Well... the project Ive dedicated to lately cant seem to consistently practice at all, theres always something getting in the way hindering progress. This time its a noise order from the council. We practice in my drummers house, ok its in a built up area and a terrace house but we were using combos and an electric kit, its not exactly Woodstock. Weve had 1 fucking practice there thats all and apparently they knocked the door twice while we were practicing, so says his flatmate PJ who actually went to the door but decided not to answer it (dubbed this illustrious title due to his Ride the Lightning pyjamas and reluctance to leave his bed). So thats all they did knock, not even speak to the landlord first or try to reason with us (we would have turned it down!!). Next thing I know theres a phone call from my drummer yesterday saying hes got a letter through the post threatening up to a £5000 fine. Apparently there have been incidents of indecent and loud behaviour on numerous occasions in the early hours and 1 incidence of "musical instrument practice". So they are going to record the times of future "loud" and "unreasonable" behaviour and possibly get a decibel meter off the council?!! I dont know. I really need to figure out a way of running everyone through headphones in a mix (we dont have a singer yet) and not pissing the neighbours off. Dudes, I seriously need your help on this one with suggestions
Practice problems... argh!!
- Thread starter imaginarybooks
- Start date
Rent a practice space. Some bands I know have even rented storage units away from neighborhoods and practice there.
Well the only way I can think of is to get a cheap mixer, run everything (V-drum kit, combo amps via headphone out, mic) into it, and then run the main output into an equally cheap headphone amp for all of the members. Now that I think of it, that's really not that bad of a solution - it'll be good to know these things when I start living in NYC again!
I was thinking something around those lines but with Pods instead of combos. The only problem I can see with this is the mixes going to the earphones will be the identical and it might seem very odd to play as a unit like this.
I put some more thought into this situation and I really should bite the bullet when it comes to a separate mix in everyone’s headphones. I will be tracking bands soon enough with a portable rig and might as well invest now and save some money later. I was browsing Google and came across this useful link http://psbg.emusician.com/ar/emusic_cans/index.htm
at the bottom of the page it explains a "more me" headphone mix and references to figures in the article explaining the setup but they have unfortunately left out the diagrams. I’m thinking a rack setup 2 POD XT pro's and a bass POD XT (possibly pod X3's by the time) with a mixer (maybe doubling as an audio interface also in order to record ideas on the fly) getting the signals (maybe as stereo signals) from the pods, the stereo outs of the electric drum kit and stereo outs of a laptop used for samples and synth. I then think I need to route the direct outs of the desk interface into some sort of splitter, then feed these direct outs 4 times over into 4 individual mixers as to create a personal headphone mix for every band member (jamming with or tracking). If anyone could fill in the gaps connection wise and equipment wise to what I need and need to do please feel free; I really need some help on this.
at the bottom of the page it explains a "more me" headphone mix and references to figures in the article explaining the setup but they have unfortunately left out the diagrams. I’m thinking a rack setup 2 POD XT pro's and a bass POD XT (possibly pod X3's by the time) with a mixer (maybe doubling as an audio interface also in order to record ideas on the fly) getting the signals (maybe as stereo signals) from the pods, the stereo outs of the electric drum kit and stereo outs of a laptop used for samples and synth. I then think I need to route the direct outs of the desk interface into some sort of splitter, then feed these direct outs 4 times over into 4 individual mixers as to create a personal headphone mix for every band member (jamming with or tracking). If anyone could fill in the gaps connection wise and equipment wise to what I need and need to do please feel free; I really need some help on this.
you're making it way too hard...get a couple of PODs, run then into a mixer with at least 4 aux sends - run each headphone mix off of a different aux out, adjusting the levels for guitar/bass/drums with the aux sends for whatever channel they're on
then you'll just need a few headphone amps to boost the signal between the aux send the phones. should be much cheaper/easier than using 4 separate mixers.
then you'll just need a few headphone amps to boost the signal between the aux send the phones. should be much cheaper/easier than using 4 separate mixers.
Cheers dude, I've rounded it down to: - BEHRINGER HA4700 POWERPLAY PRO-XL Headphone amp and a BEHRINGER UB2442FX-PRO EURORACK Mixer.
i was going to say...i thought the behringer headphone amp just took a single phone input, and split it 4 ways
i'm not sure exactly where you'd look for them, but the studio @ my school has a big pile of small headphone amps - roughly the size of a DI box...nothing but a 1/4" in and out, and a volume knob on top. i think they were purchased for $25-30 each. these would probably be exactly what you would need in this instance.
i'm not sure exactly where you'd look for them, but the studio @ my school has a big pile of small headphone amps - roughly the size of a DI box...nothing but a 1/4" in and out, and a volume knob on top. i think they were purchased for $25-30 each. these would probably be exactly what you would need in this instance.
