Mixer questions

cp2_4eva

New member
Sup people. I am gonna invest in a mixer pretty soon but I am hesitant cuz I don't know THAT MUCH about them. Like what exactly is a BUS? I read up and still don't exactly get it. And how many inputs do you think I should go for? I am making a small hip hop and RnB home studio so let me know whassup. And would I be better of getting an outboard FX processor or would the onboard FX processors do just fine. Holla at ya boy!
 
Usually people talk about output busses and it simply mean a way to bus/transport the signals around a specific path. The most important one is the group bus as it tells you how you can group various tracks together so as you can manage them easier. EG you can group your 8 drums tracks down to group output bus 1 & 2. This is handy because if you want to control your drum track you dont have to constantly refer to your 8 track faders but can just go to your group bus.
Analogue mixers with built in FX are usually geared towards live sound. Digital mixers with effects can be very useful in the studio...
When deciding how big you need your mixer to be look at how many inputs and outputs you have already and what expansion you might do over the next 2 years. 16/4/2 is a good starting point. That means 16 channels/4 groups/2 master outs... So if it was 32/8/2 well you know....
 
Would this mixer be a decent mixer just for a demo/home studio? http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--YAMMG102

I ain't too sure about behringer mixers, but I seen some decent prices and some mixed feedbacks on them. As far as expansion goes, I don't think I will be doing a heck of alot of expanding anytime soon and by the time expansion happens then I might as well cop a new and improved mixer. Let me know.
 
Sorry but what the heck does a mixer do? is it for recording or for making beats? what do u do with it? Sorry but as u can tell im new at all this lol
 
A mixer does exactly what it says.... it mixes sound signals. There are different types of mixers DJ mixers/Live sound/Powered/Studio - analogue and digital. They range in price from $60 (dj mixer) to 5000000 (and up for pro analogue studio mixer)
Behringers are OK. They are cheap and very versatile with a lot functionality but the sound whilst good isn't great. Mackie mixers are very sweet sounding and you can pick up a second hand 16ch for about $400/500 just make sure and find out what it was used for. If it was used for live sound give it a miss(too much smoke/beer and transport)
If you do buy a cheap mixer u can buy a decent compressor at a later stage and run the master output thru it. this will warm it up.
The mixer you got from zzounds I might give a miss. Knobs instead of faders will drive you crazy after a will. Its much easier to see what the mix is like with fader positions also the metering looks a little basic.
 
Yeah, I decided to pass on that mixer I was going to buy. I'll go with something bigger and with faders. I thought about the fader thing too and it seemed wack. I am kinda strapped for cash so it looks like I might go for a behringer 16ch. They are cheap, but hopefully not to wack sounding.
 
seems like you should wait up a bit and do some more reason. check out teh book "basic mixing." its a quick and simple read but will tell you all you need to know.
 
hey i was reading up about a mixer and it said it has "5 invisible mic preamps" does that mean it is built in or do i still need to get a preamp?
 
I got this book a while ago about home recording and I read up on mixing and stuff and I didn't totally get it ya know. I mean I get most of it, but maybe it will take more hands-on working to really learn it instead of just reading. That's one reason why I would go a little cheap at first because my first mixer don't have to be a 32 channel mackie. Just something simple, but sound is where the decision comes down. I read up on reviews from a few different online music stores and some people down the Behringers, but they also get alot of praise.
 
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