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Crazy and stupid idea

#21
Seth DuSith said:
but if my iPad ever died I would be screwed
Click to expand...

That is highly unlikely. Apple sold 10 Million iPads from April to June in 2023. They reliable or Apple wouldn't be able to sell them. Even so, You back it up. I recently replaced my iPad, it was simple as it did all the restoring from back ups of the previous iPad, including my user data.
You should look into getting an iCloud account to back up your songs you create. Backups are a good thing.
Backups are also needed for Digital mixers to save all the presets.
Backups are a way of life, even people with analog mixers tend to carry a spare.

+1 on the Behringer Flow-8 being a good mini digital mixer. It also doubles as an audio interface for and PC or iPad.

BTW, here is a thread on a TB member trying to trade in top-notch Yamaha analog mixer for a new Digital one.
GC Trade in's
If you want a high-end analog mixer, you can get them cheap these days.
 
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#22
seamonkey said:
That is highly unlikely. Apple sold 10 Million iPads from April to June in 2023. They reliable or Apple wouldn't be able to sell them. Even so, You back it up. I recently replaced my iPad, it was simple as it did all the restoring from back ups of the previous iPad, including my user data.
You should look into getting an iCloud account to back up your songs you create. Backups are a good thing.
Backups are also needed for Digital mixers to save all the presets.
Backups are a way of life, even people with analog mixers tend to carry a spare.

+1 on the Behringer Flow-8 being a good mini digital mixer. It also doubles as an audio interface for and PC or iPad.

BTW, here is a thread on a TB member trying to trade in top-notch Yamaha analog mixer for a new Digital one.
GC Trade in's
If you want a high-end analog mixer, you can get them cheap these days.
Click to expand...
Truth be told, that's pretty comforting to know. I depend on my iPad more than I care to admit. And I do have iCloud, thankfully, it's more or less, I don't think I'd have the money to buy a new one for a long time. They have such crazy prices right now. I was lucky to get the iPad I managed to get

And I think that's what I'll do, look around the used market. I might be better off since people are switching to digital. In a way, I like as much of my equipment to be analog as I can. If I had the money, I would just write the song on garageband, but perform it all analog. In time, I think this might actually be possible for me
 
#23
Seth DuSith said:
Okay guys, I have a stupid idea. What if a man were to take a cheap mixer, and split his signal 2 or 3 times, wirh different sounds, and feed it into his combo bass amp? Tell me if this idea would be stupid or harmful for my amp or not.
Click to expand...
The one problem I see with this idea, that nobody else has addressed yet, is that you'd need an honest-to-goodness signal splitter, not just a couple of Y cables. Otherwise, the signal each channel of the mixer would get would be weaker than normal, and probably with a higher noise-to-signal ratio, probably to the point of being unusable.
 
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#24
BlueTalon said:
The one problem I see with this idea, that nobody else has addressed yet, is that you'd need an honest-to-goodness signal splitter, not just a couple of Y cables. Otherwise, the signal each channel of the mixer would get would be weaker than normal, and probably with a higher noise-to-signal ratio, probably to the point of being unusable.
Click to expand...
Yea i think I'll just get the Electro-Harmonix pedal for this one, specifically for my bass sound. But how about if I were plugging a bass preamp, an iPad, and a synth into a mixer? Would the same problem still exist? And this is assuming Im using DI ports for each sound source (excluding the preamp which already has an XLR)

Supposedly, with the mixer I linked, you can connect digital devices like an iPad via Bluetooth, or even with a USB, so I am crossing my fingers that I might only need a DI box for my synth (which might have an XLR port, I didn't actually get the synth yet)
 
#25
My advice is to buy the cheap analog mixer and some cables and the effects you want and start experimenting. That's how I started as a kid, granted that was in the 80's. I was using my dad's 4Ch Casino mixer and an old Ibanez chorus pedal and my Gibson EBO. I'm sure it sounded awful.

I did lots of experimenting, went to school for a degree in electrical engineering (analog/discrete electronics), and then ended up with a pretty good career doing electronics design work. Not that you're looking for a career, but my point is that my curiosity began with a pile of junk my dad still had from when he was in a band in the '70s and it went from there.
 
