The Mackie 1642 Mixing Board

The Mackie mixing board is one of the most important elements to have set up correctly in the DAW, as it connects, or “patches” all the audio inputs to the outputs (see Routing in the DAW for a list of inputs and outputs). People often get overwhelmed by looking at the mixing board, but with a little explanation, it is pretty straightforward.  The mixer can be divided into three sections: the patch bay, the output section, and the channel strips.  Each of these sections are explained in detail below:

	The patch bay is where all hardware input connections are located.  In the DAW, please only plug into channels 1 or 2 as changing  other wiring will cause complications in hardware functionality.
	The channel strips contain all the controls for each of the inputs connected to the mixer.
	The output section controls where the final mix is outputted from the mixer: to the computer, headphones, tape deck, or monitor speakers.  It also contains controls that regulate the overall volume of audio sent to each of these outputs.

Volume on the mixer is measured in decibels, or dB.  As a dB value decreases, the audio volume goes down. As it increases, the volume gets louder. To take proper care of the mixer, you should avoid pushing the faders past 0dB.

Warning: Anything above 0dB increases the volume of the audio source past its incoming level. Working in this range increases the possibility of distortion and can potentially damage the mixer.

The Patch Bay:

The patch bay is where all the physical input connections are made on the mixing board.  Remember to only plug into channels 1 and 2 as indicated in the image below, and never plug or unplug any other channels!  If a connection seems to be incorrect or a channel is not working correctly, e-mail lsthelp@u.washington.edu and the problem will be resolved as soon as possible.

Microphone/Guitar Inputs - To record from a microphone or electric guitar directly to the Mackie Mixer, there are two channels you can use: the first and second channels on the board. For microphones, plug the provided XLR cables found in the DAW case into either of the blue highlighted jacks located at the top-left of the patch bay. Other line level inputs, such as an electric guitar, can be plugged into the “line in” jacks highlighted in green.

The Channel Strips:

Each channel strip, or column, contains controls for an input (i.e. a microphone, the PodPro, etc.). There are a lot of controls on each channel, but do not be overwhelmed, you will not need to use all of these controls to record in the DAW.  Below is a list of each control's function, aligned with a picture of the control.

1. Trim Knob – Controls the upper volume threshold outputted from each input channel on the mixer. The trim knob adjusts the upper volume threshold of each channel to the value the trim knob is adjusted to, a value between -45dB and +15dB. 2. Auxiliary Sends - Adjusts how sound is “sent” and “returned” to and from the board. These controls are usually used to add effects to each channel individually.  Since we have no hardware effects in the DAW, none of these controls are used. 3. Equalizer Knobs - Manipulate how loud low (bass), middle, or high (treble) frequencies from an incoming signal come through.  The process of selecting these levels is called “Equalization.”  In using the DAW, it is best to record first and equalize digitally on the computer afterward.  In short, you should leave these knobs set at 0dB (straight up). 4. Pan – Biases the perceived position of the input audio source to the left or right.  Simply move the knob to the left to bias audio to the left speaker, and right to bias audio to the right speaker. 5. Solo & Mute Buttons – The solo button is located above the channel assign buttons and to the right of the channel volume fader.  When selected, the solo button mutes all other channels and only allows sound to be passed through that channel.  Multiple channels may be soloed at once.  The mute button is located above the channel volume fader. This does the opposite of the solo button: it mutes the given track from your mix.  6. Channel Volume Fader - Adjusts the output volume of each input. If a fader is down, the output volume will be -infinity dB.  As you move a fader up, it increases the volume.  The highest volume that the fader can reach is set by the trim knob. 7. Channel Assign Buttons – Designates which output the given input is routed to. The “1-2” button sends audio to the computer.  The “3-4” button is not used in the DAW.  The L/R button sends audio to the monitor speakers and headphones.

The Output Section:

The output section controls where and how you route your mix, whether to the computer, the tape deck, the monitor speakers, or headphones.  You will need a working knowledge of the following controls in the output section to use the DAW:

Headphone & Speaker Volume Knobs – Highlighted in green, these knobs scale the upper threshold for the volume of the audio being outputted to the headphones and monitor speakers respectively. Control Room - The small box below the speaker volume knob, highlighted here in blue, contains selection buttons that designate what audio is sent to the monitor speakers and headphones. To monitor an input or audio you are playing back from the computer, select the "Main Mix" button. To check if audio is being sent to the computer, select “Subs 1-2.” “Subs 3-4” is not connected to anything.  Selecting the "Tape" button allows you to hear what is being sent to the tape deck. It is best that only one output source is selected to be monitored at a time.

Main Mix Volume Fader - This fader controls the overall volume of your mix before it is sent to the headphones or speakers for monitoring.

Sub-Out Volume Faders – These four sliders are located directly to the left of the Main Volume Fader.  Channels 1 and 2 control how loud the left and right audio channels are going into the computer.  If you are recording audio, it is best to have faders 1 and 2 at the same level, anywhere between -12dB to 0dB.  Faders 3 & 4 are not connected to anything in the DAW, and can be left down.

 

We will now learn how the mixer is set up to route audio in the DAW.