Do i need a mixer?? help please

[Onkel Dunkel]

Sorry about the delay. I just moved so i live in a mess and have little time at the computer. Ok, here goes (click to enlarge):

patchsetup.JPG

Here´s how it works: When nothing is plugged in to the IN jacks on the patch bay the output will be thoughput to the input eg. KaossPad OUT L is sent to Mixer IN 3. When you plug a jack in the to eg. IN 3 on the patch bay the line is broken and it is now the jack you plugged in that goes to IN 3 on the mixer. Notice that my outputs from the Motu UltraLite is sent directly to my synth inputs (so i can send tracks directly from Cubase to my synths) but i can brake the line anytime by pluggin a patch cable in eg. if i want to send the Fantom´s output directly to the KaossPad´s input i put a jack from the patchbay´s out 11 & 12 to the inputs 19 & 20. Very easy way to work...

[Tomer=Trance]

I say expand your DAW's Input and outputs,do the patching and routing from within abelton.

[Onkel Dunkel]

That´s also a possibility but it all depends on how you like to work. I´m a hardware lover who likes to be independent of my computer until the very last bit where i have to record something but still i am able to route any signal to anywhere in my studio (without having to mess around with long cables behind the desk). This is why i use this setup. Another benefit is that if (when) you buy more gear and run out of inputs on the DAW you can always just plug in to an existing input and break tho signal flow or buy another patchbay. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person that never turns off the computer and like to control everything from there then Tomer´s solution is also worth considering...

[prophet]

Originally Posted by Onkel Dunkel

That´s also a possibility but it all depends on how you like to work. I´m a hardware lover who likes to be independent of my computer until the very last bit where i have to record something but still i am able to route any signal to anywhere in my studio (without having to mess around with long cables behind the desk). This is why i use this setup. Another benefit is that if (when) you buy more gear and run out of inputs on the DAW you can always just plug in to an existing input and break tho signal flow or buy another patchbay. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person that never turns off the computer and like to control everything from there then Tomer´s solution is also worth considering...

Thanks for your help..im finding it very helpful......

Im very interested in this method as well, and you have made me change my opinion about mixers...ive been looking at buying the mackie 1402 vlz3 mixer...to give me some more options if the ableton one is no use to me.

I just dont want to over complicate my set up....and i wonder if hooking a patch bay into my firebox would allow me to run more equipment into ableton, then i could work from there, would that work??

Or maybe i should just bite the bullit and get used to the mixer!

Thanks

[Onkel Dunkel]

You could use just a patchbay connected to your firebox´s inputs and outputs and to all your gear. Then just plug a patchcable in from and to whereever you like. I just like using a mixer. It´s not a must. You could get a Mackie Onyx mixer with a firewire I/O card. Then you have mixer and audiointerface in one

[prophet]

Originally Posted by Tomer=Trance

I say expand your DAW's Input and outputs,do the patching and routing from within abelton.

This sounds more like the way i could work, as i solely use my pc for ableton. I wonder if its possible to set up my hardware effects racks (sherman filterbank and warp factory) to run into a bus channel in ableton..and just send whatever track i want to run the chosen effect over into it then...???

So for example:

Track 1 - Bassline...goes to Bus Track - Sherman Filterbank.
Track 2 - Vocal...goes to Bus Track - Electrix Warp Factory

But how can that work when there is nothing actually on the bus channel for the filterbank to manipulate and effect?? Surely i have to run the track i want to effect, out of ableton into filterbank, and record back into ableton??

Its starting to make sense for me, i think im going to go experiment...

Thank you

[insub]

Dunkel's advice is solid since you already have hardware effects units.

Increasing your DAW's inputs/outputs would simplify things much more & with less physical cable routing. However, a new soundcard can be VERY expensive. When you may be able to find used patchbays for CHEAP.

Snatch up people's discarded patchbays who have already made the switch to DAW, if you're hurting for money. But if you have the cash, I would recommend a better interface for your DAW.

My MOTU 828mkII has 8 trs ins & 8 trs outs & 2 Mic pres w/phantom + digital SPDIF and all that. The Mic ins have direct outs for using effects and I can increase my inputs/outputs by 8 using an ADAT interface.

[AlexHall74]

I'm no I/O genius, but wouldn't everything have to:

(1) INPUT into your audio interface if it were ultimately going to be routed from within Ableton...

AND

(2) EVERY INPUT of your synths, Filterbank, FX, etc. would need to be connected to an OUTPUT of your audio interface.

It seems like if you had a setup like this, anything could record to your PC, and the PC (via Ableton and your AI) could send (or route) signal from one device to another.

Does that sound right?