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#26
lowfreqgeek said:
My advice is to buy the cheap analog mixer and some cables and the effects you want and start experimenting. That's how I started as a kid, granted that was in the 80's. I was using my dad's 4Ch Casino mixer and an old Ibanez chorus pedal and my Gibson EBO. I'm sure it sounded awful.

I did lots of experimenting, went to school for a degree in electrical engineering (analog/discrete electronics), and then ended up with a pretty good career doing electronics design work. Not that you're looking for a career, but my point is that my curiosity began with a pile of junk my dad still had from when he was in a band in the '70s and it went from there.
Click to expand...
Okay, I will definitely do that. There isn't any harm in trying, the worst case is it will be a learning lesson for me, which in itself is a positive step in the direction I want to go. Thanks for the support
 
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#27
seamonkey said:
That is highly unlikely. Apple sold 10 Million iPads from April to June in 2023. They reliable or Apple wouldn't be able to sell them. Even so, You back it up. I recently replaced my iPad, it was simple as it did all the restoring from back ups of the previous iPad, including my user data.
You should look into getting an iCloud account to back up your songs you create. Backups are a good thing.
Backups are also needed for Digital mixers to save all the presets.
Backups are a way of life, even people with analog mixers tend to carry a spare.

+1 on the Behringer Flow-8 being a good mini digital mixer. It also doubles as an audio interface for and PC or iPad.

BTW, here is a thread on a TB member trying to trade in top-notch Yamaha analog mixer for a new Digital one.
GC Trade in's
If you want a high-end analog mixer, you can get them cheap these days.
Click to expand...
Funny, I never had to back-up any of my analog consoles, nor did I ever have to do firmware/software updates. They worked perfectly until the day I was forced to retire them (not for any reason but folks were demanding digital so they could thrash about with their messed up show files). I did keep them as back-up consoles for the few times that a touring act's console wouldn't boot up... at that point they were worth many times their "salvage value".
 
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#28
Seth DuSith said:
Yea i think I'll just get the Electro-Harmonix pedal for this one, specifically for my bass sound. But how about if I were plugging a bass preamp, an iPad, and a synth into a mixer? Would the same problem still exist? And this is assuming Im using DI ports for each sound source (excluding the preamp which already has an XLR)

Supposedly, with the mixer I linked, you can connect digital devices like an iPad via Bluetooth, or even with a USB, so I am crossing my fingers that I might only need a DI box for my synth (which might have an XLR port, I didn't actually get the synth yet)
Click to expand...
I'd be really surprised if you needed a DI box for a synth. You should be able to go straight from the synth to the mixer. And I don't see any problem with using a bass preamp, an iPad, and a synth into a mixer.

My previous comment about using a signal splitter instead of Y cables was written under the assumption that you were trying to split a bass guitar signal three ways, use different effects on each signal, combine them in the mixer, and use that into a bass amp. There's nothing wrong with that idea, you just need to make sure that your signals aren't degraded when they're split.
 
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#29
BlueTalon said:
I'd be really surprised if you needed a DI box for a synth. You should be able to go straight from the synth to the mixer. And I don't see any problem with using a bass preamp, an iPad, and a synth into a mixer.

My previous comment about using a signal splitter instead of Y cables was written under the assumption that you were trying to split a bass guitar signal three ways, use different effects on each signal, combine them in the mixer, and use that into a bass amp. There's nothing wrong with that idea, you just need to make sure that your signals aren't degraded when they're split.
Click to expand...
Okay I see what you mean. Thanks for the advice in that regard. I'm not sure if I will do that or not, but if I do, I will be sure to make that purchase too. Thanks for taking the tiem to explain. Same goes for everyone else in this thread too
 
#32
Check out GarageBand on your iPad. Then head off to YouTube for tons of help from people doing all their recordings with simple gear into an iPad.

A inexpensive mixer can be the hub of your practice setup, and I did that for years. Then I bought a used Zoom B3n and connected to my iPad or computer. Eliminated a web of playback devices and gear like loopers and drum machines. The Zoom has it all in one. Not a bad little unit for guitar either, the Bassman model sounds great.

At the moment I just use the audio out from the iPad via stereo 3.5 mm cord to the aux in of the B3n. But connecting via usb would let me do patch and fx editing on screen rather than on the unit, a very nice way to tweak sounds.

