| Introduction | | | | functional, solution: you can use a group out for the |
| Even though the "Garage Band" setup, with everything | | | | drum monitors after allocating the channels to the |
| plugged into guitar amps at full volume (including mics | | | | "Group 1" bus for example. It won't be possible, in this |
| and keyboards), has helped many musicians progress | | | | case, to mix track levels of this group any differently |
| and go from amateurs to experienced amateurs, even | | | | from what is "sent" to the main outs. Last solution: |
| professionals, it's relatively easy to rehearse in a more | | | | when all groups are already used or when there aren't |
| practical way that's more consistent with professional | | | | any on the mixer: you can use the monitor outs, which |
| standards. It would be a good idea to stop the "do it | | | | are controlled by a knob and for which, again, the "mix" |
| yourself" method as soon as possible, which, even | | | | is the same as what's sent to the main mix ... |
| though it lets you set up relatively quickly without | | | | Effects |
| having to carry heavy PA equipment, won't suffice for | | | | The MG166CX has a multi-effects, which features 16 |
| many situations and won't correspond to the real world | | | | presets corresponding to most basic needs. It appears |
| of sound technicians and live gigs in bigger venues. | | | | on the bottom of the mixer like an additional channel |
| Rehearsal rooms often have equipment that lets you | | | | called Effect Return. The bottom looks like a normal |
| practice in a more professional manner and which | | | | channel strip with a fader and switches and the top |
| won't damage your ears. For a reasonable budget, it's | | | | has the parameter settings. There are 8 reverb |
| also possible to set the same thing up "at home" ... | | | | programs that can be applied to sources connected to |
| How many inputs do I need? | | | | the mixer. The voices of the three singers will of |
| The first question to ask yourself is whether | | | | course benefit from this processing. Each channel has |
| everything will be sent through the sound system, | | | | a send towards the effect placed under the auxiliary |
| which is usually the case on a real stage, or if only | | | | and identified by a white knob. The setting of this |
| certain sources will be amplified by the sound system. | | | | button will specify the amount of signal sent to the |
| In most cases, due to lack of equipment, the second | | | | effect which also receives the sum of all "sends" of |
| option is chosen, at the expense of a real sound | | | | each channel. The Fader will mix the effect (after |
| check, to prepare for a show ... So you try to get the | | | | processing all tracks assigned to it) into the main mix |
| most out of what you've got, depending on the | | | | output. This is handy for reverb, since you can globally |
| situation. Singers will of course be the first on the list to | | | | process voices which will even out the sound, but |
| go into the sound system, as well as any keyboards | | | | dangerous when we you want to use a flanger, |
| and/or wind instruments in the band. Let's say that the | | | | auto-wha or distortion which is better reserved for a |
| guitars and drums won't be using the sound system. A | | | | single instrument ... It should also be noted that the |
| group with: 2 singer-guitarists, another singer, a bassist, | | | | reverb can also be sent to the monitors, thanks to the |
| a keyboardist using two instruments, a saxophonist | | | | aux 1 and 2 sends in the effects channel. Singers will |
| and a drummer using electronic drums will need a | | | | appreciate this, because they'll hear themselves with |
| mixer with at least eight channels, assuming the | | | | the reverb which will of course (in most cases) make |
| keyboards use "mono" connections... When choosing a | | | | their voices sound better... |
| mixer, you should choose one with at least one third | | | | The use of the compressor will also be valuable for |
| "more" channels than what you usually use. In this | | | | the vocals. This compressor doesn't represent state of |
| case, a twelve channel mixer would be a reasonable | | | | the art compression, but it can serve to instruct you on |
| minimum and sixteen channels a comfortable | | | | the uses and effects of compression. The |
| investment for the future! One tends to feel like their | | | | compression ratio is fixed, and the single knob effects |
| over-sizing this type of equipment ... but things could get | | | | both the gain and the threshold. You'll need to make |
| very tight as soon as more musicians join the band or | | | | several tests depending on the of style of the group: |
| if you want to connect the whole group (including guitar | | | | levels won't be the same for lounge music or thrash |
