What is a Sound Mixer?
Put simply, a digital (or analog) mixer allows you to place different sound sources together to create one output, called a mix.
These different audio channels can be changed in volume, effect, stereo position and balance independently of each other so you can get the mix just right for what you want to achieve.
This will allow you to put distortion on 1 guitar, reverb on the vocals and add delay to the drums, even though they are being sent through the same mixer.
You can also use the balance to send harmony vocals to different speakers if you wish.
With some mixers, you can also adjust the bass and treble of each channel as well as route them out to external devices for additional processing.
By using a mixer, and being able to add a form of separation to each track, you will help the song turn from a mash of noise into a professional sounding masterpiece.
If you are thinking of starting your own home studio, you will need to think about what kind of mixer you might need.
For this, there are 3 different options you can choose from.
The most obvious choice would be to opt for an analog mixer that is then fed into a recording device to capture the final output.
The 2nd alternative is to use a computer as your mixer and recorder at the same time.
You will have to use some (expensive) software to get the result you are looking for, but this is a very modern way to record music and sound.
The 3rd choice would be to use a multi track recorder and a digital mixer to lay down separate tracks onto tape or DAT.
Choosing which mixer type to go for is the most difficult decision and could affect the entire way you perform or record your music.
You need to decide how many separate channels you need to record.
Will you be recording live instruments or just digitally produced sound from a computer? A good rule of thumb, as with any electronics, is to think of where you might be in the future and what your requirements might be then.
Buy a mixer that you can afford, but try to push for the best model you can.
This will ensure that you are buying something that can grow with your musical abilities over the years to come
These different audio channels can be changed in volume, effect, stereo position and balance independently of each other so you can get the mix just right for what you want to achieve.
This will allow you to put distortion on 1 guitar, reverb on the vocals and add delay to the drums, even though they are being sent through the same mixer.
You can also use the balance to send harmony vocals to different speakers if you wish.
With some mixers, you can also adjust the bass and treble of each channel as well as route them out to external devices for additional processing.
By using a mixer, and being able to add a form of separation to each track, you will help the song turn from a mash of noise into a professional sounding masterpiece.
If you are thinking of starting your own home studio, you will need to think about what kind of mixer you might need.
For this, there are 3 different options you can choose from.
The most obvious choice would be to opt for an analog mixer that is then fed into a recording device to capture the final output.
The 2nd alternative is to use a computer as your mixer and recorder at the same time.
You will have to use some (expensive) software to get the result you are looking for, but this is a very modern way to record music and sound.
The 3rd choice would be to use a multi track recorder and a digital mixer to lay down separate tracks onto tape or DAT.
Choosing which mixer type to go for is the most difficult decision and could affect the entire way you perform or record your music.
You need to decide how many separate channels you need to record.
Will you be recording live instruments or just digitally produced sound from a computer? A good rule of thumb, as with any electronics, is to think of where you might be in the future and what your requirements might be then.
Buy a mixer that you can afford, but try to push for the best model you can.
This will ensure that you are buying something that can grow with your musical abilities over the years to come
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