Do you use a mixer?

[psicolor]

I have my home recording studio with keyboards, synths, mics, mixer, computer and speakers. This is where i record songs or practice with other musicians.

Then i have the two black elektron machines, that i use only for playing! No recording going on! The A4 goes into the OT and the OT goes to Headphones or to seperate speakers (that i only use for my elektron-dance-techno-sessions).

I have tried the OT and the A4 together with other gear. Yes, the sonic possibilities explode when you connect ANYTHING to an elektron sequencer, but i don’t get lucky with too much gear to control. It’s not about the amount of knobs that disturbs me, but having to decide which synth to use for something is really killing my flow.

[jones79]

I have a 4 channel E&S DJR400 mixer which I am looking forward to using with an Octatrack. A lot of producers use this mixer for summing tracks (it has a warm rich sound thanks to amazing pre amp)

http://www.electronique-spectacle.com

[wascal]

I’ve just sold my Mackie 1402 after realising what I needed was a patchbay and not an outboard mixer. I was only using the mixer to route different combinations of sounds in/out of the OT or my Mac and tbh when it comes to making sounds to put into the live set I much prefer mixing ITB for all of the instant recallability of eqs etc.

At home i’ve got 2 x 48 point patchbays running to my computers ins and outs, my synths and fx, and all of the MD and OT’s ins and outs so it only takes a second to route anything anywhere, so the Auxes issue isn’t really a problem.

I prefer gigging with just the MD, OT and MPD32 and the mixer was just too much extra weight to lug around for minimal benefit to my sets.

[YloopZ]

so… I found this thread… Ive got a question about mixers.

Can I use the OT on a send? So I can route whatever I plug into the mixer (individual outputs of the rytm and a volca sample) through the OT and from the OT back to the mixer? And still leave the main out on the mixer for the monitors… Currently I’m using the Octa as an endstation so the main outputs of the mixer go into the input A/B of the octa. Main outs on the octa go to the monitors… But that is not very convinient for me…

[vos]

For me, using a mixer has one great benefit: Aux sends - the more the better. Being able to further process invidual sounds/beats with an array of distboxes, analog delays and filters, effect boxes, etc etc is really rewarding.

Also, connecting the outputs of the FX units to the mixer and routing the wet signals to other effects opens up new worlds. Distorted feedback delays, gated filtering, reverberated delay taps and so on.

OK ! So wich good mixer has the most AUxes by your knowledge ???

[PeterHanes]

…

Can I use the OT on a send? So I can route whatever I plug into the mixer (individual outputs of the rytm and a volca sample) through the OT and from the OT back to the mixer? And still leave the main out on the mixer for the monitors…

…

Yes.

It’s even described as one of the ‘Setup examples’ in the OT manual: “Octatrack processing live instruments”.

[PeterHanes]

[quote=“Jon”]For me, using a mixer has one great benefit: Aux sends - the more the better. Being able to further process invidual sounds/beats with an array of distboxes, analog delays and filters, effect boxes, etc etc is really rewarding.

Also, connecting the outputs of the FX units to the mixer and routing the wet signals to other effects opens up new worlds. Distorted feedback delays, gated filtering, reverberated delay taps and so on.

OK ! So wich good mixer has the most AUxes by your knowledge ??? [/quote]

I had a lot of fun in the past with two Shure Auxpander matrix mixers. (These are not conventional mixers, though.)

[PeterHanes]

I use a mackie lm3204 in my studio room. Plenty of line for all my hardware. I can record tape out to my h4n or use the alt3/4 to send to my computer if I want. Lots of routing options. I then run my live rig, as well as anybody else’s gear that’s over jamming, into a patchbay that routes to the lm3204. Patchbay also routes in the aux sends of the lm3204 for insert gear.

…

My current set-up is very similar to this; a Mackie LM-3204 mixer with 16 stereo inputs, plus three patchbays to expose the insert points, aux sends & returns, and all the individual outputs of my instruments. The audio output of my computer and the ALT bus from the mixer are normalled to the inputs of the OT for quick sampling.

[vos]

[quote=“vos”][quote=“Jon”]For me, using a mixer has one great benefit: Aux sends - the more the better. Being able to further process invidual sounds/beats with an array of distboxes, analog delays and filters, effect boxes, etc etc is really rewarding.

Also, connecting the outputs of the FX units to the mixer and routing the wet signals to other effects opens up new worlds. Distorted feedback delays, gated filtering, reverberated delay taps and so on.

OK ! So wich good mixer has the most AUxes by your knowledge ??? [/quote]

I had a lot of fun in the past with two Shure Auxpander matrix mixers. (These are not conventional mixers, though.)[/quote]
Thanx- gonna check that

[0BSRVR]

I use a Mackie 1202 VLZ-3

Mixer main balanced TRS outs connected to OT in 1/2.

Mixer main XLR outs line level connected to TC Finalizer Express. TC Finalizer toslink out to my DAW.

Only 2 aux sends, but the alt 3-4 bus makes up for only having 2 aux.

Delay on Aux 1 from a Roland Space Echo.

