I have a Push 2, and it’s pretty awesome. I just got an OT, and the other two for a slightly different approach. I have this idea of jamming into Ableton, and then using all the fine VST plugs I’ve bought over the years to polish and mix/master my audio. What I currently lack is a multi-input interface for my Mac. I still have an M-audio Fast Track Pro left over from my Windows using days but, it’s kind lacking, so I’m just kicking ideas around for how to get my dark trinity into the computer. Thanks for the input! Motu still seems to be a preference for many folks around here.
I feel you on this, just didn’t want to derail the topic. I’ve gone back and forth with the computer. Every time I get it almost where I’m productive without losing creativity I get jammed up by some software issue. The latest turn off is a M4L bug called “Clang” that crashes the project and makes it a PITA to reopen. Even if I could get a bug free computer setup going I am one of those people that gets lost in the limitless sea of software. A single kick gets processed through 10 plugins and I’m still not happy (don’t even get me started on those fucking snares!!!)
As far as recording the hardware goes, it just depends on how many tracks you need/want. I really enjoy using the OT as an fx processor and dynamic sampler so I run as much as I can into it. from there, usually I’ll just record into the Zoom (transferring to ableton later) or directly into ableton through the MOTU, then add some final adjustments with sound toys and/or izotope and go.
That’s cool! So you just run 2 tracks out of the OT to the Zoom, then to the computer for Ozone. Sounds like a fine idea!
yeah. ive been thinking about upgrading to the H6 so I can send both the Master L/R and Cue L/R but I’m not sure what that is really going to do for me. limiting myself has been extremely helpful.
when I had the AR and A4 I used to do as much mixing on the individual devices, then run them into the OT and finalize things, and just record the OT master L/R into the zoom or DAW.
I view the OT as multi tracking, If i use a track just for kicks, snares, hats, samples, etc…, each one gets adjusted until it fits the mix. if you run out of tracks, resample, rinse, repeat.
I use http://www.allen-heath.com/ahproducts/xonepx5/
It functions as both a soundcard and mixer so you can run DAW into it as well as hardware boxes…has decent fx on board plus allows a send fx out…
Also has an insert for master(which im not using as yet).
Felt plasticky? you mean the feel of the knobs and faders? As far as sound quality goes, I am quite content with the 12MTK’s analog side at least, and the converters are around the “mid-tier” level so certainly usable.
My only gripe is with the asymmetrical eq - its hard to sweep for frequencies since the Q gets broader as you boost more… Maybe I too need to up the game and get a qupac at some point.
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Push 1 for £200
Is this directed at me?
I usually cover a broad range but like to make Lofi Hip Hop. I’m inspired by Eastghost
Lately though after buying the DSI OB6 I’ve been trying to make Com Truse type synthwave.
I’m all over place but I just want to finish a track!
Interesting. I’ve used a hybrid approach for several years now but I often find myself wishing I didn’t have to turn on the computer (after working all day on one) to make music. It’d be nice to just flip the switch on a mixer, monitors, a couple of fx pedals, Rytm, TB-03, TR-8, or whatever, and just get the core of a song going. Come back to it when I have more energy and time, on a weekend for instance, and incorporate it into Ableton Live, using softsynths, fx, etc.
Is this basically how these USB mixer/interfaces work? Once you want to run things into your DAW, does the hardware mixer show up in the software as separate channels 1-12? Or is it just a stereo mix into your DAW of whatever is run into the hardware mixer?
Most USB Mixers only show up as a single stereo channel (at least I know the Yamaha MG series does this). Audio interfaces usually depend on how you configure them and how your DAW template is setup. For example the MOTU 828 mk3 allows you to use Cuemix and set the channels to Mono or Stereo. Once in the DAW you just configure your tracks accordingly, so if I had set input channel 3/4 as stereo and 5-10 as Mono, in Ableton I would have a track that uses 3/4 as an input, and then individual tracks for 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Also some audio interfaces allow you to save configurations and run standalone as a basic mixer that can utilize the onboard dsp for eq, compression and reverb (some might have more on board fx than this).
