I Feel Like I'm Missing Something

[commanderkeen08]

hey all,

so I'm looking to upgrade my set up. Now that I've just been able to clear out my upstairs garage to track drums, I realized that I think I'm doing it all wrong.
My current set up is: Mackie 1202 VLZ mixer. I run the ALT 3-4s out to my Mobile Pre interface in channel 1 and 2 and record stereo in Logic Pro. I sometimes run the two outputs on my Mobile Pre back into channels 10/11 on the Mackie, though I'm not entirely sure why anymore.
I'm basically only using the Mackie for the preamps I feel. Not really sure how to go about using it to actually "mix" or if its even needed.
Now that I'm actually focusing on getting a good drum sound, I really want to make sure I have a good mixing set up. I'd use the mixer more with balancing things out on each drum mic, but other than a compressor I have no other outboard gear at the moment. I just feel like bouncing everything to one stereo track into my Mobile Pre isn't the right way to be doing things.
I'm sure upgrading my Mobile Pre to a much larger audio interface will be helpful in that I'd be able to record the separate kick, snare, overheads, etc. drum mics all at the same time and have more control over the mix, but I'm not entirely sure how I'd even go about setting that up.
If anyone has any suggestions/tips on a better (and not costly) set up, it would be much appreciated. There's just something in the back of my head that makes me think I'm missing something dfegad

[bbgallaway]

Maybe swapping the Mackie out for something like a Firepod/FP10 would work for you. They're cheap as hell, and the pre's are about the same quality as the Mackie pre's IMO. I wouldn't mix back through the Mackie in any case, I'd just go ITB, assuming you can pull together at least a few good plugs....eq, comp, verb. I've used a Firepod at my house for years - set up is super quick and easy and the sound quality is fine by me for laying down ideas or building up demos at home.

[videoracer]

Yeah, you need something that'll give you multiple channels of simultaneous recording. If your Mac has Firewire check out any of the units that give you 8-12 inputs Like the Presonus mentioned or the Echo AudioFire12, Alesis MultiMix 8, etc.

Of course there's similar devices that run via USB as well. Regardless of interface, it depends on how finicky Logic wants to be with hardware.

[bbgallaway]

Yeah, forgot to mention, I use Logic and it gets along great with the Firepod.

[vonrichter]

Keep the Mackie for the 4 solid pre's... if you're micing drums and going for a 'modern' processed sound, you'll want at least six mics (overheads, snare, kick, at least two tom mics). There might be an interface that doesn't have preamps for every channel so you might need it.

Of course if you're going for a more natural sound, you could just use the Mackie to submix a couple overheads, a snare and kick mic, and record that straight to your stereo inputs. It will take trial and error so I would carefully write down whatever setup you finally come up with

[commanderkeen08]

thanks a ton for getting back to me everyone!

so after spending the night messing around with my set up, I think I settled on getting that firepod. I need to be able to record a separate scratch track in place of a click (I knowwww, I should just make my drummer play to a click, but that's another argument for another time/thread)

I was also running into a problem with headphones. Will I need some kind of headphone amp or something with the firepod or can I just use a splitter and have one pair go to the drummer and another go to whomever is recording a scratch? Sometimes I run into problems with the headphones not being loud enough on my MobilePre for my drummer.

[Joe Gilder]

Originally Posted by commanderkeen08

I was also running into a problem with headphones. Will I need some kind of headphone amp or something with the firepod or can I just use a splitter and have one pair go to the drummer and another go to whomever is recording a scratch? Sometimes I run into problems with the headphones not being loud enough on my MobilePre for my drummer.

The headphone amp on the Firepod is plenty loud. I imagine a headphone splitter would suit you just fine. If nothing else, it's worth a shot before shelling out a few bucks for a dedicated headphone amp.

[ohmicide]

Originally Posted by Joe Gilder

The headphone amp on the Firepod is plenty loud. I imagine a headphone splitter would suit you just fine. If nothing else, it's worth a shot before shelling out a few bucks for a dedicated headphone amp.

he could also aggregate the firepod with his built-in output

[Joe Gilder]

Originally Posted by alehoe

he could also aggregate the firepod with his built-in output

Ah, very clever.

[commanderkeen08]

Originally Posted by Joe Gilder

The headphone amp on the Firepod is plenty loud. I imagine a headphone splitter would suit you just fine. If nothing else, it's worth a shot before shelling out a few bucks for a dedicated headphone amp.

so I did a little more research on here and bought me that Behringer HAsomething... headphone amp. Have that going right out of my Mobile Pres outputs and so far it's been a real solid buy. I was reading something that there's about a 50% signal loss with splitters? Either way, it's really helpful to have 4 pairs of cans for doing group vocal harmonies and such. Looking to get a Firepod this weekend, looks like a good investment. Thanks!!

[SANDS]

Running the mackie which has pres into the m-audio that has pres is usually not a good tone, you are then preamping then preamping that signal.

since you already have a mackie with pres and such get yourself an interface with line ins. the mackie will work fine for this,

like mentioned already something like the echo audiofire would work great.

and also as mentioned already the aggregate device is a sweet sweet thing!

also having seperate pres and seperate a/d is a great way to go.

[commanderkeen08]

Originally Posted by SANDS

Running the mackie which has pres into the m-audio that has pres is usually not a good tone, you are then preamping then preamping that signal.

since you already have a mackie with pres and such get yourself an interface with line ins. the mackie will work fine for this,

like mentioned already something like the echo audiofire would work great.

and also as mentioned already the aggregate device is a sweet sweet thing!

also having seperate pres and seperate a/d is a great way to go.

will Line In bypass the preamps on an interface (something like a firepod)? I'm thinkin' if I don't like the firepod pres, I could just do what someone suggested and submix my drums on my Mackie and send that Line In hopefully to bypass the interface pres?

see I KNEW I was doing something wrong. Preamping a prempted singal was definitely it

[Audun the Great]

Originally Posted by bbgallaway

Maybe swapping the Mackie out for something like a Firepod/FP10 would work for you. They're cheap as hell, and the pre's are about the same quality as the Mackie pre's IMO. I wouldn't mix back through the Mackie in any case, I'd just go ITB, assuming you can pull together at least a few good plugs....eq, comp, verb. I've used a Firepod at my house for years - set up is super quick and easy and the sound quality is fine by me for laying down ideas or building up demos at home.

I am also a fan of the firepod/FP10

It works great for me