| bass amps) into the mixer as you would do in a large | | | | metal ... It could also be interesting to apply it to the |
| venue. | | | | electronic drums, which explains why we connected it |
| How many outputs? | | | | to channels 1 and 2. By the way, don't forget to pan |
| The choice among 16-input mixers is fairly wide and it | | | | extreme left and right so as to get a good stereo |
| won't be difficult to find the right one for you. However, | | | | image. |
| you also need to decide how many outputs you'll be | | | | The "mono" channels have a three band equalizer, with |
| needing. A pair of stereo outputs is of course the | | | | a semi-parametric mid. This may be valuable for |
| minimum. But the singer will probably appreciate having | | | | enhancing the singers' tone and refining the saxophone |
| a monitor, same for the drummer, whose electronic | | | | sound. But note, we're talking about correction and not |
| drums don't produce much of an acoustic sound | | | | EQing! This means that their use should be limited to |
| without amplification. The keyboardist would also | | | | compensating and correcting a bad mic and/or the |
| probably like one too since he probably doesn't want | | | | venue and not a bad singer! On the whole, for voice, |
| to haul around a keyboard amp just to hear himself | | | | you tend to reduce low-mids a little bit. |
| better. If you want to eventually be able to add some | | | | Tips & Tricks |
| effects to vocals, it's a good idea if the console has an | | | | We've described a "normal" situation for a mixer. But ... |
| auxiliary out, post-fader. To sum up: a main stereo | | | | a rehearsal might occasionally require some additional |
| output, at least two independent monitors, ideally three, | | | | needs. First possible scenario, the sudden arrival of |
| in aux out, pre-fader, and an aux out post-fader. So 6 | | | | new musicians: of course you'll connect the new |
| outputs that will be controlled with your mixer. To | | | | instruments to the "line" inputs of channel 13 and other |
| illustrate these examples we'll use a Yamaha | | | | free channels. If there aren't anymore channels, two |
| MG166CX. This small analog mixer has 8 mono | | | | additional hidden line inputs are still available: a stereo |
| channels, six of which have a small compressor on the | | | | return, sent to the mix or to both auxiliaries, which have |
| "mic" input, and four pairs of stereo inputs, two of | | | | no settings, and the "2 tracks in" sent to the mix via |
| which are equipped with an XLR input for "mics" and | | | | RCA connectors, which can connect a stereo line |
| two with RCA inputs. There's a switchable global | | | | level. For example, you can connect DJ hardware or a |
| phantom power for any condenser mics or DI boxes. | | | | stereo instrument using jack/RCA adapters. |
| Finally, the MG166CX also has integrated digital effects | | | | So the rehearsal was successful and you'd like to |
| with reverb, chorus, flanger, and delay. Being within | | | | record it the next time around? If, like in this case, the |
| range of an average budget, rackable and particularly | | | | mixer has Record Out connections, there's no problem. |
| light to carry, it's one of the ideal rehearsal mixers. | | | | You can record the main Mix in stereo by connecting, |
| Where do I plug in? | | | | via the RCA connectors, a Mini-Disc, CD recorder or |
| Let's take a more detailed look at the connections of | | | | directly into a computer soundcard. By the way: if you |
| your equipment. Microphones will of course be | | | | opted for the 166-USB, you could connect the mixer |
| connected into the XLR inputs of the channels. For | | | | directly to one of your computer's USB ports and |
| "line" sources, use asymmetric "Jack" inputs. Note that | | | | record your Mix directly into Cubase 4 (included with |
| the insert inputs on channels 1 to 8, allow the use of an | | | | the mixer)! This of course requires that you install an |
| external dynamic effect (compressor, limiter, | | | | extra pair of microphones, to globally capture all |
| noise-gate ...). Channels 9/10 and the rest are stereo (. | | | | instruments not directly connected to the mixer - the |
| So you'll be connecting the electronic drums output to | | | | guitars and bass, in this example - or that you record |
| one of these, and why not, the keyboard outputs . | | | | each of them separately. It would be better, in the |
| However, Yamaha has also foreseen the possibility or | | | | latter case, to use a DI box on the bass inserted |
| necessity of connecting an additional XLR microphone. | | | | directly between the instrument and the amp on the |
| But in this case, the "stereo" channels become "mono"! | | | | one hand and the console on the other, rather than |
