Anybody using a physical mixer or mixer app?

[jricc]

If so, can you share some details?
Thanks in advance.

[jricc]

Bump test

[Telefunky]

today a physical mixer doesn't make much sense in a DAW environment
you'd need a multichannel interface anyway and for the best signal to noise ratio gain is more or less set to a fixed value
manual mixdown (fader riding) doesn't work in IOS because of the standard 2-channel output

imaginary example:
a proper mixer setup requires the mixer itself, which has to be the recording type with respective bus and direct outs
such mixers are rare, old, expensive or any combination thereof - and they don't exist in budget segment
for an 8 channel mixbus (example) you'd need an 8 channel AD/DA converter + interface to connect it to Multitrack
on the recording side that's possible, but playback for mixdown will fail due to IOS 2 channel output...

bottom line:
that's why apps like Mutitrack-DAW do this job on their own (very cost effective, almost no space required)
the interface does the analog to digital conversion - MTD does the rest - your result is the final mix as a stereo file

if your question refers to cheapo mixers with a 2-channel conversion like the Behringer Xenyx series:
that stuff is just plain bullshit (sorry for the expression)
those mixers lack input and conversion quality, but their worst feature is the lack of a dedicated recording path
(that's what the imaginary example was about - if you don't understand it, never mind)

the USB chip/converter of a simple mixer captures the 2-channel master output only, not the input channels
as a consequence a playback would be recorded together with your actual performance
there is some workaround, but generally it's just annoying - and a regular source of confusion in recording forums

whatever you had in mind with your original question: get the best interface you can afford, makes thing easier...

cheers, Tom

[jricc]

Thanks for your response Tom. I understand most of it

To further explain what i am looking for, is a way to make on the fly adjustments to overall mix before " mix down". Rather than tap on the Hotbox make adjustment, tap on different Hotbox make adjustment etc...


I would also be interested an app that could simulate a mini mixing board, or some kind of controller.
Thanks for your help.
Best.
jricc

[Telefunky]

ok, this seems to relate to your other question regarding local fades...
you can compensate MTD's lack of internal track input/output easily by Audiobus:

open Audiobus, add MTD to the rightmost (output slot) by a tip on it's name, open your project...
switch back to Audiobus and add 'another' MTD to the leftmost (input slot), but this time tip on the circle with i inside
this gives you a list of input choices including you tracks
(for that reason you have to open a project first - otherwise you don't see the tracks)
choose a track (say #3) and confirm 'launch'
this will add a new empty track to MTD which is armed immediately
press record+right arrow and it will capture track #3 to the newly appended track
you may move playback position anywhere and capture small snippets of track #3
now comes your live fader ride: tip the IN area in the bottom left, the control pops up and whatever you move is recorded

you may have noticed that the middle (fx slot) in Audiobus is still empty
here you could add another app for more advanced processing which may be control 'live' as well
in that case you don't see MTDs screen - and may have to check playback position before the action starts
(didn't try it with IOS 9 split feature yet)

ps: as expected the tracks are perfectly in sync (sample-accurate), according to pwnified it's because of time-stamped data

cheers, Tom

[jricc]

Thanks Tom, you're correct, this question is related to my other question about fading a mix. Your detailed answer is much appreciated. Will try this.

[jricc]

Everything worked fine until i tried to use the input fader...it didnt fade the newly recorded track...what could i be doing wrong?
Im going to keep trying...

[Telefunky]

the input fader is a general item (for all tracks) in the very bottom left section of the screen (labeled IN)
it's not the fader at the left side of track display - those are for output/playback level

it may be related to 'input monitoring' in the 'Menu' topic - I had to set that to 'off' (forgot to mention) to hear something

cheers, Tom

[jricc]

Tom
thanks for your patience with me
Your instructions are in italics

press record+right arrow and it will capture track #3 to the newly appended track
your example, #3 is recording to this new track. INSTEAD, I am recording all the tracks to this NEW track. This IS happening for me. Do I fade while this is recording or do I have to wait for track to be recorded and then fade?

you may move playback position anywhere and capture small snippets of track #3"
I don't understand what you mean by this

now comes your live fader ride: tip the IN area in the bottom left, the control pops up and whatever you move is recorded"
I am using this "master" input fader, but nothing is happening.

BTW, I did turn off Input Monitor and still nothing...
AGAIN, thanks for patience
joe

[Telefunky]

you may move playback position anywhere and capture small snippets of track #3"
I don't understand what you mean by this

the idea behind it:
you may have a 5 minute track, but need level changes only for a few seconds at different places
in that case it saves you from full 5 min runs
you also might repeat the process within a punch in/out loop until it fits, then stop
(usually you're in the next loop already then, so go to Menu and choose 'revert last record', which brings back your good take)

the tricky part is to neatly exchange the original audio by those fade snippets
(never did it myself, as I usually cut on the PC in SAW Studio - which is extremely fast and precise in that domain)

but I'll check the recipe again - maybe it depends on the interface connected (don't remember if it was or not)

cheers, Tom