finally mixing on a mackie via 8 outs

yo fam,

rocking a mpc2500, used to mix and try to eq with my only two f(x) slots. so i would usually use one eq for my sample, and one eq for my drums, i was pretty limited. my boy hooked me up with a vlz1402, so i have started incorporating my 8 outs. i have my 8 outs going mono into each individual channel of the mackie. it's nice to be able to eq individual drum hits, and it's nice to have a hands on mixer faders and knobs to twist for the eq. bear with me, i got everything linked up, but have a couple questions.

my concerns/questions are:
1) i kept my mpc master level to -30db. the reason for this is that it was recommended in the mackie manual, that each sound (i.e. my kick on channel one) should be "trimmed" so it stays around 0db when i am "setting the level." i adjusted the trim knob on the mackie as well as lowered my mpc master level to achieve this. when i had my trim knob on the mackie all the way down, and had my mpc master to -6db like i normally do, the level would hit the red.
a. hitting red in the "setting the level" means that i was clipping right?
b. do i lose punch however when i set the mpc master level to -30db?
c. would mackie's term "setting the level" be in other words gain staging?

yeah they are talking about gain staging, you should practice turning your gain knob all the way down when you are done (this is part of zeroing the board, look it up)

and have your mpc going as hot as it can into the mackie without clipping the mackie.

personally i would leave mine at -0 on the mpc, and then just adjust the gain pot on the mackie, if it is in fact clipping though, the next best thing to do would be to go into the "mixer mode" on your mpc and turn that channel down imo.

i suppose you could do it by turning the master level of the mpc down too though, i just wouldnt do it that way cause im used to having my mpc a -0 all the time.

are you running jjos? there is a track mixer mode and a pad mixer i think, the track mixer is the one i am talking about. then you could set the level of that certain track (of that sequence, so you will have to match your track levels on each sequence. for example, say your hihat is on track 2, turn it down to 77 on seq 1. when you go to seq 2,youll notice your hihat will be louder, thats because the default level of each track is 110 (i think), so for each other sequence youll have to turn down your hihat to the same level as your other sequences because the track mixer works individually for each sequence.) to the level you want without clipping your mackie.

i see that there arent clip lights on the individual channels on that mixer, so i dont know if you can monitor each channels input, but if you said its going into the red, and staying there, i would def turn it down. you may want to look up if "going into the red" is actually clipping your mixer though, because i think on some mixers they wont clip unless the "clip light" on the channel goes out, but like i said before, i dont think your mixer has that.

hope this helps a bit.

also, just curious, what are your recording the output of your mackie to afterwards? that sounds like a pretty cool workflow, especally if you can incorporate some outboard gear into the setup!

damian, thanks for the reply!

i have an apogee duet 2 running into logic. i plan on using the jackie main outs into the apogee inputs and recording a 2 track into logic. i want to do the least with my daw, maybe for mastering, maybe an excuse, but i'm asian but not the best with computer programs :p. it seems more natural to have things sounding how i want and using my daw just as a recording surface for the finished product. (i'm still trying to sort out what levels to be recording into, but i'll touch into that after i figure out my initial post reason.)


i'm running the free jjos 3.10, i don't think i have a track mixer mode.
i have the:
- the numeric level column when i hit mode+pad11 for the program and it's pads, the mixer screen when i hit mode+pad8 which seems like they sync up with each other. (when i put the mode+track8 mixer fader down, it reflects in the mode+pad11 level column.)
- i have the velocity control i can use for the track when i hit mode+pad14 for step edit.

i don't think these are either of what you were talking about when referring to the track mixer mode?

are you saying that keeping my mpc's main master level higher and turning down the levels of the pads would be more honest/healthier of a signal rather than keeping the level of the pads at 100% and turning down the mpc's main master output level theoretically? i've tried both, seems like the first method sounds healthier, but my ears are tired as well.

its damien with an "E", all good though.

i just looked at your manual and the jjos comparison chart and i guess you dont have the track mixer mode on the 3.10 version. but honestly, whatever one sounds better to you is the one to use, i just like having my mpc at -0db because i use headphones to make my beats alot and i find that i like it to be as loud as it can and i can just adjust the volume with my volume knob instead of having to go menu diving to change it back if i need to.

with jjos2xl i just push mode an pad 4 and it goes to the track mixer mode; but just do whatever one sounds better and run with that. tbh there probably really isnt much difference between either way.

if i were you, i would save up for jjos2xl, i really is worth worth it if you have the money.

peep the comparison chart here:

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mpc1000/mpc2500/chart.htm

I am using the same technique since about two years. Samplers individual outs into a mackie mixer (onyx1640i), recording the main outs into logic with an apogee duet.

Try turning up the gain on the mixer for certain sounds (kicks, snares, certain samples, experiment). Turn it up too much so the signal starts to go clearly into the red (if there's no individual channel meters, solo the channel, or use your ears), but don't go as far as making it overly distorted (again, use your ears). A little analog distortion can sound really nice on drums with mackie mixers, trust me... Try it...

now this is coming from an xl - but aren't all these mpc-side volume settings you are talking about irrelevant?

when using the 8-outs, my master volume does nothing, nor does the pad mixer. there is a separate 'indiv' screen where i set the individual outs and adjust volume there.

from what i know, you shouldn't have to adjust the volume on the mpc at all - just use the trim knobs on the mackie to get them right then mix with the faders.

mpc via 8outs -> mixed and eq'd in the mackie (levels were barely hitting a little yellow light, as recommended above by jibber), tracked out into logic via apogee duet 2 around -3db in logic's master meter, a little light compression and adlimiter on the master, and this is the result.

i'm happier with this mix and this new workflow, if i could criticize, maybe a little too much "white noise" surface noise? it seems like it's coming from the record of the break, but i'm sure the mackie mixer itself is adding to some of the excessive shhh sound?


critiques warmly welcome guys, thank you~

Sounds good and it's a really nice beat!

What i meant about the gain and levels tho... try going clearly into the red with some of the channels (drums). You will hear when it starts to sound like shit, but there's a sweet spot before it gets distorted where it can really sound good. It's a matter of taste however i guess...

Bottom line, sounds good to my ears, keep it up!