Transcript:
(00:03) Good day, Chris. >> Good day to you, my friend Steve. >> So, I was reflecting on what to talk about at the beginning of this episode. >> Yes. >> On our on our we we do our breakfast. >> Yes. >> And then we drive in our cars to here. And then on my drive, my thought was about the conversation we had with the server where we started a mini civil war. hash browns.
(00:32) >> I was like the server. >> I need Oh, yeah. I need help. >> So, >> at Denny's. >> At Denny's. So, you get the shredded hash browns or the chunky? >> The shredder are the best. >> The chunky are the best. And >> And then it turned like a little thing. I was like, she's like, "What would you like?" I'm like, "The good one.
(00:48) " And then she's like, "Which one is that?" And so, you know, and then it became And then the the other uh uh lady came to refill our coffee at one point and I said something about the hash browns. I was like, "Yeah, those are the best ones." >> I was left alone. >> You were left alone on that one. And then I probably, you know, then it became like, "Do we should pineapple be on pizza?" >> And I was like, "I like pineapples on pizza.
(01:07) " >> Yeah. Yeah. So, we agreed on that. So, we're still >> at least. Yeah. >> Cuz I was that close to change, you know, >> people watching that. As soon as we said pineapple on pizza, they were like, >> "Sorry, Italian friends. >> Sorry about that." >> That's a Canadian thing. You know that. >> It is a weird, >> you know, that Hawaiian pizza is a Canadian thing.
(01:28) Your exact phrase was, you know, that's Canadian. You know that, eh? I love that. That was so well done. Beautifully done. No, but I believe that it sounds like something Canadians would do. Like, yep, we're here. We got pizza. We got pineapple. Yeah, I know what we can do. So, all this to say, subscribe to the channel if you're not already because, you know, a lot of people watch our podcast on YouTube.
(01:57) >> Yeah. >> Without hitting the subscribe button, and they they watch week after week. >> They should be ashamed of themselves. >> But also, thanks for watching. >> Yeah. Most importantly, thanks for watching. So, yeah, like look, >> it's I have mixed emotions. So, hit that subscribe button and uh ask your questions because this is the heart of the podcast.
(02:20) We love answering your questions and we based our topics and what we talk about on what we read on inside the YouTube comments on what you guys send us via the little form that I have linked in the video description and podcast show notes. Okay? So, just click on that link, leave your questions, all related to mixing, recording, production, home studio, all that stuff.
(02:41) Chunky or shredded? >> Shredded. >> Chunky. They're like big French fries and the ketchup holds. >> But shredded is like I don't know. >> It's hard to pick up melts in your mouth. Fork. It's always overcooked and chewy. It's >> It has that little crust that is so amazing. >> Oh, don't say crust. It's just >> So the question today >> So today's question is uh from >> a guy from Barry, Ontario.
(03:08) >> Richard. Yeah, Richard from Barry. >> A fellow Canadian. Ontario A. Uh he said, "Why is there ever never any talk about the actual mixer? >> Is it just a conduit for ins and outs or can it help somehow during the mixing process?" He said, "I just bought a Mackie, bunch of numbers and letters. I would like to know what I can take advantage of with its features.
(03:28) " >> Okay. And uh yeah, I have this Mackie in front of me. I'm not going to look at the Mackie >> per, you know, I don't know this console, you know, but we get the idea. >> Yeah. the the the the broad concept being like how relevant is a mixer? >> Exactly. >> These these days. >> Yeah. >> Um it's funny.
(03:50) I like I started on a Mackie. My first studio. I was a young lads and a big Mackie. >> A lot of people started with a Mackie. >> 32 by8. And I thought I was I thought I was the sexiest >> studio owner on earth, man, with my Mackie. And >> and that thing, man, we put some mile some kilometers on that thing. Uh-huh. >> Miles, >> you American.
(04:13) >> Oh, you Frenchy Canadian. >> A >> A. >> So, yeah, that the that and so yeah, many of us dinosaurs started on consoles cuz that's what there was. That was the way to adjust volumes and EQs and things >> before all these new fangled doohickeys that you kids get. >> And so, you know, it's a it's kind of a weird question.
