Need Recording Help
 

I want to record our oldies duo. I'm looking at the Soundcraft Notepad 12FX mixer with USB. We're using two vocal mics, stereo feed from the laptop for our backing tracks, and I can run a direct out from either my Evans RE200 or DV Mark guitar amp into the mixer. The main left and right mixer outs would go to a pair of Mackie Thump 12A powered cabinets to the house.

Now, am I correct that I can run the USB out into another laptop and record whatever's going through the mixer using Audacity (or whatever)and monitor through headphones? Never tried doing this direct before - always used mics which left something to be desired and picked up room noise.

That should work. But keep in mind that the mix may not be ideal for a recording. For example, the house will be hearing your amps directly as well as thru the PA, so the guitars may sound lower on the recording than they did live.

If your budget allows, there are mixers that will actually record each track individually, and you can mix later.

Along with the ability to record multi-track, some mixers support USB memory stick media so a second laptop is not required.

Fran

That would be great! Can you give me examples? All I can find is USB out to another computer. Been looking at Mackie and Soundcraft - I think they do 4 channels out into USB which would work for us.

If it were me I would bite the bullet pay the extra $300 or so and go for the Soundcraft Signature 12 "MTK" version
It already comes with Ableton Live 10 Lite DAW software and will output 12 channels USB
It has upgraded Soundcraft Ghost Mic pre's and Sapphyre Assymetric EQ

https://www.soundcraft.com/en/products/signature-12-mtk

Thanks for the suggestions! The Soundcraft 12 MTK sounds like a good idea but right now, I want to go as simple and low budget as I can. I'm going to run the extra two 1/4" outs from the board to my Behringer UMC204, then USB straight to the second laptop for recording. Not trying to do anything fancy - just get it recorded. Not sure why we're even doing it but my playing partner asked if I had a way of recording us and I was looking for a way to do it with equipment on hand without using mics. If he wants to go further, he can get out his checkbook!!

The QSC Touchmix is what I have, tho this is an increasing common feature, so I know there are others. The Touchmix has a USB out, and you can record to an external hard drive (recommended), tho a USB stick has worked fine for me up to 8 tracks. You can choose to record individual tracks or the mix. If you record individual tracks, it records pre-fader and pre-effects, and you can simply play back right in the mixer and remix, tweak, added reverb, etc. You can also just load the files into a computer/DAW later.

If you record just the mix, as I mentioned, you may find that the balance isn't what you expect, since you have sound sources that aren't probably aren't going thru the PA at the level you'd expect if that was all you were listening to. But you never know until you try.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I ended up with a new Yamaha MG10XU mixer that works as an interface - USB out to my laptop running Reaper. Preliminary tests at home seem to be favorable - will try it on the gig tomorrow night. If I can't get the guitar to sit right in the mix, I just won't record it and wait until later to add the guitar parts before editing and sending it out as MP3. I just switched from Audacity to Reaper and like it a lot so far.