• From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 55

Topic: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Hi,

I have two drum computers (707 & SR16) for which I like to process multiple sounds individually. E.g. the processing on the HH's is different from the SD, BD, RIM, ... This consumes a lot of inputs on my mixer which is a 16 mono channels D&R 900.
I'm wondering now whether it'd be a good idea to save channels on my main mixer by running the drum computers through a separate mixer which then goes to the main mixer.
How do the other producers on this forum go about this? I'm quite sure that I'm not the only one faced with this problem.

I've found an 8 channel D&R online, might be a candidate sub mixer.

Just record it already!

Clandestine Monarchy's Website

  • Registered: 2008-07-07
  • Posts: 663

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

A submixer (or summing mixer) is a good option, yeah. A bigger mixer is another option, I once replaced my D&R 900 16-8-2 for a Dayner (36-8-2), which wasn't even much bigger in size... Benefit of getting a summing mixer is that you can pick another brand or another EQ, which adds to your color palette, something more channels of the same thing won't bring you.

Brian Chinetti's Website

  • Registered: 2008-07-07
  • Posts: 663

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Btw, do realise that a summing mixer has downsides too, it quickly demands creative use of subgroups and aux sends, chances are that you'll plug a lot more than now.

Brian Chinetti's Website

  • Registered: 2009-02-02
  • Posts: 85

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Brian Chinetti wrote:

Btw, do realise that a summing mixer has downsides too, it quickly demands creative use of subgroups and aux sends, chances are that you'll plug a lot more than now.

this will seem like a stupid question, but since i have never bothered using aux sends, can you explain the principle to an idiot??

5 Reply by Brian Chinetti (edited by Brian Chinetti 2011-05-25 07:40:51)

  • Registered: 2008-07-07
  • Posts: 663

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

aux sends can be used for different things, for instance monitoring, but people mainly use them as effect sends. With aux sends a signal is routed (sent) to an effects processor and returns to the mixer processed (fx return or fx return channel), so you can mix it with the original signal.
As every channel has aux sends, it is possible to send the sound of different channels to one effects processor, or to several if you have more aux sends. That's why it can be a bother to have a summing mixer. If you want the reverb on the snare, claps, and rims on one mixer but also on the strings and baseline on the other mixer, you'll need to figure something out to make that possible.

Brian Chinetti's Website

  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 55

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Thanks for the feedback, Brian! I was already wondering how I was going to hook up my parallel fx in this two mixer construction. I haven't got an idea yet but surely I'll find out how to creatively use the subgroups and some channels strips :-).

I've got the 8 channel D&R down to 75EUR. this seams like a good price as I paid 200 for the 16-8-2 Series 900. Any opinion?

I really like my D&r mixer, I haven't got reference to any comparable size/quality board but I'm happy I didn't go for something new & low budget.

Just record it already!

Clandestine Monarchy's Website

  • From: Warschau
  • Registered: 2010-11-12
  • Posts: 75

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Looking for TR-909 with minimal price. If you are such an idiot and want to drop it  - just call, email or whatever...

akadavar's Website

  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 55

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Erm, yeah sure, this was a thread about 909's.... Cheap ones especially, from the liddl.

Just record it already!

Clandestine Monarchy's Website

  • From: North Sea
  • Registered: 2008-11-06
  • Posts: 172

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

would be great if lidl or aldi did drum machines.

  • From: Ghetto Studio, London
  • Registered: 2008-07-09
  • Posts: 747

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Errm Were all looking for a cheap 909!...

+++ Dont be scared honey, thats just the resonance knob +++
  • From: Belgium
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 55

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

I'm also looking for a way to earn money by doing only what I want and when I want, any hints? I've looked all over the web :-)

Just record it already!

Clandestine Monarchy's Website

  • From: North Sea
  • Registered: 2008-11-06
  • Posts: 172

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

I'm looking to write the perfect track. any tips?

  • From: Warschau
  • Registered: 2010-11-12
  • Posts: 75

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

ekranoplan wrote:

I'm looking to write the perfect track. any tips?

Pills will do the job.

akadavar's Website

  • Registered: 2009-02-02
  • Posts: 85

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

Brian Chinetti wrote:

aux sends can be used for different things, for instance monitoring, but people mainly use them as effect sends. With aux sends a signal is routed (sent) to an effects processor and returns to the mixer processed (fx return or fx return channel), so you can mix it with the original signal.
As every channel has aux sends, it is possible to send the sound of different channels to one effects processor, or to several if you have more aux sends. That's why it can be a bother to have a summing mixer. If you want the reverb on the snare, claps, and rims on one mixer but also on the strings and baseline on the other mixer, you'll need to figure something out to make that possible.

hmmm, what i thought. still struggling with a mackie 1202 micro though - i thought that i could have say a synth come into a normal input and i could route as much of that as i wanted through the aux send (which will then be returned with FX) but it seems like if i turn the gain/eq down to cut the dry signal, it also cuts what is sent to the aux. it seems to be all of both or none of both. is this standard? there seems to be a mod to convert the aux sends for channels 1-4 to

  • rude66
  • robot des duivels
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-07-07
  • Posts: 1,844

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

what youre referring to is the difference between pre-fader and post-fader. in the first case, what you do with the fader does not interfere with the signal level sent to the aux, even if the fader is all the way down signal is still sent there. post-fader means that if you turn down the fader, the signal to the aux also fades..

  • Registered: 2009-02-02
  • Posts: 85

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

rude66 wrote:

what youre referring to is the difference between pre-fader and post-fader. in the first case, what you do with the fader does not interfere with the signal level sent to the aux, even if the fader is all the way down signal is still sent there. post-fader means that if you turn down the fader, the signal to the aux also fades..

strange - last part of my previous post is missing  hmm

yes, there is a pre-eq/gain mod which is in the manual (cut trace/insert jumper for inserts 1-4)- think that would be what i am after? why should that not be the default though??

  • From: Ghetto Studio, London
  • Registered: 2008-07-09
  • Posts: 747

Re: Hooking up drumcomputer(s)

I think there needs to be a push for some of our newer members to get a little reading under their belt. RTFM!
I personally can't recommend the work of Paul White more. Get yourself:

Recording and Production Techniques by Paul white and follow it up with
Creative Recording 1: Effects and Processors
Creative Recording 2: Microphones, Acoustics, Soundproofing & Monitoring

and if your new to midi (which is a weird concept for me but I guess the vst kids rule now)

MIDI for the Technophobe

All of these books cross over here and there but they cover everything you need to really get into the heart of recording with good sound no nonsense non Mathematical based arse! Of course hitting Sound on sound is an A++ resource too.
A good bedrock of understanding will free up your creativity..

+++ Dont be scared honey, thats just the resonance knob +++