(04:38) Right. It's like one day like my great grandchildren are going to be like, "You had a steering wheel on your car. >> What's that all about? >> What's that for?" Right? And so there is a bit of but it's like that's how that's how we turn the car. >> So we didn't imagine there would be something else at the time, >> right? So, fast forward to now 100 years later >> where, you know, I've I've been through the console era, you know, as as has been documented on this channel and others. You know, I went from the big
(05:08) SSL console and I still have it stored, but it's still sitting in storage, this thing. If anybody wants it all. Anybody wants a duality minimal miles first owner smoke >> minimum kilometers >> smoke sorry smokefree environment might have some tears have a lot of my hair in it. So if I understand correctly, you're not planning on >> and now I am building this new studio >> without >> the HVAC and other things channel count like snake counts and patchb all the things that are necessary to have a 48 channel >> yes >> impeccably maintained
(05:49) >> SSL duality in it. And so I I I have I have found myself and I don't I don't know what to attribute that to if it's just old age tired kids life. Uh again, we've done episodes on this and I will start with there is few things more beautiful than sitting in front of a big mixing console and pushing the faders up and hearing sound come out of the speakers and then you start automating and and reaching for, you know, when your butts in the air and you're you're tweaking a thing way over and whether tracking through a
(06:26) console or mixing through a console, there is an emotional visceral and I don't know if it's, you know, make make Steve's life great again. Memories of of a bygone era or what? But it is emotionally very satisfying. So to start there with our friend's question, you know what good is a mixer? Does it make does it make you feel good? >> 2026 it can still make you feel good.
(06:48) >> Is it just like >> some of this stuff? >> Okay, >> I got plugins for this. >> You got the this of this, right? >> So we've done episodes on that. So if we start there and we then go, okay, it makes you feel good or it doesn't based on your personality. Move that along. >> How can we quantify its practicality? >> Sure.
(07:07) >> And and and cost and extra wires and and things. Right. >> Sure. >> So how does Richard use a Mackie in his home studio? I'm assuming >> that is not the same size as the SSL. >> Correct. Richard, if you feel like upgrading, I have it impeccably. Dust free owner >> mint condition. >> Mint condition.
(07:35) I need to have GPT write an ad. >> You should right >> and all the words. Do you ever like everyone? So my wife was in real estate when we first moved uh to Canada. It's a show for for a one of the big realtors in town. And that was part of her gig >> preGPT. She had to write the thing >> and it was always like welcome home to your spacious one of a kind but like it's a condo it's like a condo next to an A&W >> but it's like your oasis from the world like and it was just like it was like like it has a walk-in living room thing.
(08:10) You know what I mean? Like it was good. >> Anyway, so I'm gonna I'm going to write an ad for Richard on this SSL. I'll send it to you. Anyway, so where where what's your gut reaction? If you've got 16 channels sitting there >> that have analog ability, where what's your knee-jerk answer? >> Okay, I I'll answer by sharing the way I started in my home studio.
(08:37) Okay, I didn't grow up in the analog world. I jumped right in straight into digital. And the first setup I had was decent sound interface >> and I also had a Yamaha 01 V96. >> Sure. >> Which is a digital mixer, >> 16 channels >> cuz I'm a drummer. >> So I needed more channels. >> Oh. Oh. >> To record stuff. That's where you were going. >> Yeah.
(09:06) So that mixer that mixer was not used for mixing purposes to the exception of controlling Qbase with the faders because it was digital. So I was able to use the faders to control the faders in Qbase. So that was perfect. And same for the transport, but the rest was only to use the preamps. So I had like 16 preamps in front of me.
(09:26) >> Um and that was connected ADAT to uh my interface. and I had like, oh, there you go. 24 ins and outs. >> Was very cool. >> Um, yeah. So, that was my use of it because of my recording needs, >> recording live drums, I needed a lots of inputs. Uh, it was very, very useful. So, I did all of my monitoring inside that console.
(09:48) Even when people like singers came into the studio to record, all the monitoring was done direct. So, no latency whatsoever. I had like integrated reverbs and delays inside uh this console to feed uh the singer with um that I didn't have to record was just for monitoring purposes and um that's it. So I used that for a few years before getting rid of it and then start to to uh to get a setup with without any console basically.
(10:16) So just using preamps and more inputs for uh yeah extra preamps and uh maybe more inputs on the the interface itself. But yeah, so that was pretty useful for that matter. So that it can still be very useful in 2026, but it depends on what you need it for. if it's only for mixing like this model. I looked into it briefly, the Mackie thing.
