Not So Fast… Mixing And Routing Advantages In The Analog Realm

Too Much?

Digital consoles put a lot of processing at our fingertips, and that’s usually a very good thing. However, I’ve noticed some engineers (particularly of the less-experienced variety) who have a tendency to use way too much processing simply because every channel is loaded with it.

Previous generations learned to mix with limited outboard processing. The most my front of house racks ever contained were six compressors, four gates, three FX units, and a stereo EQ for the mains. One FX served as the main reverb, one was for delay, and the third was available for a snare verb or a second vocal verb. (Larger tours often didn’t have or use much more processing than that either.)

In the 1980s I worked a national musical theater tour with an analog console and an FOH rack had four channels of EQ (house left, house right, front fills, and balcony fills), stereo compressor (kick and bass guitar), and a single FX unit to give the vocals a bit of verb. While I wished for some extra parametric EQ to insert on the floor mic sub groups, I never once thought a gate or comp was needed on every channel.

At a recent freelance gig I served as a fill-in house system tech at a large Las Vegas casino, using the venue’s installed house PA and digital consoles. The opening band’s (young) mix engineer engaged a gate and comp on every drum channel, including the overheads. I wanted to ask him why, but he seemed really busy pushing every button and turning every knob during sound check, so I left him alone. My take is that the performance could have sounded far better.

Meanwhile, the headliner’s (older) mix engineer guy applied only bits of processing as needed, and at one point told me he prefers analog boards because he’s “more comfortable with knobs.”

His mix sounded great, but what this experience really did was reinforce my observation that many less-experienced sound folks are applying buckets of processing just because it’s there in the digital realm, and that this is not a beneficial development.

Learning Path

I like to teach non-tech types and volunteers at schools and churches the basics of audio. It doesn’t matter if their venue has a digital board or not – I start them out on a 6-channel analog mixer because I’ve sound that they can more easily grasp the fundamentals, especially signal flow and routing.

Once they’re familiar, I move them along to a 16-channel analog mixer, and while it looks basic to veterans, they see it as confusing. But once they discover that it operates like the smaller mixer, they’re comfortable in no time. Then we move along to a 32-channel mid-sized analog console with sub masters, and it usually doesn’t take long for them to wrap their heads around the increased routing capabilities.

Only after I’m confident that they really understand the functionality and signal flow of analog mixing do they get an introduction digital. Another caution I invariably wind up issuing is to be careful of the “easy settings, wizards and presets” until they truly understand what they’re doing.

Let’s Get Small

Yamaha MG Series (XU models) compact analog mixers incorporate modern advantages like built-in digital effects, a 2-input/2-output USB audio interface and more.

Many production companies like mine prefer analog to digital when it comes to serving meetings and smaller gigs where a limited number of channels are required. We stock several 6-, 8-, 12-, and 16-channel models. There’s not the need for the expanded feature set of digital mixers for events of this scale, and the analog realm is a less expensive direction (remember, return on investment).

On most A/V gigs such as meetings and corporates, the general session (main presentation for the whole group) will often utilize a digital board, but the break-out rooms (smaller meeting spaces) and pre-function spaces (fancy term for lobby) that get music and announcements are primarily served with analog consoles.

They’re also a solid choice for performers, especially solo artists, as well as duos, trios, small bands, DJs, rehearsal spaces and project studios.

Many smaller analog models now offer built-in graphic EQ, basic channel compression, and a host of digital effects like reverbs, so no additional outboard gear is required. A colleague just purchased a compact analog mixer (new) for his garage rehearsal space, and it’s equipped with dual onboard FX units.

Many manufacturers smaller analog boards offering both XLR channels and line input stereo channels that really meet the needs of electronic performance musicians like keyboard players or soloists with samplers and looping devices. My company dedicates a few multi-stereo channel mixers as keyboard mixers for our backline department, allowing the musicians to mix their own stage sound.

More Capabilities

Another popular feature on analog mixers is a USB or FireWire interface so that it can be used as a multi-track recording interface with a computer and/or DAW.

Some units also offer the summing of the main bus to the recording as well as individual channels, and a few even have dedicated channel return buttons that allow for easy playback of the recorded tracks back through each mixer’s channels, perfect for project studios. One analog mixer I saw at a recent trade show has a built-in recording unit that can record directly to an SD card in addition to a USB interface.

In the recording world, an analog mixer with great preamps is preferred by many musicians and engineers over small, stand-alone recording interface devices because they also offer EQ and more routing options.

A big plus is that these “hybrid” models can be used as live and recording mixers, and in many cases as both at the same time, recording the live gig and used later for the mixdown.

Onboard Hi-Z guitar inputs are another feature offered on analog mixers, especially the ones set up to interface for recording. This eliminates the need for users to have a DI box because they can plug a guitar or bass directly into the mixer, and with good results. This feature can come in handy for smaller acts in a live setting as well.

A recent trend is analog models with built-in Bluetooth. This allows users to sync up with phones and tablets to provide source music through the system. Perfect for background or break music at events.

Perhaps the days of the large-frame analog consoles may be coming to a close, but it’s hard to see smaller and mid-sized analog models going away any time soon. They can be a cost-effective solution for smaller input gigs, often offer fantastic sounding preamps, provide multi-track interface capabilities, and for many, are just easier to mix on due to their dedicated controls.