Programs like amplitude can give you a studio full of classic amps and effects.

For the cost of a small mixer, you can get an interface. The Zoom also serves as an interface.
 
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#33
singlemalt said:
Check out GarageBand on your iPad. Then head off to YouTube for tons of help from people doing all their recordings with simple gear into an iPad.

A inexpensive mixer can be the hub of your practice setup, and I did that for years. Then I bought a used Zoom B3n and connected to my iPad or computer. Eliminated a web of playback devices and gear like loopers and drum machines. The Zoom has it all in one. Not a bad little unit for guitar either, the Bassman model sounds great.

At the moment I just use the audio out from the iPad via stereo 3.5 mm cord to the aux in of the B3n. But connecting via usb would let me do patch and fx editing on screen rather than on the unit, a very nice way to tweak sounds.

Programs like amplitude can give you a studio full of classic amps and effects.

For the cost of a small mixer, you can get an interface. The Zoom also serves as an interface.
Click to expand...
I do that with my Zoom b1 when I record, but my issue is trying to get something that works in a live environment, that involves me performing it on as high a degree as possible. I also prefer analog. Something that will allow me to plug all my music into one unit and mix the volumes and such, when I play it live
 
#35
IMG_2033.jpeg
This is the hub of my electronic music setup. Synths, drum machines, a bass preamp and fx all routed to the 14 channel Allen and heath mixer. These all play back through a powered PA speaker. Since it’s all patched in and ready to go when I flip the master power on and turn on a few synths. I can write parts to a midi sequencer 2 minutes after I walk in.

Get an inexpensive mixer (used 8-16 channel is ideal) and have fun!
 
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#37
Get an analog mixer with 4-8 output busses. They can be scooped up for a bargain, split your signal to at least the number of busses (even more if there's Aux sends, Matrices, and a LR and Mono bus), and allow you to blend how much signal goes to each output so you can blend sounds and create textures.

Back when guitar player like rack rigs, it was common to use a small rack mixer to send a signal through to multiple pre-amps and outboard effects units.

You're idea isn't crazy or stupid--it's late 80's/early 90's session guitarist!!!:roflmao:
 
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#38
dBChad said:
Get an analog mixer with 4-8 output busses. They can be scooped up for a bargain, split your signal to at least the number of busses (even more if there's Aux sends, Matrices, and a LR and Mono bus), and allow you to blend how much signal goes to each output so you can blend sounds and create textures.

Back when guitar player like rack rigs, it was common to use a small rack mixer to send a signal through to multiple pre-amps and outboard effects units.

You're idea isn't crazy or stupid--it's late 80's/early 90's session guitarist!!!:roflmao:
Click to expand...

The Ashley 508 was a common solution.
 
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#39
Stylee Mousse said:
View attachment 5161892 This is the hub of my electronic music setup. Synths, drum machines, a bass preamp and fx all routed to the 14 channel Allen and heath mixer. These all play back through a powered PA speaker. Since it’s all patched in and ready to go when I flip the master power on and turn on a few synths. I can write parts to a midi sequencer 2 minutes after I walk in.

Get an inexpensive mixer (used 8-16 channel is ideal) and have fun!
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing! What type of stuff would you recommend to a beginner looking to get into the hobby? I envy your set up, it's magnificent

dBChad said:
Get an analog mixer with 4-8 output busses. They can be scooped up for a bargain, split your signal to at least the number of busses (even more if there's Aux sends, Matrices, and a LR and Mono bus), and allow you to blend how much signal goes to each output so you can blend sounds and create textures.

Back when guitar player like rack rigs, it was common to use a small rack mixer to send a signal through to multiple pre-amps and outboard effects units.

You're idea isn't crazy or stupid--it's late 80's/early 90's session guitarist!!!:roflmao:
Click to expand...
That is such a good thing to know lol. I wondered if I was being a nut case, I'm happy to hear that I'm not.
 
#40
Line mixer / mixer plus a number of preamps or signal chains works fine.

Dialing in a sound will have a lot more variables. Three great tones together can sound like mud, whereas three ugly tones can combine and be awesome.
 

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