MPC 1000 w/ JJOS just showed up for $275… thinking this could be a good deal and solution for now?
Yeah, it works exactly like this and is the reason I bought it. Regardless of whether a computer is running, the 12MTK functions as an analog mixer, always. Then, upon connecting the USB cable to a computer, you get access to all the inputs of the mixer as individual audio streams, and can record each track to its own channel in your DAW. The only downside in the 12MTK is that the eq of the channel will never get recorded, so it will not record everything like you hear it, but at least you will have more flexibility in the mixing stage with the tracks being recorded without eq.
Every channel on the 12MTK also has a “USB” button, and pressing it down will mute the physical mixer input and connect one audio stream from USB to that channel instead. This means that you can also use all the channels on the 12MTK for summing/mixing your computer audio.
Furthermore, as the audio inputs to the USB are always active and hardwired to the physical input connectors, you can even run plugins as “inserts” with the mixer, just engage “USB” on a channel and configure your DAW to send input X back to output X. Its a very simple system, although does introduce latency…
Very good price! The MPC 1k is a very capable MIDI sequencer and sampler.
Oh wow, where I have I been? This sounds exactly like what I have been wishing for. Last time I checked in on these things it’s always been just a 2 channel sum to a DAW. I guess the tech has improved since those early Alesis USB mixers, etc. I consider myself fairly adept at musical composition and sound design but I admit I’m not very up to speed on connecting everything together, to say the least. I love the idea of slimming things down to just one box - a mixer for DAW-less jamming that also doubles as an audio interface when required. Awesome.
Thanks @tsutek and @digitalohm for the info!
Sorry if I derailed thread but hopefully the OP @PJO will also find this information useful. Sounds like a great piece of gear to use in a hybrid setup. Maybe the OP could also use the 12MTK to meld everything together plus the MPC 1000 for sequencing when not in the mood to boot up computer/Ableton Live?
Thanks again!
there are several mixers from several manufacturers available which do this. Alesis just released theirs, behringer has one, mackie and A&H also. I suggest further research for determining which model is a good match for you, as the mixer channel counts and features differ slightly from each other.
I’m using the Keith McMillen K-Mix for this, works great
I’ve been there and for me adding more gear - which I admit I did - (and thus another layer of complexity) wasn’t the solution. Instead for some time now I’ve focused on sampling my synths into the DT/OT instead of trying to put everything together. Maybe you could try recording the sounds your instruments give you into the Octatrack and restricting yourself to using just that for a while. At least for me this approach means I get a lot more time to make music, but of course YMMV. If multitracking and mixing ITB is still what you’re after, the Focusrite 18i20 is a budget friendly option to get more I/O.
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I just went back to your starting post … if I understand you correctly, you might be of the same kind as myself … I want to listen to all voices in parallel. I start with one voice, put it to autopilot, take a try on another voice, if I like it, put this to autopilot too, listening now to two voices … select the next voice … and so forth.
To go directly to recording frome there, it takes a multi-track recording environment. You can achieve this by an audio IO interface like @Hans_Olo suggests or by a mixer, which gives you the audio tracks in two ways … analog audio and digital audio via USB.
In both cases you always listen to the entire mix (as far as you have prepared this) and can jam or add new tracks as you like 
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Pretty much correct, I want to sequence in Ableton and have everything running at the same time to tweak and build upon sounds.
Ended up purchasing Push 2 and the Moto MK4 interface today.
I want to go more ITB but i’ll probably learn the hard way that creativity is better OTB!
Inspiring is less about ITB or OTB, it’s about a working environment, which fits to our personality. I prefer a working environment, where I can forget about technical issues and can get lost in creative work. For me this are many black and white keys, many knobs and faders and a trained muscle memory, which allow me to let my ideas flow. For others this may be completely different. Each of us must try to find his or her way
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