Multi-track recording on a Behringer SX4882

[Kingstech]

Hi all,

 

Very novice when it comes to multi-track recording as I usually work with lights, but recently ive been asked to do some live recording which I am fine with and can set up, mix and record on the desk, now we have a fully functioning recording studio, cleaned out and ready to record. I have been asked to record some tracks, I would ideally like to do multi-track recording so we can edit tracks after they have been recorded, such as panning and levels. Its just I dont know how to do it, we have available:

A Mac - running, garageband and logic

the desk - Behringer SX4882

plus all the cables needed, and also the band to record, Ideally we would like to record all of the available 24-48 channels on the desk.

 

Is this possible on this desk and how would I go about setting it up?

 

Sorry if this seems a basic question, I am only just starting in sound

 

Callum

[MarkPAman]

What soundcard do you have?

[Bobbsy]

As Mark has hinted, the big thing you'll need is a multichannel sound card, capable of inputting as many tracks as you need to use. Then just go from the direct outs of the appropriate channels into the sound card.

 

However, a big caveat is that you'll need a very good sound card and very good computer to handle 24 simultaneous tracks reliably. You certainly don't want anything running in background and, even so, disk throughput could be an issue for you, depending on the speed and quality of the HDD you have.

 

Twenty four track working is not for the faint hearted or inexperienced.

 

Bob

[Kingstech]

Sorry this is going to sound really bad now... Its the one which is built in to the IMac 27 inch screen, I dont know the make or model of the sound card

 

 

 

we wouldnt go straight to 24 channel recording, can someone talk me through how to set up the desk and mac to record multi-tracks, we would start with about 12 tracks.

[MarkPAman]

Then sadly you can only record two channels at once. :(

 

To do more, you need a muti channel sound card connected to your computer by USB or Firewire. If you really need 24 or 48 channels, this will not be cheap! There are quite a few "What Soundcard?" threads here if you search around.

[SoLiEn]

In which case it is currently not possible, your going to need a decent Audio Interface to get the audio into the mac, do you know the spec of the iMac?

 

As Bobbsy has said, it would need to be a high end machine with a decent interface to handle 24 tracks simultaneously.

 

e2a Mark beat me to it!

[Bobbsy]

If it's an inbuilt sound card that came as standard it will be, at best, a stereo/two track device. It will also be very poor in terms of system noise.

 

Something like THIS would give you your first 8 analogue connections from your mixer and allow some digital expansion (with more boxes) for more channels.

 

Bob

[Kingstech]

http://www.apple.com/uk/imac/specs.html Its the 27-inch IMac we have, Its one of the two specs under them. These macs are only being used for sound recording and all other software woudlnt be used. I will have a look at the soundcards. So if we get the sound cards, how would we go about setting up the desk and Mac to record the channels?

[peza2010]

With the motu as suggested above it would be very easy.

Connect the motu to your mac, and then open up your recording software of choice. You will then need to tell the programme that you will be using the motu (generally most recording software will realise or at least see the fact you have an interface connected)

 

Then when you add tracks you will need to tell the software what input from the interface to take it's audio

 

Eg track 1 on software - motu track one etc etc.

 

Most of the time you will need to "arm" the track which tells the computer you want it to record the audio, this is usually done by clicking a button on each individual track on rhe software - this is sometimes the default red button recording icon, or it may be something different from programme to programme.

 

You will want to record the audio raw (unaffected by a desk) so you would plug straight in to your soundcard/interface.

 

You will then be able to process (eq, gate, compress, etc) mix (set levels for each track) and then mixdown (this turns your eight tracks that are sounded as you want them to, to be churned out into a stereo file - wave, mp3 etc.

 

There's plenty of recording forums on the Internet to give you tips on recording and mixing techniques.

 

Cheers

[paulears]

Callum - you've not quite got the hang of this audio recording lark. I suspect that when you tell them how much you are about to spend, they may cough a little - have a look for MOTU and similar products, and www.soundonsound.com have some useful stuff about how to do it - and of course, the software, which probably will take you a while to get the hang of. Logic is the beast - HOWEVER, it's rare for specific music computers in schools of this level to be bought without external proper audio interfaces? Are you certain they're not sitting in the track with the other audio stuff - maybe some eqs or other gadgets?

[themadhippy]

you could always go ole skool and record it 2 tracks at a time

[Kingstech]

As I said I am a novice with Audio, I have done some live sound work, but want to know how to multi-track record. I know our school have got a load of funding for the Music technology, as I know our studio is getting some new cabling such as stage boxes and acoustic dampening. And also as they are running the Music Technology A-Level and are getting more audio equipment which is needed for the course. I dont know what they have on order for next year. Sorry to all who have replied for my lack of knowledge in this area.

[peza2010]

Logic is the beast

I would say with the poster just starting out with audio recording it would be best to start with GarageBand in my opinion. Then move to logic, and then to protools. I have to disagree with logic being the beast (or best if that was a typo)

[paulears]

You've missed the point Callum. If they have bought kit for music technology, unless the person who specified it is a pillock, then there is no point having a flashy mac computer with expensive software and 'forgetting' to order a multi channel in/out. Are you certain there isn't one? You say you have a fully kitted out studio? It's a very useless studio without the interface - there's almost certainly one - however, the mixer isn't the most friendly design to work in multitrack. It's a modern version of the old 8 bus desks, and when we recorded in blocks of 8 to things like ADAT and Tascam, it worked fairly well. It works simply up to 8 individual tracks at once. output 1 is also duplicated to output 9, so when you are tracking you can record the first block of 8, then hitting record on track 9, feeds the first group to it, with track 1 being used for playback. This is how we used to do it. If you need to record all 24 inputs, to 24 inputs on a 24 track interface (if you have one?) then you will have to use the direct outs from each channel - which means 16 individual cables. Most digital desks with the correct cards in are much more versatile, you can route pretty well any in to any out.

 

In most schools and colleges, it's quite common for the students who do Music Technology to record for people who don't - because they not only understand the subject, they know all the little work arounds that mismatched kit, like yours may be - need to make them work properly.

 

You'll also need to investigate how the monitoring works. Logic is an excellent bit of software, but it's not remotely simple.

 

You need to see what ins and outs are available. I cannot imagine the only inputs and outputs are the left and right computer ones. You can't do music technology without proper ins and outs.

[Kingstech]

They are starting the course next year, so I would be one of the first to be using all of the gear, I dont know if they have the multichannel in/out as I know we have some gear in the racks of ours but im unsure what they all are.. I can find out on monday, I am assuming we will either have the gear or will be getting the gear.