(10:40) And um it's like yeah, it's it's a good console 12 preamps uh you connected USB straight on the uh the computer. So it's probably going to act as a sound interface of its own. >> Yep. >> Um so yeah, if you use more than if you need those those like 12 preamps to record drums, for example, yeah, it can be very very useful. And those those those Mackie pres are awfully good.
(11:02) >> Yeah. >> Like they sound real good >> for sure. >> Good, clean, just good preamps. And so if nothing else, you've got 12 preamps >> and that's it. Yeah. >> Plugged in via USB to your computer. Yeah. And those could be all your preamps, right? Like >> I I did it for for years. So I use those preamps out of the uh the Yamaha uh for my overheads, my rooms, and like kick snare and toms.
(11:28) I had the Vint >> which is kind of an Eve type preamp. So I have like four preamps that I still use. Um and yeah, the rest was done through the uh the but I forgot that I also had another analog console that a friend of mine wanted to wanted to store at my studio and he stored it for maybe 3 years.
(11:45) So it was actually had like even a stand cuz it wasn't like on the desk but it was just standing up on sideways on the uh on the stand. So I use that to just use the preamp and a bit of EQ for my drums. >> Sure. and that's it, you know. So, um, >> but in the end when I moved >> Yeah. >> to Calgary, >> I called him. Okay, >> come and get your It's time to get it back.
(12:05) >> I'm not paying I'm not paying to ship this across the country. >> So, so this, you know, I mean, the the 2026 re in, you know, 2024, whatever, when I when I had the console fully up and running, like there were the pres are obviously lovely. Um, the ability to record consistent pres is nice. >> Yeah. >> So, you know, to your case or to the Mackie case here, you got 12, you got your drums running all through this nice cohesive sonic thing.
(12:41) All your EQs are the same. You can record with the EQs. Now you're >> now you're making decisions as you track. So, it becomes a great tracking machine. >> Yes. if depending on your setup and your computer setup and everything else now you've removed latency from your monitoring potentially because you're just sending those to your headphones and so you're not going in a circle and around.
(13:01) >> So if if you set up that Mackie you just you know your buddies come over and you want to record a couple acoustics and some congas and and and you know a keyboard now you're cooking. >> Mhm. uh you know, you got a nice little headphone setup and you're tracking with effects and >> and I like that because this is something I miss about a console when when recording drums is the EQ part.
(13:22) >> Yeah, >> I have compressor already. Yes. >> But I missed I don't have any EQs >> that I missed a bit, I have to say. >> And yeah, and EQs are on the Mackie are going to be just >> just great. >> Yeah, >> just make a record. You can make a record that console if nothing else. If that was your only sound card, you can make a record with that console.
(13:40) So yeah, you know, maybe to answer your question or somebody else's, does it become your primary sound card? Is it better than whatever, you know, MOTU thing you've had for 15 years or something you got, you know, off eBay for 100 bucks? Does that become your newer high or fidelity sound card interface and everything you monitor there? And and also the fact that with a console like this, sometimes you just want to plug your guitar, your your microphone without even like opening a plugin or your D. You just want to start
(14:11) playing. >> You plug it in, plug the amp, like put headphones like put it or speakers and do your thing right away. You can do it straight from the console without even opening the computer. Mhm. Mhm. And uh then the other piece that comes up, you know, I think in people's minds or historically is, you know, then are is it worth then sending sound back to use it to sum >> for mixing >> as a summing box or a mixing or then adding, you know, are you using that as your >> forget all this recording, just make it >> your mixing tool. Sits in the middle of
(14:45) you. It's got your monitor, >> your speakers and headphones are plugged into it and you're you're mixing. >> Yeah. Right. >> And and so the summing capabilities I think might come down to the particular unit. >> Yes. >> Right. Like >> you know I I don't and I don't know in this year how the Mackie summing sounds.
(15:03) It's been a while. >> Um and back in the day it wasn't stellar. >> No. >> It's what we had >> and otherwise you would go to a studio and big studio and use a ne or >> an SSL. No. >> In mint condition. >> In mint condition. First owner smokefree environment. I should have done I should have done a GPT before before we started this episode.