No, I’m not being clear enough with my question. What do you mean run each headphone mix off an aux out? Would that mean the pods would need to go into the aux return's? And then for each channel I would mix the audio using the aux knobs 1-4 and use the post fader line outs or put the channel into a subgroup and then use the subgroup stereo outs straight into the aux inputs of the headphone amp? I can’t remember how but I’m sure there’s a way to assign an aux to an input such as a mic or line in. I am also not sure about routing channels into the sub groups on the Behringer desks; the manual is a bit long winded. As you can see I’m a bit of a dick, so any explanations regarding connections would be awesomely helpful. My plan is to somehow assign each instrument to an aux. Pod to aux 1 for example, bass to aux 2 drums to aux 3 etc. And then mix these somehow into 4 different mixes coming from the mixer into 4 separate inputs on the headphone amp. That’s sort of my objective; anything lesser would make it a bit impossible to work in that environment.
alright, for the sake of simplicity...let's say you have brand X mixer - guitar PODs go into channels 1/2 line in, bass POD into channel 3 line in. i'm not sure if the v-drums have a stereo or multichannel output, so we'll say it goes to channels 3-??
now for your 1st phone mix, turn up the aux 1 send on channels 1-3 for the guitar/bass, plus the aux 1 send on channels 3-?? for the drums. you might also have an aux 1 master, which you can turn up however you see fit.
now you plug your phones into the AUX 1 output. the mixer MIGHT provide enough volume to hear what you're doing, but most likely not...this is where you'll need a headphone amp between the aux out and the phones.
then repeat this same thing for the other 3 phones - using aux 2 for the next person, aux 3 for the one after that, and aux 4 for the last.
in short, you're running each instrument into its own mixer channel, then setting up a mix for each player on their individual aux outs. then you're amplifying the aux outs enough to power headphones.
if you want, you can do the same thing with subgroups and run the subgroup outs to the amp/phones, but you won't have the same amount of control over individual levels. if the channel sends to the subgroup are pre-fader, then each phone will get the prefader level for the individual instruments. if it's post-fader, then any change to the channel fader will change that instrument's level across ALL of the phones mixes, which defeats the purpose of having a seperate mix for each person.
hopefully that explains shit enough for you to do what you're trying to...
now for your 1st phone mix, turn up the aux 1 send on channels 1-3 for the guitar/bass, plus the aux 1 send on channels 3-?? for the drums. you might also have an aux 1 master, which you can turn up however you see fit.
now you plug your phones into the AUX 1 output. the mixer MIGHT provide enough volume to hear what you're doing, but most likely not...this is where you'll need a headphone amp between the aux out and the phones.
then repeat this same thing for the other 3 phones - using aux 2 for the next person, aux 3 for the one after that, and aux 4 for the last.
in short, you're running each instrument into its own mixer channel, then setting up a mix for each player on their individual aux outs. then you're amplifying the aux outs enough to power headphones.
if you want, you can do the same thing with subgroups and run the subgroup outs to the amp/phones, but you won't have the same amount of control over individual levels. if the channel sends to the subgroup are pre-fader, then each phone will get the prefader level for the individual instruments. if it's post-fader, then any change to the channel fader will change that instrument's level across ALL of the phones mixes, which defeats the purpose of having a seperate mix for each person.
hopefully that explains shit enough for you to do what you're trying to...
Yeah dude, you are an absolute legend!! Thing is will pan and fader level affect the aux out mix and is the aux out in stereo?
You don't need one with 4 aux's- one with 2 aux's and then use left and right out for the other 2- much more likely to find a cheap desk with this setup than with 4 aux's- its more confusing though, depending on whether they are post or pre fade aux's( probably one of each is what you'll get) . the faders and pans will be very important if you decide to go with a small desk with 2 aux's and use the outputs for the others. it'll be more confusing but you'll understand analogue desks alot better one you get the hang of it.
Loren Littlejohn
Lover of all boobage.
I have decided that the UK is full of uptight silver spoon up the ass people. 
Really this is about the 4th complaint/shitty story from the UK in the last 2 weeks.
Really this is about the 4th complaint/shitty story from the UK in the last 2 weeks.
