Hello All!
I'm new to playing the bass and am enjoying the challenge. Someone recently recommended picking up a small 4-channel mixer console, like a Behringer or Yamaha, etc. Said that good options can be found for under $100.00 US, and it never hurts to have a little mixer on hand and in your gig bag.
Would anybody be able to better explain what the benefits of having one would be and would i be overkill for someone this new in the game? Also, perhaps make a recommendation as to a good one for a beginner?
I used to run an Ashley MX508 rack mixer with a power amp instead of a bass amp. Like many mixers, the 1/4" input was line level so I used Shure A95U line matching transformers to plug into the mic input. Some small mixers have High Z inputs which will work with basses and guitars. This is something you need to look for IMHO.
The reason I ran a rack mixer is because I sometimes switched between bass guitar, electric upright, and double bass. The Ashley had a button the switched between the line and mic inputs. It pretty much worked like a mute button for me.
I also sometimes added a pair Galaxy Hotspots on the other side of the power amp as monitors. I ran the monitor send from front of house into the Ashley rack mixer so I could control the volume and adjust the balance of bass in the mix.
Sometimes I also used the rig as a small PA. I used my normal bass speaker on one monitor mix, up to four Galaxy Hotspots on a second monitor mix, and then ran two powered speakers off the stereo bus.
One time I was in the middle of a gig and another musician's amp crapped out. I had him plug into the Ashley and made a few adjustments and we finished the gig with no problems.
If you get a compact mixer, another possible use would be as a headphone amp. You could plug in your bass and a media player for silent practice. Or you could use it to manage your monitor mix if you decide to run in ear monitors (IEMs). For example you could use a DI with your bass. Send the Thru from the DI to the high Z input of your mixer so you have local control. The you get a monitor send, or two from front of house with a full band mix. If you sing you can also buy a mic splitter so you can have local control of our mic level in your IEM mix.
As you see, there are lot's of potential uses for a little mixer. But consider the opportunity cost, I.E. spending money on a mixer might mean you can't buy something else you need more.
