I was wondering what do you people use as mixers when doing live performances - if any ?
I would be interested to start doing some exp/drone/ambient stuff live (in front of the three people I know who might like it), and as I do not own a mixer I wonder if I needed one. It seems like a useful tool for a live setting. I found some very cheap ones which are mono out - do you use panning live ? Or do you pan channels beforehand ? Or is it the engineer's job ?
In most small show scenarios you'll do your mix as a submix that'll go to the engineer as 2 tracks, you'll need to take care of all of your panning yourself.
On that note, any suggestions for suitable mixers?
I've been wondering about analog mixers. 12 channel with AUC sends for FX (doesn't need on board FX). I'm reading good things about Allen & Heath or Mackie.
Thoughts?
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Techno starts with a capital 'T', as in TB-303 and TR-808.
I think having a mixer for playing live is pretty essential if you can swing it. Aux sends are great if you have FX. Im a Soundcraft fanboy, but for options:price ZED series is quite nice. I just dont tend towards mixers w onboard FX. Berhinger has some options heavy mixers for a nice price, but you are really rolling the dice there. If you arent gigging w a Behringer they can work, just have to be really careful w headroom is all, Berhinger mixers dont overload pleasantly ...at least not the one Ive used.
If you only have a few boxes and dont need aux sends a DJ mixer could be more "playable" than small format studio/PA mixer.
^ good to know, I was eyeing the xenyx series by behringer ... Will look deeper into the price range
It is seriously at your own risk. My dad had pretty good luck with a Behringer Eurorack series mixer...one of his clients bought one and they traveled with it for years and it only had a couple dead channels when it got gifted to me, though last I took it out the thing totally died on me.
If/when I get a new mixer for my studio I'm probably getting a Xenyx because its the only way I can afford individual outs, enough sub groups and aux sends.
I'd stay away from the budget Mackies, I got a Mix8 a while ago and it barely lasted me a year. In the mean time my Yamaha MG124c is still going strong after about 4 years of constant use.
So, the question for me would be: expand the MOTU by getting a second 828 and use Cuemix (I.e. Digital) or get an analog mixer and hook that one up to the MOTU. Space concerns aside, do you have head to head comparisons of the MOTU and an analog mixer?
On a related note... what exactly is the difference to an analog summing mixer and why are those so darn expensive?
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Techno starts with a capital 'T', as in TB-303 and TR-808.
So, the question for me would be: expand the MOTU by getting a second 828 and use Cuemix (I.e. Digital) or get an analog mixer and hook that one up to the MOTU. Space concerns aside, do you have head to head comparisons of the MOTU and an analog mixer?
On a related note... what exactly is the difference to an analog summing mixer and why are those so darn expensive?
If you want to mix itb, do it. If you want that control in a physical format get mixer. Sound quality recording into the MOTU will be better. Unless you get like a Neve desk or something...
Having something like a small format MiDAs mixer will allow for a lot of things that, as I've seen your rig progress, you've wanted, most notably but not limited to physical IO for effects returns and loads of different ways of routing all of your gear around.
Let me know if you want to get into some of the specifics, I've got a lot of experience building customized recording setups. BONUS: this is a forum so you dont get charged my consulting rate.... yet.
Also, Summing mixers are a different beast all together. They are made with high end components and Voodoo.