(15:25) If I knew it was going to start happening, I would have come better prepared. I would have had it like on my SSL shirt. It would have been a whole thing. We should add B- rolls. >> Oh. Oh, just beautiful in storage like just under a blanket. Um, so and that just might be a taste thing. Maybe you try it. If it's sitting there, it's doing nothing.
(15:42) Plug some of your outputs in, send eight channels to it, and see if you like the way it sounds. you turn those eight up versus doing it in your computer. That could be >> part of your mixing sound if you like the way it sounds. Right. >> Personally, I'm not attracted to this. >> Yeah. >> Personally, >> but you're personally >> But I'm >> But there's people, you know, with I know >> with a with a to sitting there or whatever, you know, people have old trident laying around like there's stuff and and you know, it could be a fun experiment >> to plug a bunch of stuff in and turn up
(16:11) the channels and go, I like this. This makes me feel nice. And the Mackie could do that. And if it's got >> But again, this model I don't know. It's digital though. >> It has It's 100% digital, >> I think. So, but anyway, it doesn't have a bunch of outputs. >> Oh, >> so it does output through USB >> from what I've seen briefly in two minutes.
(16:33) >> Okay. Your computer's digital though, too. >> Yes. >> It's going to sum and it's going to sum. >> Yes. But if he uses this as his main interface. >> Yes, >> he is. >> I don't know. I've never met the guy. What do you want from me? I'm here selling mixers. What are you doing? >> I don't know. >> Why are you yelling at me? >> Maybe it needs an upgrade after all.
(17:04) >> Yeah, I know what I know what is 100% analog. Oh man, I love it. A >> and maybe not him, but the mixer. >> Yeah. >> Like there are mixers laying around in people's back rooms gathering. And it's it's fascinating because we It's like any cool old thing, right? Like it was like there's the like, I don't want this garbage era.
(17:27) And then now you're like, "Hey, I'm going to dust this off this." Right. It's like your space echo. Like people were just like tossing them in the garbage at one point, right? And now it's just like you can't afford to even look at one. Don't make eye contact with it. Exactly. >> And and these So, you know, go through your garbage pile if you're see if you have an old mixer that might sound really neat.
(17:46) Even if you send some of your drums to it, use it as a sidec car, right? So, >> yeah. >> Uh anyway, >> but but for sure like for your mixer, if it's just for recording and monitoring, it's a great tool. >> It's a great tool. >> It's a great tool. >> And if it sounds nice when you mix with it, then mix with it. >> If it doesn't, then go.
(18:04) >> Yeah. It's a personal thing also. >> Do it because they told you to. >> No. Exactly. >> The one that sounds nice. >> Exactly. >> As they say on Gear Space, use your ears. >> Yeah. It's my favorite thing on Gear Space. >> So, how much are you going to sell your console? >> I don't know.
(18:23) Depends on what Richard's got. Me and Richard are going to talk. We'll work it out. >> Was there any question? >> He's only in He's only in Barry. Like, we can get it to Barry. >> We can get it to Barry. >> We can get an SSL to Barry. >> We can get an SSL for sure. So there I we have a question. >> We have a question. All right. So a second question because you know the console was also a question.
(18:42) >> That was a question. >> So this is a question by Kon I think his name is. >> K A H L O N. All right. So I hope I pronounced it correctly. I'm a hobbyist musician and record and mix my work at home with Qbase. That's a very good start. I record electric guitar almost exclusively a DI into the DAW and then use amplitude uh or the VST amp rack in place uh of a real amp and effects pedals.
(19:13) Uh my question is uh where in the effects chain would you put the virtual amp simulator and then how do you reconcile that with gain staging? That's a good question. >> That's a good question. >> Yeah. So, when it comes to recording with a NAM sim, uh there's two ways or maybe more. Well, there's several ways you can look at it.
(19:40) First, the way I like to look at it is the same as I do when recording a a real guitar amp. >> Yep. >> So, that's one way. You just plug your your guitar into the amp, put on a mic, and you record straight into your DAW, and you commit to the sound right away. So, that is one way you can do it. and just add that guitar simulator straight in the insert of the input bus you have in Qbase.
(20:03) In Qbase, we have like input channels and we can actually add a bunch of plugins while you record and commit right away. Um, and so that could be a good way to do it if you want to if you know exactly the sound you want from that ampsim, you can just record it and do your your gain staging is basically your your recording level at this point.
