Using multitracks for mixing practice on actual console?

[Randy Storms]

Hello all - Lighting guy here, who needs to get up to speed on live audio mixing. I see there are several souces for multitrack projects available online, but they all seem to be intended for use with a DAW. What sort of setup would I need to practice mixing with multitrack files on an actual mixer (Soundcraft SI Performer 2)?

Thanks in advance, and your patience with a rookie is appreciated.

Cheers,

Randy Storms

 

[NickVon]

An Audio interface like the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, and a computer with the multitrack file/Daw running. Output each channel in your multitrack to an output on the Audio Interface, and run that into multiple unique channels on the audio console.

Aside from the physicality of mixing on hardware console; a Raw Mulitrack session in Protools/Logic is mixed generally just like you would a live set. The tools and details to avoid feedback or clarity in monitors is something we account for in live sound, an the fact that our mics are producing the sound live in the room with the PA some might argue makes our job harder.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

This will depend on the pieces you have available.

If you have, say, an Behringer X32, or any similar console that has a multi-track digital interface, you can route that to your channel inputs, and practice on pretty much everything except head-amp gain, since you won't be using the head-amps.

That's assuming your multitrack recordings are on some device with compatible digital outs.

 

[TimmyP1955]

These days most digital mixers have a USB multichannel I/O interface built in. The SI2 requires an option card for this. Popular computer software includes Waves Tracks Live and Reaper (which is a full-featued DAW).

 

[ahtimsir]

You might want to check out the NemoSyn NDrive which was made exactly for the purpose of multitrack mixing practice, and it lists Soundcraft SI among its "compatible but not yet tested" list of devices.