Connect Mixer To Audio Interface For Recording: Step by Step

Learn how to connect your mixer to an audio interface for recording or live streaming. discover the cables you need and how to get the correct recording levels in your daw or recording software.

If you want to record music through a mixer on your computer, or get a great live streaming setup, this short video will walk you through the connections step by step.

connecting a mixer to an audio interface: video tutorial

all the gear you need

Here is a list of the equipment used in the video tutorial and this step-by-step guide:

• yamaha mg06 mixing console https://geni.us/lbhx
• behringer usb mixer https://geni.us/q1002usb
• focusrite 4i4 audio interface : https://geni.us/mlybac
• behringer u-control usb audio interface https://geni.us/u-control
• sony studio headphones: https:/ /geni .us/sony-mdr7506
• shure sm7b vocal microphone for voiceover: https://geni.us/sm7b-mic
• trs to ts connection cable: https ://geni. us/trs-ts
• ts to rca audio cable: https://geni.us/ts-rca
• ts to ts audio cables: https://geni. us/dual-ts
• trs to trs audio cable: https://geni.us/trs-tr

why connect your mixer to the interface?

Can a mixer be connected to an audio interface? if you can! this post will show you how to do it, step by step.

why should you want to connect your mixer to an audio interface? It will allow you to record the microphones, instruments and other audio sources connected to your mixer on your computer or live your stereo mix.

In this post we will focus on connections. find out which cables you need and what plugs in where.

different mixers and interfaces = different cables

As you’ll see, the cables you’ll need will depend on your particular mixing console and interface. To demonstrate, we look at two different mixers and two different interfaces to explain some of the things you need to think about.

install your interface and switch to line level

Firstly, make sure your audio interface is correctly installed and connected to your computer, most likely via USB. The audio signal coming from your mixer will be line level, so make sure if you have Combo inputs that you have switched them to line level. On a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, you can just toggle the switches on the interface itself.

with a focusrite scarlett 4i4, you need to do this in the focusrite control panel.

for comparison, the simplest behringer u-control only has line inputs, so there is nothing to do. you can make a direct connection from your mixer, via the line out.

If your audio interface has built-in gain control, start with the gain knobs down when connecting cables.

Behringer’s u-control does not have a built-in gain adjustment, so this is not a problem.

later in the post, you’ll find out how to set your recording levels.

set mixer main outputs to unity

Moving back to the mixers now. Let’s assume you have already plugged in all your audio sources and adjusted the gain and levels for each channel individually. There are plenty of tutorials on how to setup your mixer elsewhere.

Now you need to set your mixer’s main output to the drive setting. on the yamaha mg06 mixer, the unit is at three o’clock and is marked with a small arrow.

On the behringer q802usb, the drive setting is at 12 o’clock and is marked with a zero. refer to your mixer’s manual and set it up on the unit. now, you’re ready to feed the mixer’s line outputs to your interface’s line inputs.

connect the line outputs of the mixer to the line inputs on the interface (balanced)

The Yamaha MG06 mixing console, has two sets of outputs and they are both balanced. The line inputs of the Focusrite 4i4 audio interface are also balanced. You have a choice in this case. You can use balanced XLR to TRS cables, one for the left channel and one for the right.

or you can use a pair of quarter inch trs balanced jack cables. again one for the left and one for the right.

Take the cables of your choice and connect the mixer’s left output to the channel one input on the interface and the mixer’s right output to channel two.

pro tip: what you shouldn’t do is use xlr to xlr cables in this scenario even though they physically fit. if you have any interface with combi inputs, like the focusrite scarlett 4i4.

why?

because if you connect an xlr cable to this type of interface, the interface will expect a mic level signal.

You must connect a quarter inch jack cable to the interface and make sure you have selected the line level option. that way the line level signal from the mixer will be treated correctly.

connect the line outputs of the mixer to the line inputs on the interface (unbalanced)

Compare the Yamaha MG06 to the Behringer mixer. The Q802USB happens to have a USB audio interface built in, so it is possible to plug it straight into a computer to record or stream. But for the purpose of tutorial, let’s assume this is a standard non-USB mixing console.

the behringer q802usb only has quarter inch outputs, no xlr and according to the manual these are unbalanced. so in this case use quarter inch jack cables again, but you can use ts cables, which are unbalanced.

If you want to know more about audio cables and connectors, and the difference between balanced and unbalanced signals, read this post for more information.

and follow this link if you want to know what an audio interface is.

The focusrite interface can accept trs or ts for line input, so it’s fine to use ts cables. If you are confused about the difference between trs and ts or tip, ring, sleeve and tip, sleeve, then the post on audio cable types will help you.

now let’s compare the above with the behringer u-control audio interface. It only has line inputs and these are unbalanced rca inputs. To connect a mixer to this type of interface, unbalanced ts to rca cables are used, again one for the left and one for the right.

monitor your signal

Now you have connected the line outputs of the mixer to the line inputs of the interface. How and where are you going to monitor or hear the sounds? The answer is through your audio interface.

You need to control how the signal sounds, through the interface, because that’s the signal you want to record or transmit.

You can connect studio headphones or connect the outputs of your interface to a set of studio monitors. be careful though! if you connect microphones to your mixer, you don’t want to have feedback issues or the microphones picking up sounds coming from the speakers while you’re recording or streaming.

Unless you’re not recording through a microphone or your mixer is in a different room, you should use headphones.

set up your daw or recording software – get the levels right

Finally let’s talk about levels. In your recording software or DAW, you will select your audio interface, as your default audio device and when you record you want to see a good signal that peaks at around -12dB.

Whatever recording software you use, prepare your tracks for recording, then do a quick test to check the signal. now, remember that you set the signal level of the mixer in the unit. To adjust recording levels on an interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4, you can set the variable gain for each input.

adjust the gain until you see your signal reach a maximum level of -12db. most interfaces like this have some kind of visual feedback. in the case of the 4i4, you have gain halos and you want to see them glow green, indicating a nice strong signal with some headroom. you never want to see them glow red, indicating you’re distorting.

behringer u-control is a much simpler audio interface. there is no adjustable gain on the interface. in this case, you will need to adjust the signal coming from the mixer to get a satisfactory recording level.

although the method is different, you are looking for the same thing in your recording software, a peak around -12db. this gives you a strong enough signal with some headroom and should avoid any clipping or digital distortion.

levels for live streaming

if you want to stream live and therefore aren’t doing any post production, you may want to crank the levels up a bit to about -6db peak in your streaming software. then your audience will get a good strong signal. just be careful not to go higher than that.

quick summary: the studio equipment used here

A quick reminder of all the equipment used in this step-by-step tutorial:

• yamaha mg06 mixing console https://geni.us/lbhx
• behringer usb mixer https://geni.us/q1002usb
• focusrite 4i4 audio interface : https://geni.us/mlybac
• behringer u-control usb audio interface https://geni.us/u-control
• sony studio headphones: https:/ /geni .us/sony-mdr7506
• shure sm7b vocal microphone for voiceover: https://geni.us/sm7b-mic
• trs to ts connection cable: https ://geni. us/trs-ts
• ts to rca audio cable: https://geni.us/ts-rca
• ts to ts audio cables: https://geni. us/dual-ts
• trs to trs audio cable: https://geni.us/trs-tr

summary and more information

Well, we hope you found this helpful. you may find the following posts helpful to read more:

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• music making hardware: our 10 studio essentials for 2022