For those of you with more than 4 synths...Studio Setup?

elsongs · Post by **elsongs** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:44 am

For those of you who have more than 4 synths/keyboards/modules, etc - how do you have them connected, audio-wise? Do they go into a submixer? Do they all go in a regular mixer? Do you just plug them into your audio interface when you need to hear/record them? Do you use a patchbay? How do you set it up?

michael stein · Post by **michael stein** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:26 am

I have a large mixer they all go into, then sereo into my audio interface. i also have a patch bay that has 8 channels going into the mixer. If I did not record with protools I would have a firestudio, but I cant afford to multitrack with design's bullshit. F#@k digidesign.

Analog Freak · Post by **Analog Freak** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:11 am

I use a Carvin C2400 mixer for everything. Every synthesizer, module or effects unit goes through it at some point. In all honesty, my rackmount gear has so many audio connections that I'm going to have to bring in a rackmount mixer and use that as a submixer before too long. I'm also thinking of getting a patchbay, although I'm not sure that it's really needed. Anyway, after the mixer, I route the main outputs to the monitors (in actuality a nice stereo system) and the other bus outputs go to my laptop for processing or recording. It might not be the ideal solution, but it has worked well for me. What exactly are you trying to do? I might be able to offer more suggestions if I knew what kind of problems you are trying to tackle.

brian.only · Post by **brian.only** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:23 am

I have a 14 channel mixer I plug most into- others, The ones I tend to perform w/ live I have set up on a stand exactly like I would when I perform. Those I tend to run directly into my audio interface which has 8 ins.
The mixer is nice as I can boost and eq the signal on some of the lower output synths/instruments as well keeping the overall cord mess down by running a stereo set of xlrs to my interface for that side of the room.
I will also sometimes run the synths through an amp and record them w/ a microphone which will get sent through the mixer.
I tend to not leave things plugged in electrically( my wiring is a bit old and ya never know...), but will leave all the patch cables plugged in generally.
Every few months I'll switch gear around to liven things up and pare down what I have'nt been using-its also a good time to clean everything- dust is the end of electronics...

Tyler2000 · Post by **Tyler2000** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:33 am

Currently I run run all my synths (HS-60, MG-1, ESQ-1, C64) through my Yamaha EM-90a 6-channel mixer and into channel 1 of Peavy KB-100 keyboard amp which has 3 channels.

Also, I run all my sequencey/drum machiney stuff (ER-1, EA-1, MDP-40, DR-202) through a 4-channel boss mixer and into input 2.

There is something plugged into input 3 on the amp but I can't figure out what it is. Not that I've tried. I just moved in and I've got myself all confused about what I'm doing.

All of that will be changing soon though. I have an 8 channel rack mixer on it's way to my door. Honestly, though, I'm probably going to turn around and sell it (unless I fall in love with it) and get a 12 channel for the same price. Damn inpulse e-buys. Anyway, it will have 2 set of aux sends for all my effects so I'm pretty pumped about that. Still, with the rack mixer I'll probably end up using the sub-mixer for drums.

Anybody got a 12 channel rack mixer for sale?

Anybody want to buy an 8 channel?

anybody want to trade?

Tyler2000 · Post by **Tyler2000** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:38 am

Currently I run run all my synths (HS-60, MG-1, ESQ-1, C64) through my Yamaha EM-90a 6-channel mixer and into channel 1 of Peavy KB-100 keyboard amp which has 3 channels.

Also, I run all my sequencey/drum machiney stuff (ER-1, EA-1, MDP-40, DR-202) through a 4-channel boss mixer and into input 2.

There is something plugged into input 3 on the amp but I can't figure out what it is. Not that I've tried. I just moved in and I've got myself all confused about what I'm doing.

All of that will be changing soon though. I have an 8 channel rack mixer on it's way to my door. Honestly, though, I'm probably going to turn around and sell it (unless I fall in love with it) and get a 12 channel for the same price. Damn inpulse e-buys. Anyway, it will have 2 set of aux sends for all my effects so I'm pretty pumped about that. Still, with the rack mixer I'll probably end up using the sub-mixer for drums.

Anybody got a 12 channel rack mixer for sale?

Anybody want to buy an 8 channel?

anybody want to trade?

yburn · Post by **yburn** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:43 am

I'm appear to be different to the others, I've got a 10 I/0 card in the PC and go straight into that. It used to be a pain but support for external instruments in Cubase4 is much better than it used to be. I create a track for a synth the same way as a plugin synth. It remembers all the routing and gives me 1 track to look at in the arrange page. All (!?!) I need to do now is create device panels for my outbord gear and I'll have access to my analogs with the same flexibility as VST plugs. I should point out that I only have 1 non midi analog. I also record with two bands so need to recall mixes pretty much randomly so an analog desk is out of the question for me. I used to have an 01v which was great but when you start adding analog I/0 it starts getting expensive and once you use more than the 16 front panel faders and have to start hitting shift keys, you might as well be mixing on the computer.

Post by **wiss** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:44 am

I use a 24/48 analog mixer with my 24tracks of ADAT....

I use a motu 828 and tascam us-428 with my live and studio setups...no synths are used live

clubbedtodeath · Post by **clubbedtodeath** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:53 am

This should really be in Sound Production.

hageir · Post by **hageir** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:28 pm

do any of you gus record a flat 2-track straight out of the mixer?
you can't fix anything later on, how do you work around it?
just record everything over and over again until it's perfect? -you nuts?!

hollandturbine · Post by **hollandturbine** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:46 pm

Synths--->Patch bay--->Sub mixer--->Patch bay--->Sound card in 1&2

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:22 pm

Try and get a little sub mixer with an extra subgroup out like the Yamaha MG’s or something with a PFL (pre fader listen) as this will allow you to isolate the channels you want recorded to a separate output whilst hearing the channels you don’t.
On my old Spirit I used the monitor outputs as the recording channel so I just pressed the PFL button for any channel I wanted to record which bypassed the mixer effects, EQ and fader level so the soundcard was getting a nice clean dry signal to record whilst I heard the sound being recorded in the context of a mix with all the other sounds, a little unorthodox but a good work around if you’re recording on your own using only synths.

Getting the sounds both inside and out of your DAW to sync perfectly is another matter.

Post by **TrondC** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:30 pm

hageir wrote:do any of you gus record a flat 2-track straight out of the mixer?
you can't fix anything later on, how do you work around it?
just record everything over and over again until it's perfect? -you nuts?!

that's pretty much what I do.., but then again, I have no other way to record everything in proper stereo, as my recorder has 4 mono tracks only..

my next purchase will probably be some nice kind of software and an interface so I can start recording my gear properly, and also then I can finally start putting tracks on the internet again

redchapterjubilee · Post by **redchapterjubilee** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:21 pm

I have 6 sound sources and they run into an Alesis 12FX mixer then stereo out into my soundcard. That's the same scenario live too.

Post by **pangmaster** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:49 pm

All my synths go into a patchbay, with the first 8 outputs of the PB being normalled into the 8 inputs of my interface. I have the 4 stereo pairs of my most used synths in these first 8 outputs so I don't have to patch them in. The rest of the gear is wired up mono (6 other synths).