Verb on Aux 2 from a TC NovaVerb

Then I connect my mixer Alt 3 out (this is the super handy mackie mute bus) to a pigtronix polysaturator for distortion. So I can run any input on the mixer through the distortion pedal just by muting the channel. Then the distortion pedal out goes to OT in 3 for sampling.

Mixer Alt 4 out connects to a korg KP3 for processing. KP3 out connected to OT in 4.

OT is also connected to the mixer via balanced TRS in. And I avoid a feedback loop buy muting the OT channel and monitoring the OT once again via mackie alt 3/4 bus. (mute bus)

[previewlounge]

I did for a while but don’t any more.

When i did, it was a pioneer 4 channel DJM-800. it was okay but would go for an analog DJ style mixer next time i reckon. if they are still manufactured.

[YloopZ]

[quote=“YloopZ”]…

Can I use the OT on a send? So I can route whatever I plug into the mixer (individual outputs of the rytm and a volca sample) through the OT and from the OT back to the mixer? And still leave the main out on the mixer for the monitors…

…

Yes.

It’s even described as one of the ‘Setup examples’ in the OT manual: “Octatrack processing live instruments”.[/quote]
Thanks, sorry about the RTFM post… Its great using the octatrack like that, never did that before with other gear…

[Geneoart]

[quote=“RyanElektric”]I think it comes down to personal taste here. You don’t need a mixer if you’re recording with an OT- it just makes it easier to get more complex recordings (into any recorder). A mixer will let you squeeze a lot more into the 8 track of the OT, but if you tend to sample and re sample as a rule, then it won’t really matter.

my thought was having all my synths hooke dup at once. Rather than my current set up of unplug and plug in. That being said I am planning to slim down my synths … maybe… if I can kick the habit. [/quote]
You def need a mixer then. Plus you can eq before going in th the OT, saving more FX slots per track!

[Ma-chew]

I’m currently using a Presonus Sudio Live 16.4.2 in the Studio.
Usually I have it set up to route the 4 Subgroups to the inputs on the octatrack so I can send any channel from the board to the OT.
Live I just use a basic small Alesis POS mixer and route the Aux and CTRL room outs to the OT.

[Automageddon]

Can someone explain me how a patchbay would work?

Would I just plug all my instruments in it and take the out to the OT?

[bluewolfse7en]

Basically the back of the patchbay is wired to all you inputs & outputs on your various fx/synths or whatever.
Typically you’d have 2 rows & its convenient to wire say the top row to all your inputs & the bottom to all your outputs.
Now with simple patch cables on the front, you can route anything thru anything in any order without messing about around the back of all your gear. It just really simplifies everything. It also leads to connections you may not normally think of.

Some patchbays allow for normalisation. i.e. With nothing patched on the front, a standard set of connections of your design are already made. Patching into to the front breaks these connections allowing you to create a new patch.
Think of your whole studio as one large modular.

Behringer patchbays are pretty cheap & popular, they run on 1/4 jacks.

I used to use Switchcraft which are seriously heavy duty & more Pro Audio. They’re typically on bantam jacks.

[Automageddon]

Basically the back of the patchbay is wired to all you inputs & outputs on your various fx/synths or whatever.
Typically you’d have 2 rows & its convenient to wire say the top row to all your inputs & the bottom to all your outputs.
Now with simple patch cables on the front, you can route anything thru anything in any other without messing about around the back of all your gear. It just really simplifies everything. It also leads to connections you may not normally think of.

Some patchbays allow for normalisation. i.e. With nothing patched on the front, a standard set of connections of your design are already made. Patching into to the front breaks these connections allowing you to create a new patch.
Think of your whole studio as one large modular.

Behringer patchbays are pretty cheap & popular, they run on 1/4 jacks.

I used to use Switchcraft which are seriously heavy duty & more Pro Audio. They’re typically on bantam jacks.

Thanks for the explanation, much appreciated.

[nedavine]

I’m currently using a Presonus Sudio Live 16.4.2 in the Studio.
Usually I have it set up to route the 4 Subgroups to the inputs on the octatrack so I can send any channel from the board to the OT.
Live I just use a basic small Alesis POS mixer and route the Aux and CTRL room outs to the OT.

How is the presonus? I’ve debated picking one up for a long while now.
How are the effects?

[Nivekevil]

I’ve just started routing the OT, A4, and AR through a Xone-23. Gives me the duplicate outputs I need for live and all fits into a DJ coffin. I don’t do electro so I’m not particularly worried about being able to dump individual tracks into a DAW. It also forces me to just make decisions with my sounds and move forward while providing some monitoring for gain staging.

[Ma-chew]

[quote=“Ma-chew!!”]I’m currently using a Presonus Sudio Live 16.4.2 in the Studio.
Usually I have it set up to route the 4 Subgroups to the inputs on the octatrack so I can send any channel from the board to the OT.
Live I just use a basic small Alesis POS mixer and route the Aux and CTRL room outs to the OT.

How is the presonus? I’ve debated picking one up for a long while now.
How are the effects?[/quote]
I don’t really use the effects much. Not because they don’t sound good but bc I have an eventide space and an outboard delay I like. If you want a basic reverb the built in effects will do the job. It’s a nice mixer for studio or live work.