What is an audio mixer (also called music mixer) and is it important for home recording. Demonstration of an audio mixing board.
What is an audio / music mixer?
An audio mixer allows you to connect all your musical instruments and equipment to a sound recorder. Audio mixers allow you to control the sound effects of each instrument individually, layering or mixing them together to create music.
Using a mixer with recording at home is also a very good idea, It allows you to get levels and set things like the eq and gain before it goes into the recording and on the program. Connecting mics and having a good signal is also easier because most mixers have built in pre-amps.
Shown below is an example of what a mixer looks like.
Next time you go to see your local band play, look for someone near the stage who is in control of the mixing board, similar to the photo below. This is the fellow who is in control of the amount of sound coming from each instrument or microphone.
Do you need a mixer to record music from home?
No, you don't necessarily need a mixer to record music from home. Instead, you can record all your instruments onto your computer through the soundcard. The quality of recording through the soundcard without having a mixer or preamp in the line is very poor. However, if you purchase a mixer for your home recording studio, it will make mixing music a whole lot easier and reliable as far as the quality of sound goes.
What to look for in a good mixing board
The mixing board will be the
control unit for your recording studio, so it's important to do your research before deciding on a specific model. Look for a mixer that has at least 4 inputs. How many inputs your mixer has, will decide how many instruments or microphones you can plug in at any one time. For example, if your mixer has 6 inputs, you will be able to plug in 6 instruments or microphones at the same time and have total control of each one separately.
Another big question you need to ask yourself when deciding what mixer to get, is 'does it have phantom power?'. Phantom power is important for using condensor microphones, so its best to get a mixer with that option.
Denon DN-X500 mixing board
The video below is a demonstration of a mixing board you could use in a home recording studio. The mixing board is a Denon DN-X500. The video doesn't show you how to specifically use the mixing board. However, it is useful for explaining what each of the parts are called. After watching the video you'll also have a good idea of what a mixing board is.
