r/dawless • u/sour_jar_machina • 1d ago

Routing question

How does one route a synth, guitar setup, e-drums into a single audio interface? I’m leaving my DAW as a composition tool and going back to a basic “band” setup. I don’t want to have to be plugging in and out constantly disrupting the workflow, so I’m guessing a basic mixer is the solution? I’m horrible at this kind of stuff obviously so just looking for some clarification. Thanks in advance 🙏

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u/Billy-Beats 1d ago

I got the Tascam studiobridge, and I love it. I have it paired with an Allen Heath Mixwizard3.

Same basic workflow as a tape machine.

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u/FlorianJourde 1d ago

If you already have an audio interface, go for a mixer ! Mackie pridocues good ones

Audio interface with a lot of input like Motu are good for dividing signal into a DAW but there expensive 🫰🏻

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u/areyouhighson 1d ago

Mixer or an interface with enough inputs.

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u/Debilitating_ennui 1d ago

I use the Mackie ProFX6 for this exact purpose. This one's a winner for small set ups. There really isn't anything better for the price. Mixer, effects and interface in one

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u/AetherAtom 1d ago edited 1d ago

Tascam Model 12 - Changed my life forever, a few months in now with it, and I'm never going to need a DAW, goodbye Zoom R12, goodbye looper station. Hello simple turn it on and make music, changes on the fly no problem, set Recording Marks on the fly no problem. Bounce, assign to track, loop, punch in, no problem.

Bonus points for being a full blown Audio Interface, Mixer, and DAW, the Mastering results are a dream, and I am now just as interested to learn about Audio Engineering as I am about Learning more about music and growing out my creative interests in my own music production.

Sweet Insanity of Groovin in Sound.

I'm a noob in every way, so my opinions here are based on my own experiences, and winning my battle over frustrations that I was bashing my head against a brick wall with.

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u/Careless_Resolve_213 1d ago

I'm kind of a black sheep on this one, but it works for me. I have 4 synths going into a mixer>stereo signal from mixer goes into two channels on a tape deck> also using two additional inputs on the tape deck for drums/samplers>stereo signal from the deck goes into a USB interface. It's a lot, but I have the option of going fully analog, or plugging the interface into my phone and recording clean tracks individually.

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u/deadpoetlive 1d ago

Joint mixer/audio interface (I got 2nd hand soundcraft 12mtk) might suit for simplicity and also have extra inputs for expansion and multi tracking into a DAW.

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u/ubiquity75 1d ago

I have the Arturia 16Rig and love it.

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u/Wunjo26 21h ago

You get a digital mixer that can act like an audio interface. I use the Zoom LiveTrak L-12 and it works great. All of the channels show up in my daw and it also has a built-in SD recorder so you can record each track to the sd card while using it as an audio interface. I do this when I’m jamming with friends

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u/ReadyLingonberry5846 1d ago

I'm in the same boat. I'm looking into Tascam 12. It's basically a mixer and an audio interface at the same time.

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u/TrippDJ71 1d ago

And a recorder , and a DAW controller and has Bluetooth. 😍

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u/sour_jar_machina 1d ago

I was looking at this as well, could be nice for a near complete DAW replacement. I’m trying to steer away from going crazy with layering and using a shit ton of plugins. Trying to go back to the basics