| The Yamaha MG166 is not a "real" 16 channel mixer, | | | | use a microphone. Caution: you'll have to reduce the |
| but ... A 12 mic channel + 4-line-level channel mixer. | | | | general volume level to the minimum needed to ensure |
| You'll need to take this into account when making your | | | | that the mics don't start feeding back ... |
| choice! | | | | Ok, but ... the computer's audio interface has eight |
| There is no set order to cabling channels on a mixer | | | | inputs and you'd like to record everything at the same |
| since they're interchangeable. But in a live setting, it's | | | | time! It would be a shame not to take advantage of |
| sometimes conventional to find from left to right, drum | | | | this while also using the compressor and EQ of the |
| channels, bass, guitar, and then all the others depending | | | | mixer ... There's a trick that will probably make the |
| on their location on the stage, to make it easier for the | | | | "pros" shudder with horror but in rehearsal ... you |
| technician know what is where. In rehearsal, this of | | | | sometimes do what you can! If you accept in this |
| course doesn't make any sense. In our case, all | | | | case, to reduce monitoring to a single monitor and not |
| channels are not identical. It's probably wiser to keep | | | | use effects that can be added with your computer, |
| the channels with compressors for singers and why | | | | you can get exactly eight outputs! The four groups are |
| not also the drums, via "line" or XLR. In the latter case | | | | individually selectable through switches and you can, by |
| you'd need to use two DI boxes whose function is to | | | | panning, choose to "route" the signal to an individual |
| balance the signal, adapt impedance, and match levels, | | | | output. The main outputs will behave in exactly the |
| as we did, at the end of the example, for keyboard | | | | same way, so there's two more! You could, on the |
| outputs. In the case of a rehearsal room, where cables | | | | mixer, use the bus used by the effects: by inserting a |
| and cable-length are often quite limited, the use of a | | | | jack into the "Effect" connector, it bypasses the |
| direct box is not necessary and may even be | | | | internal multi-effects and you can use this output to |
| regarded as a luxury. However, in case of "humming" | | | | send a signal. It'll be a post-fader send, but "you do |
| and "buzzing" problems, our little "magic box" is likely to | | | | what you can"! That's one more... Then use the two |
| solve the problem ... | | | | pre-fader sends to get your eight outputs. All are fully |
| Monitors | | | | autonomous and will let you record 8 tracks |
| The number of outputs needed in our example are | | | | simultaneously. It's almost ... (but not quite) as easy as |
| five or six, as mentioned above: two stereo outputs, | | | | using a mixer with a FireWire interface ... But that's |
| and three monitor circuits. There's a snag... the mixer | | | | another story ... |
| only has two auxiliaries. On the other hand it has an | | | | Even if technical requirements are not as demanding in |
| integrated multi-effects. The first auxiliary is | | | | rehearsal as a live show (unless your preparing for the |
| systematically pre-fader, and the second is switchable | | | | tour of the century), it is still important that everything |
| pre or post. We must therefore set it to pre-fader. | | | | go well, without major problems getting in the way of |
| Since we need three monitors, it would be wise to | | | | the quality of your music and protecting everyone's |
| combine two of them. The most sensible thing to do | | | | ears! A good rehearsal isn't necessarily one in which |
| would be to group keyboard and drums and keep the | | | | you played as loud as possible. It would be wise to |
| vocal monitor isolated. The stereo outs of the mixer | | | | prepare a little before in order to avoid wasting time |
| are doubled, XLR or jack. Given the likely short | | | | later. It may not be such a big deal when rehearsing at |
| distances in a rehearsal room, between mixer and | | | | home where time is plentiful, but in a rehearsal studio |
| amp, the wiring could easily be done using jacks. For | | | | time is money and there's usually people after you |
| monitors, connect the two inputs of the amplifier (or | | | | waiting for the same room. So plan in advance how |
| each amplified speaker) to "Aux Send" 1 and 2, and | | | | you'll be using your equipment, even if you won't be |
| don't forget to switch aux 2 to pre-fader. If it's | | | | doing things in such a "conventional" way: don't wait |
| absolutely necessary to separate both keyboard and | | | | until the last second to get to know your gear! |
| drum monitors, there's an alternative, less "pro", but | | | | |