The Mbox...2 port workaround ideas...Recording and LIVE

[Acoustic-Fury]

I have an original Mbox.

I want to record drums.

I have a 16 Input Behringer mixer.


Since I only have two ports to work with on the Mbox...here were my thoughts:

Mic the kit:
Kick
Snare/hi hat
Tom
Low tom
2 Overhead
Room Mic

Panning:
kick straight up
Snare and high hate L 20
Tom R 30
Low Tom 40
2 Overhead L 20 / R 20
Room Mic straight up

The left and right output I would run into my Mbox and track from there.


I would run a scratch guitar and vocal track through the board but have them muted so it didn't run to pro tools. I would then run a 3 way headphone splitter so the drummer, guitar player and vocalist could hear themselves.

I would then track the drums.


Live Recording a 4 piece band:

I have a 12 input mixer that I can get my hands on plus my 16 input Behringer mixer.

Using the 12 input mixer:
Mic the kit:
Kick
Snare/hi hat
Tom
Low tom
2 Overhead
Room Mic

Panning:
kick straight up
Snare and high hate L 20
Tom R 30
Low Tom 40
2 Overhead L 20 / R 20
Room Mic straight up

I then run the two outputs to my Behringer 16 input mixer.

Drums:
I use up 2 inputs.
Pan L 20-30 / R 20-30

Vocals
I would use up 3 inputs for vocals
Pan 0 / L 10 / R 10

Guitars
I would mic both guitar cabinets and use up 2 inputs.
Pan L 100 / R 100

Bass
Mic bass cabinet and go direct - 2 inputs
Pan 0

That is 9 inputs used and I could use another input or two to mic the room.


I would then run the two outs from my Behringer mixer to the two outputs on my mbox.

Thoughts and/or critiques would be appreciated!

[TonyB]

Wow. This makes me glad I got my MOTU 24 I/O and Sonar.

Until I can afford the Pro Tools HD, I'll stick with my current setup that allows me to record up to 24 simultaneous inputs. I've actually done 20 simultaneously; although 16 is the norm.

I have MBox2 and Pro Tools LE, but find it too limiting and a PITA if recording a band.

But what you're doing sounds like a good plan.

[Acoustic-Fury]

Originally Posted by TonyB

Wow. This makes me glad I got my MOTU 24 I/O and Sonar.

Until I can afford the Pro Tools HD, I'll stick with my current setup that allows me to record up to 24 simultaneous inputs. I've actually done 20 simultaneously; although 16 is the norm.

I have MBox2 and Pro Tools LE, but find it too limiting and a PITA if recording a band.

But what you're doing sounds like a good plan.

Thanks for the feedback TonyB!

Yea...I've kind of taken what I've read about drummer workarounds (I even tried the recorderman 2 mic drum technique Recorderman overhead drum mic technique - Hometracked - and it sucked for me!) thought about how I could implement my mixer and I am glad it looks like I may be on the right track.

Thinking about all of this now and what I'll need will save tons of time when I go to set it up.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Acoustic-Fury

Thanks for the feedback TonyB!

Yea...I've kind of taken what I've read about drummer workarounds (I even tried the recorderman 2 mic drum technique Recorderman overhead drum mic technique - Hometracked - and it sucked for me!) thought about how I could implement my mixer and I am glad it looks like I may be on the right track.

Thinking about all of this now and what I'll need will save tons of time when I go to set it up.

That's pretty much the way I did it except I used my Yamaha MG24FX.

When you get it going upload some of it and let us take a peak under the hood!