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[Ed VanderBush]

HI,

I am in the process of setting up digital recording out our services using a computer and audactiy recording software.  I have used various output on our Mackie Mixer but I am trying to figure out what the best place would be to get the audio.  I am thinking of using the control room out ports and sending the signal both to the computer (Primary) and also to a small ceiling in our nursery (secondary, this can be nixed).  The control room out is not an amplified port and I was wondering how much of an amplifier I would need for this purpose or if there is a better way to handle it.

Thank you.

Ed

[Mac Kerr]

Ed VanderBush wrote on Tue, 21 November 2006 13:37

HI, I am in the process of setting up digital recording out our services using a computer and audactiy recording software.  I have used various output on our Mackie Mixer but I am trying to figure out what the best place would be to get the audio.  I am thinking of using the control room out ports and sending the signal both to the computer (Primary) and also to a small ceiling in our nursery (secondary, this can be nixed).  The control room out is not an amplified port and I was wondering how much of an amplifier I would need for this purpose or if there is a better way to handle it. Thank you. Ed

You wouldn't need any amp at all to the recording, and whatever amp is suitable for the speakers and the venue for the nursery. I wouldn't use a control room out for anything but control room monitors though. It is likely that whenever you pfl or solo anything it is going to go to the CR outs.

Mac

[Christopher Buehring]

Hello, Ed.

Can you tell us the model number for your mixer?

Also, is this mixer used solely for recording and sends to other rooms or is it your FOH mixer as well?


We have a video feed going to our back rooms(nursery, kitchen,offices...) at our church.  We use two post-fade auxes. for our stereo recording which feeds the computer where it is combined with the video.  From the computer the line is RCA which is converted into coaxial antenna cable.  The line is then amplified (I  don't know anything about that type of amp) and split off to TV's in the different rooms.

[Ed VanderBush]

Hi guys,

sorry for dropping off the face of the earth.  I thought I had the board set to email me replies and well I just plain forgot about the post!  

I am trying to find where the proper place on our Mackie SR24-4 mixer is the right place to get the sound.  I am pretty much a noob to this sound stuff.  I worked with it years ago but not from the setup end.

I want to run from the board (which the primary purpose of is to mix the services sound live.  (Not sure if that is FOH or not - can anyone define?) Then bring the sound to the line in jack on our PC and record into audacity.  I am not looking for studio sound but just something decent.

Also does the computer sound card make a difference?  Our one tech would like to add a Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic to the system.  Would this help improve the quality of the recording?

And advice on where to run the cables from would be GREATLY appreciated.  Also, I would love to hear thoughts on the sound card.

Thanks so Much!

Ed

[Doug Sprinthall]

Okay.  1st off FOH stands for front of house, in otherwords the main pa speakers that  the congregation hears.  A sound card will make a difference in the quality of your recordings.

There are lots of different ways to record from a board to pc.  The 1st question is wether or not everything is mic'd or if you rely on some "natural sound".  If the later is the case, ie you just reinforce vocals, it wont sound very good as the vox will be heavy and the insturments will be thin.

What are you going to use these recordings for?  If it's just to check the performance of the group it would be sufficient and easier to record seperately.  With a couple inexpensive condensor mics and a simple mixer your all set.  If you have some extra channels on the mackie you could use that.  Hook up the recording mics to two open channels, and run the direct outs to your p/c.  You'd just need an adapter cable that goes from 2 1/4" males to a 1/8" stereo plug.

If your confident that your mix is complete and you're mic'ing everything you could use a splitter off the main outputs right into your pc. If you have some unused auxes (what you probably use for monitors) you could devote an aux to the recording.

Hope this  helps.
Doug

[John Ward]

Ditto the above method to get audio into your pc - Many sound cards only have a "mic" in and not a "stereo line" in. In that case you would have to use mono micing or combine the two mics into one.

An easy and cheap fix for this is to buy a stereo / two cahnnel line level to USB interface. This will allow you to  go from your "tape out L/R" (or any other two unbalanced outputs - subs, aux, whatever) to "two track" in on your recording software. The least expensive one available that I know of is the Behringer unit - forgot the model but you can look it up www.behringerusa.com   . Retails for about $29.00 on the internet - you can even google "buy_______" and it will get you there. There are many other USB interfaces at a wide range of prices and features including mic pres, phantom power, etc.  

[Christopher Buehring]

  Your mixer provides two RCA outputs labeled "Tape Out" that carry the same signal as the main outputs.  These are included for use as a recording feed.  Using these outputs may or may not be good for you.  I have found at my church that using the tape sends would not yield a good recording as the organ and drums are not run through the main outputs.  They are loud enough to nearly overpower everything else without reinforcement.  The recording would therfore be missing these two key instruments.  We also could not add any room mics for congregation response without causing feedback.  I don't know if this is the case with your church.


 To get a feed that closely resembles your main output you can use one or two sub groups.  This will allow you to assign different channels to your recording than what is going to your mains.  You could then add anything needed to better the recording(such as a room mic) that would be unnecessary(or detrimental) for the mains.


 As Doug said you could use an auxiliary out or two(if they are open).  This is how I prefer doing it as it gives the most flexibility to the recording sound and will not affect how anything else sounds.


 These are just suggestions.  Do whatever sounds best.


-Chris

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