(20:24) Brave. >> It's brave because now you're committing and you move on. >> Fear of commitment. >> If you fear commitment, >> you record a clean signal >> and you add the amp simulator after. >> Now you're cooking. >> And now you're cooking >> and you gain stage your clean signal, you know, gain stage it as you want and then put on your virtual amp.
(20:45) >> Yeah. >> As the first plugin in your chain. >> Yeah. And and these I I don't I'm trying to think of one that doesn't have metering. >> Yeah. They all >> and and they tell you >> Yeah. >> Like some of them will literally say your signal is good when it's going in. Right. Make sure it's yellow, not red or green.
(21:05) >> And so that's the that's the 10-second answer >> for sure because the amount >> the manual will tell you >> Yeah. >> what color to make the input. >> Exactly. And that's that and that's and there's something to that and it needs to be paid attention to because the sims really respond differently.
(21:21) I've learned >> totally >> a few dB changes the model and the model was built with a little window >> and so you got to get in that window and so >> yeah there's there's a bit of time and energy and thought that should go into it >> for sure >> and and then from there experiment sometimes you push it harder or push it less but and that's where that fear of commitment thing is great because you can play with that.
(21:39) >> Yeah. >> Later. >> Totally. Um and then and then yeah coming out same they'll all have an output and then and now you're looking at your your channel meter. Yes. >> To make sure you're not smoking your channel because soon as you turn that up sim on your channel usually turns >> fluorescent red >> smoke comes out and >> you don't want that.
(21:57) >> Or you do >> or it sounds neat. >> Could be a thing. >> Could be a thing. >> Yeah. >> And and so yeah I think those two sets of meters answer the the question, right? >> Yes. For sure. For sure. And uh also effects. So, a lot of amp sims, like most of them, if not all of them, will have a bunch of pedal type effects or compression, some delays, reverbs, and all that stuff.
(22:20) So, uh you could you could like straight go into your uh ampsim, craft your sound with all those spatial effects, record the whole thing, >> uh or just put it as an insert only on the first plugin of your your channel. And you can also record your mono signal because it's going your your guitar is mono but record that into a stereo channel and when you'll add your ampsim all your uh your your effects like delays and reverbs will be stereo.
(22:47) That could be something you want too. Mhm. >> Or you can just focus on recording only the overdrive or the amp tone from that ampsim without all the delays and reverbs and add these same delays and reverbs on an effects channel. But that's not as fun. You don't want to do that. Who Who wants to Who who doesn't want a delay on their No. Not what he said.
(23:13) >> It depends. >> Put all the pedals on. >> Make it sound amazing. Yeah, but you can you can >> I can do a lot of things. I can go I can go run a marathon. >> It's it's all about committing. >> I could if I wanted. >> Yeah. >> I lived in we lived in Augusta, Georgia for about a year at one point working on a project there.
(23:34) And we were at the Waffle House. I don't know if you ever been to a Waffle House. >> I do. >> One of the most amazing places on earth. Waffle House. I was a regular. And we were there and this guy was sitting at the counter and he was talking to the the the the guy, I forget her name now, years ago, working behind the counter and and he says, "I'm going to run me a marathon this year.
(23:54) " And she she goes, "Look at you. You can't run no marathon." And he goes, he looks her in the eye, he goes, "Well, I used to could, >> man. The Waffle House is an institution. >> Stay as it as it should be." I saw I saw >> you can sit in a Waffle House and see another Waffle House out. >> It was that comedian.
(24:14) He was in Alabama was like >> I don't know what's happening guys, but look at this. I'm in the parking lot of a Waffle House >> and look across the street. Literally across the street a Waffle House. >> Same thought I had. You could see a Waffle House from a Waffle House. >> Anyway, all that to say, you could you could play the guitar without the effects, but why >> not play No, no.
(24:31) This is not what I'm saying. You play the guitar with the effects. Okay. put the effects on an effects channel and have control afterwards. >> Oh, but you're doing that when mixing. >> But you're doing that. >> Not necessarily. >> Who cares? >> I don't even understand. I've only been doing this for a month. >> No, when you play and you record, you're playing for sure.
(24:50) >> Yeah, the effects are part of the performance. >> I take back everything I said about the Waffle House. I still don't know what you're saying. It could be your accent.
