Practice with a mixing board.
When practicing with a mixing board you have the option of using multiple inputs such as a microphone, MIDI controllers, monitors (speakers) as well as USB devices. When you connect live instruments to a mixing board, it allows you to control the gain, volume and effects of each instrument. When using a microphone with a mixing board, most microphones run off of "phantom power", which is power the mixing board supplies to the microphone without an external adapter. You can choose to use the mixing board by itself, or you can connect it to a computer that has music creation based software.
Instructions
Connecting Devices to Mixing Board.
1. Connect in back of mixing board.
Look at the back of the mixing board and plug the microphone into the "XLR" or "USB" slot on "Channel 2" or "Track 2." Connect any MIDI device to a separate channel with MIDI connection cables. Hook MIDI cables to the "MIDI OUT" of the device to the "MIDI IN" of the mixing board, on the selected channel.
2. Connect MIDI devices.
Connect monitor speakers to the mixing board with XLR jacks, plug jacks into the "Monitor In" ports on the speakers and the other ends into the "Monitor Out" on the mixing board. Connect different MIDI devices to separate "Channels" or "Tracks" then slide all of the "Track Volume Sliders" down to "0."
3. Turn on mixing board.
Turn the mixing board on then power on the MIDI devices. Play selected notes on the MIDI device to determine if the mixing board is receiving a signal. The mixing board channel will light up green if it's receiving a signal.
4. Connect USB to computer.
Turn the mixing board power off then connect the USB connection cord to the USB port on the back of the mixing board. Plug the other end of the USB cable into the USB port on the computer.
Practicing with Mixing Board.
5. Use different effects on mixing board.
Push the "Track Volume Slider" up on the microphone channel and begin speaking into the microphone. Set the microphone parameters by experimenting with the "Channel Fader", "EQ" and "Pan Control."
6. Play selected notes on MIDI device.
Turn the "Track Volume Slider" up on all MIDI device channels and play selected notes with live effects such as "Delay", "Reverb" and "Balance Control." Open the music creation software on the computer then create a new file by selecting "File" from the top menu then "New".
7. Press the record button.
Set the mixing board as the default mixer by going to "Options" on the top menu then "Sound Output." Click and highlight the mixing board from the list of options then select "Ok". Add a new audio track by selecting "File" from the top menu then "Add New Track". Click the "Record" button from the top menu and record from the microphone or external MIDI devices. Press the "Stop" button when you're done.
8. Edit by using track sliders.
Play the recording back and mix the tracks by moving the "Track Volume Sliders" up and down on the mixing board. Save the recording and mixing board settings by selecting "File" then "Save File As" from the top menu. Click the "Save Current Mix" selection from the drop down menu.
