Mackie mixers are among the best in the industry. In fact, they are so good that many professional studios use them on a daily basis. However, Mackie mixers can be tricky to use for beginners. That’s why this article will go over how to operate a Mackie mixer and some of its basic features!
- Learning How To Use A Mackie Mixer
- Understand the Basics of a Mackie Mixer
- What is a Mackie Mixer Used For?
- Knowing What All Those Buttons Are For On A Mackie mixer
- What Is An Auxiliary Send And How Do You Use It On A Mackie Mixer
- Understanding What Different Channels Are Used For In Production Work And Live Shows
- Added Helpful Tips On How To Use A Mackie Mixer
- Conclusion
- Related Articles
Learning How To Use A Mackie Mixer
The first things you need to do are…
-Set up your Mackie mixer in a comfortable and safe location. It’s important to be able to easily reach all of the knobs, as well as any additional controls on the front or back panel.
-Plug it into an outlet with enough power for its needs (a good rule is that you should plug it into a circuit that has 15 amps of power for every 1000 watts of Mackie mixer).
-Use a high-quality cable to plug the two main parts together (the amp or powered speakers and the mixer) – this is crucial, as it will ensure you don’t have any issues with signal strength.
Now that you have power to your mixer and it is connected to a power amp or speakers, you’re ready to start using the mixer.
-Start by plugging in your instrument or microphone into one of the numbered inputs on the back of Mackie mixers, starting with input #01 and then building up. This will ensure that each sound has its own unique channel so they don’t interfere with each other during playback.
Once you have plugged in all your microphones or instruments, you are ready to start using your mixer.
Understand the Basics of a Mackie Mixer
The basic functions of Mackie mixers are the same as any other mixer, but they feature a number of additional features that make them stand out from their competition.
The Mackie mixers have an exclusive “Sweet Spot” EQ curve and noise suppression systems to ensure you get the cleanest possible sound, which will enhance your production value immensely. The way you find this “sweet spot” is by adjusting the treble and bass controls until you hear the balanced sound that you are looking for.
Mackie mixers also have a built-in limiter to help protect your speakers or headphones from being overdriven, which will save you money in the long run as it is important to use equipment at its optimum volume level without causing damage.
The basic functions of any audio mixer include adjusting the volume levels of your channels, as well as panning and other basic functions. These functions are controlled by using the knobs, or sliders, that you will find on the panel of your mixer.
What is a Mackie Mixer Used For?
Mackie Mixers can be used to mix sound or audio signals in a variety of ways and venues. What a Mackie mixer can be used for is dependent on the type of sound mixing technique that you want to accomplish. What a Mackie mixer is used for ranges from live concerts, theater productions, and radio broadcasts all the way down to home music recording studios. Mackie mixers are a favorite of houses of worship because they are designed to excel in the different types of audio and sound engineering for those venues.
What Mackie mixers can be used for doesn’t stop there, Mackie mixers have been integral parts of some of the most iconic bands and music productions in history.
Knowing What All Those Buttons Are For On A Mackie mixer
Knowing what all those buttons are for on a Mackie mixer can seem like an intimidating task. Knowing how to use that button will help you do your job better and faster so it’s best to know which one does what when the need arises.
Here is an explanation
– Channel Strip: This is where you’ll find EQs, compressors, gates, filters, etc.
– Aux: This is where you’ll find effects and sends
– Master Fader: This button will control the volume of all channels. It also has a solo function which can be used to remove any channel from being heard
– Outputs/Phones: These buttons are for controlling the speaker outputs or headphone level. The USB output on some Mackie mixers is a great way to record audio without having to have any other equipment
– Aux Switch: This button turns the aux on or off so you can monitor what’s coming in from your computer
– Channel Mute/Solo: These buttons are for muting and soloing channels. Knowing when to use which one is important depending on what you are trying to accomplish with your mix.
– Channel Fader: This is for controlling the volume of that particular channel. Knowing what a fader does will save you time and frustration when it comes to mixing.
Knowing what all those buttons are for on a Mackie mixer can be confusing at first, but with practice becomes second nature.
What Is An Auxiliary Send And How Do You Use It On A Mackie Mixer
The auxiliary send (also sometimes called the “aux send”) on your mixing console allows you to route one track’s signal through another. You can then process that routed signal in any way you like, before sending it back into the mix. This is helpful when you are mixing a guitar amp and want to add some distortion or reverb before sending the signal back into your mix.
You can also use the auxiliary send to send a different mix to your live streaming computer giving it a more professional sound.
Understanding What Different Channels Are Used For In Production Work And Live Shows
Understanding what different channels are used for in production work is important to be able to do live shows. For instance, if there is a piano solo and the pianist is not raising their volume, then the sound engineer will raise the level on the particular channel the piano is on.
Again, understanding the channels is important in live shows because there could be a soloist and they may need to control their volume for whatever reason, so when this happens then the sound engineer will lower or raise that individual channel.
You also need to understand what different channels are used for in production work also including how many microphones should be on one instrument like the drums, or person, which can vary depending on if that one instrument is being mic’ed on its own or in conjunction with other instruments such as in an orchestra.
Added Helpful Tips On How To Use A Mackie Mixer
Here are some additional helpful tips on using a Mackie Mixer:
– Keep your mixer on a sturdy surface.
– Start by plugging in the power cord to an outlet and then turn it on with the switch near the top of the panel. Your LED screen will light up, showing you that it has been turned on successfully.
– Always make sure all inputs are set correctly before you begin to add inputs to your mixer.
– For a Mackie Mixer, the Master Level and Auxiliary Level should be set to 0dB.
– Make sure your inputs are of the same signal level or you will get some distortion in sound quality. You will end up overdriving the signal.
– If your mixer has an Aux Send, you can use it to send the sound elsewhere. This can be to an effects processor or to a live streaming computer.
Conclusion
We hope that by reading this article, you now have a better understanding of Mackie mixers and how they can be used in your own production work.
In today’s world where sound is so important, there are plenty of reasons why these mixers should be on every Worship Pastor’s list!
Related Articles
8 Frequently Asked Questions about Mackie Mixers
