Saturday, 1 December 2012

How to Record on a Computer With an Analog Mixer Without an MBox


By Lisa Rusczyk, eHow Contributor


How to Record on a Computer With an Analog Mixer Without an MBox thumbnail
With the right cables and settings on Pro Tools, you can record without an MBox.

An MBox is an audio interface used with Pro Tools to get your live audio into a recorded format. It allows you to record different instruments on different tracks. If you want to use an analog mixer with Pro Tools and no audio interface, you will not be able to record onto more than one track at a time. If you are mixing a band on your analog mixer, be aware that it will only record everything on one track and you will have to mix as you record.

 

Things You'll Need

  • Analog mixer
  • Pro Tools
  • Computer
  • Cables for instruments
  • Either RCA to 1/8-inch cable or 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch cable

  1. Setup

    • 1
      Connect your instruments and/or microphones to your analog mixer.
    • 2
      Connect the analog mixer to your computer. Use one of two methods. Your mixer will have either or both of RCA outputs in the back of the board or a headphone 1/4-inch jack. For RCA cables, attach the red and white cables to the corresponding output jacks on your analog mixer and the 1/8-inch jack into your computer's audio-in jack. This is a jack with a microphone icon. Alternatively, connect the 1/4-inch cable to the headphone jack and the 1/8-inch jack to your computer's microphone jack.
    • 3
      Set the computer's input to "Line in" when the computer asks what kind of input you have inserted into it.
    • 4
      Set the channel input on Pro Tools. Go to the mixer view in the program and go to the top of the track. Here you will find a drop-down box with input choices. Choose your computer's sound card, which is the line-in you plugged in with the 1/8-inch cable.
    • 5
      Record-enable the track. Press the circle button on the track so that the track is receiving a signal from your analog mixer. Test to see if you have sound coming through by playing an attached instrument or talking into a microphone.

    Recording With the Analog Mixer

    • 6
      Press Apple+R to record when you are ready. Have the performers perform.
    • 7
      Mix on the analog mixer as the recording progresses. You will not be able to mix this recording into separate tracks.
    • 8
      Press the space bar to end the recording. You can now listen back or record more tracks.
 
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)