipment is actually better (in a way) because of unplanned faults lol, that goes for all stuff like synths, mixers, effects, etc. That's why analogue stuff has more authentic sound than software, because they end up with things they didn't anticipate due to not counting in all factors during design.

Plus there's a continuous stream of sound from them (hence analogue), as opposed to the chopped-up digitisation that digital alternatives offer. This tends to add 'warmth'.

t.

[kingpek]

yeah

[kingpek]

yeah baby

[musicman1]

yoo thanks for everyones views on this, appreciate it.

got me thinking , and i think im gonna go ahead and get a mixer to go with the diamonds, just need to choose one now


What mixer would you recommend?
When i get one how would i connect it to the pc?

keep the replys coming
REALLY appreciate it
Cheers

[Wiz]

Make sure you get one that connects to your PC through USB or Firewire (if you have a firewire connection)

Otherwise you'll end up wasting all but 2 channels in it

[musicman1]

have you got any recommendations on soundcards?

[croydonbeats]

have you got any recommendations on soundcards?

Can't tell you about soundcards with mixers attached (well, only that I know some guys that used a Mackie Onyx, but found it a bit confusing because the mix came out analog at a different level to the sum of the individual channels going into the computer through Firewire).

I've used M Audio soundcards for a few years with no problems: I have a FW410 Firewire card, and that's fine with my PC laptop; I had a Delta 2496 for my desktop... although that was a PCI card that went into an internal card slot in the PC itself. I bought them because of price rather than features - the way I work, I don't use that many in's and out's, and there's no point having the best soundcard in the world if your speakers aren't all that.

Focusrite Saffires are nice, I've had a play with a couple of those - a bit more expensive than the M Audio equivalents? A friend of a friend had an Edirol USB soundcard and the power switch started playing up before very long - although he was a DJ, quite impatient, maybe he was hammering the switch on and off waiting for drivers to load. MOTU make some beautiful audio interfaces, but they're more expensive again; to my mind though there are plenty of sub-£200 cards out there that will get you up and running.

Good luck with it

Dave

[musicman1]

yeah appreciate the replys everyone

yeah ill look into that CroydonBeats,

lol i just know how to make beats, dont have a clue about the rest, as you can see

Cheers