How to choose a Mixer for your Studio. Here’s a guide to buying a studio mixer, be it for your home studio or for a big project.
Table of Contents
What is a Mixer
Studio mixers are instruments that organize numerous sounds from instruments such as guitars, drums, bass, keyboards, trumpets, etc. in order to generate harmonious tunes.
This software gives you the opportunity to improve sounds coming from the various channels. There are several things you can do like adding desired effects to the various tracks. Using equalization to make sure the sounds are pleasant enough for the human ears.
Why is a Mixer Necessary?
It is necessary so that you can scale up, use lots of tracks, use hardware synths without putting any strain on your computer. Besides, at times you can play your instruments, effects processors, tec. directly through your mixer without having to turn-on your computer.
Here’s a video that provides more information on why you may need an external studio mixer.
Here are some more advantages of having an audio mixer:
- Easy to turn your home into your personal recording studio
- Designed for recording vocals or instruments
- Helps you create that perfect professional grade sound
- Advanced audio mixers can dub multiple vocal tracks, change the effects on a guitar, or add power to your
- drums. Allows you to save multiple takes so you can decide which one works best for your sound.
- Advanced audio mixers provide you more options.
- You can use the audio mixer in a live setting as well, fiddle with the settings to achieve the right tone and effects from your guitars, vocals, and drums.
- Some mixers come with a built-in soundboard as well
Recommended Audio Mixers
- Behringer Xenyx 802 Premium 8-Input 2-Bus Mixer with Xenyx Mic Preamps and British EQs
- Behringer XENYX502 5-Channel Mixer
Types of Mixers
There are various types of studio mixers namely analog, digital and the latest one in the market combines the technology behind analog mixers with additional features such as USB and Firewire.
Is a Studio Mixer Necessary?
So is a mixer necessary for your studio? Not really if you are just using soft synths and probably a mic or two to do all the recording. You can do all the adjustments using use the mixer which the software provides, and a good audio interface will ensure that the sound quality is good.
Also read on dj mixer software here
To Conclude
So as you see, you can definitely live with or without a mixer.
For all those who spend a lot of their time mixing stuff, it is easier to do things on something physical; it is easier to turn knobs and use faders on a physical equipment. So that is where you might need a studio mixer
