User guide

Chapter 4 Setting Up Your System 89
Audio Mixing Consoles
The inclusion of an audio mixer—analog or digital—is heavily based on your typical
studio use. It is also dependent on the number of inputs and outputs provided by your
audio interface and your working preferences.
To explain, if you are most likely to record bands, several MIDI synthesizers, or drum kits
in your studio, you will need numerous microphone and line-level inputs to
simultaneously record the performances of the musicians and vocalists in the group.
Microphone inputs differ from line level inputs in that they provide power (known as
phantom power), which is used to amplify the incoming signal from condenser
microphones.
Multiple mixer outputs and a headphone distribution amplifier are also beneficial in
group recording situations, as different signals can be sent to each performer. As
examples: a click track to the drummer, a light drum mix and click track to the bass
player, a composite mix to the vocalist and guitarist, with a touch of reverb for the
singer, and so on. This different strokes approach is commonly used, as it facilitates the
best performances from each group member.
Mixers can also include several auxiliary or bus channels that can be used to simplify a
number of jobs. As examples, sending different signals (or mixes, if you like) to multiple
locations—such as a front of house P.A. and a multitrack recorder, adding individual
effects to multiple channels, re-routing processed audio back to a different position in
the signal path and much more.
Many of these mixing tasks can be performed with a multi input/output audio
interface—using Logic Express (and the interface control software, if applicable) to
adjust levels and routings. The catch-22 with this is twofold: it is not as immediate as
physically moving a slider or knob on a mixing console, and your computer generally
needs to be turned on, to allow control. To balance the equation, you can add a control
surface to your Logic Express system, enabling hands-on operation. On the latter point,
a number of current audio interfaces can be used in standalone mode, but the problem
of level control remains unless the computer is turned on.
Microphones
If you are recording acoustic performances—spoken, sung, or played—into
Logic Express, you need one or more microphones. The array of microphones available
these days is mind-boggling, but to simplify things, they basically fall into two
categories: condenser and dynamic.
 In general terms, condenser microphones are more sensitive, and are commonly
used for vocal recording. They are also used for ambience recording, and for
instruments such as guitars and woodwinds.
 Dynamic microphones are often used for recordings with high sound pressure levels
(loud signals, in other words), such as drums and percussion.