Setting up the setup

[kama]

So this is all only a plan boiling down in my head - just trying to get another diagnosis if this would be any good or not. I dont have anything outboard except for a mastering route with a EQ and a compressor to MD and back to PC.

What I'm planning now is
-getting a MIDI controller and a software sampler
-a rack synth (been keeping my eye on waldorf q rack) since i'm no keyboard player
-1 or 2 effect units, mainly a verb and a dynamic processor.
-a mixer to connect it all

The way i'm planning is that everything, even pc outputs (8 of them via ADAT and converter) will go to the mixer, and from there i can use the fx units via mixer inserts or aux sends whichever, i'll get a patchbay for that. The mixer will route a mix to my monitors and a similar one to this master route (EQ & comp) and finally to MD. Then when a track is "finished" i digitally record it back to the computer.

I really dont know if this is the "proper" way to connect stuff together, i could do it hardware -> mixer -> sequencer (pc) instead of this sequencer & hardware -> mixer i'm now planning.

Insights, comments, anything? And how are the midi latencies in these modern times we live in, are they too small to notice or still apparent even with modern pc calculating power?

 

[kama]

I seem to have unearthed a possible issue here regarding mixdowns, there is no way of saving my work, i'd have to go digital mixing console here which would be quite expensive....

 

[moriaty]

the matter about saving mixes shouldn't worry you imo.
i mean, i dont see much point doing all eq's and level matching on a mixing desk, unless its a good quality one.
the trend now is to use mixer for summing, meaning that you have a mix already made in the box, and you bus everything out to the mixing desk.
theres endless arguments on this matter, with half the people claiming that it does wonders to an ITB mix, and the other half saying its crap and pointless.

in your case, id have a send/return between PC and mixer, have all your outboard on the mixer's auxs, and send audio to be processed and recorded back on the pc. then do a mix within the sequencer, and stem everything to the mixer to add some analogue eq and maybe boost through the gains.

Again, dont think that not being able to save your mixes is a con. look at it as a reason to work faster on mixes, record, and move to the next project. Saving just makes you returning again and again to seemingly improve a mix, but end up never finishing it..
thats how it was with me at least, before i started working with mixing desks.
Your Milage May Vary..

 

[kama]

Saving just makes you returning again and again to seemingly improve a mix, but end up never finishing it..

Hah so true, thanks for the input.

What would you consider high end mixer, something like a Soundcraft Spirit (Mackie Onyx also comes to mind), or some Allen & Heath studio type of thing? I was aiming for Yamaha N series but ditched the idea because they're designed to use with Cubase and that's not really my cup of tea.

 

[moriaty]

high end, for club tunes at least, id consider Mackie 8 buss, Soundcraft ghost, Toft atb, TLA tubetracker.
ive used the mackie and the ghost, never touched the other two, but i have read that the TL was used for loads of tunes, and im about to use the Toft at uni (drool!), which they tell me is nice.
but again, i wouldnt own one of these, unless i was semi pro at least! perhaps the Mackie, you can get a 24x8 for £300 on ebay if your lucky, and you have the space.!

also, the converters are very important too, something that perhaps can be more costly. We have MOTU at uni, but im not overly excited by them.
Theres some cool ADAT converters from Aphex, £300 for 8 In or Out.

jeez, i need to rob a bank...