Hi guys,
just got back into making music again after looking after my father for the last year.

I'm about to receive the following as gifts for my birthday - korg kaoss pad 3 - kaossilator 3

I have a focusrite scarlett 8i6 sound card, would i be able to hook these both up to my sound card so i can hear them playing through my krk 6's or would i need to purchase a mixer, was looking at the Tascam M-164UF as i can get this for pretty cheap.

My other gear consists of akai mpk61 - maschine mk2 and a microkorg + banshee 2

Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated

 

Shit I would love presents like that...

Korg Kaoss Pad 3 is connected via USB, it has nothing to do with your scarlett 8i6

as far is Im consined the kaossilator is also connected via USB, but I would check that.

For the future: You should find all these information on your dealers website. Look how your hardware should be connected, than look if you have a slot. If you arent sure, call your dealer, I did that too. They know it, and if necessary they can also tell you which cables you have to buy.

 

many thanks man, so i should just stick with my soundcard? *yes*

 

You can pretty much do what you want to do with the sound card, but I would still consider the mixer for routing flexibility purposes.

 

The question is do you need a mixer? As ghostinthemachine, your soundcard is totally fine. But if you would like some faders, cou could buy a mixer (and still use the soundcard). Or just a controller with faders, proberly less expensive, I dont know...

But as said before, you defiently dont need a new soundcard *yes*

 

thank you so much guys - i'll grab the tascam mixer and still keep the sound card.

this forum is great, answers within mins....

ps
someone..im only receiving the gifts as its my 50th next tuesday, any other birthday i got socks and a crappy card lol

 

@ Hooch,

Good decision, in case that you plan to get more 'external' gear afterwards (e.g. FX Rack Units,... ), because at a first glance, despite your 'Focusrite Scarlett 8i6' has 8 Inputs, you have only 4 (2x Stereo) Physical Inputs (by 'Physical Inputs', I mean 'Analogue Inputs' - TRS), then you'll be only able to 'physically' connect 2 'external' Hardware Units at the same time, so getting a 'Tascam Mixer' is a good choice (or even a 'Line Mixer' could do the rick, if you can't afford a pure 'Mixer Desk'). *yes*

By cons, I would suggest you (if you still don't have one !), to get a 'MIDI Merger', in case that you plan to have your 'external' MIDI Keyboards, Controllers, Drum Boxes,... connected (via 'MIDI') at the same time. This way, you don't have to connect/disconnect your 'MIDI' Controllers each time that you want to use a different one... *yes*


P.S: 'Ghostinthemachine' is absolutely right about : "...the mixer for routing flexibility purposes".


ADDED AFTERWARDS :

About : "...your 'Focusrite Scarlett 8i6' has 8 Inputs, you have only 4 (2x Stereo) Physical Inputs", as I don't know if the 2 Inputs ('Front Panel') can also act as 'Stereo Inputs' by themselves (?), but I rather think that they're used for 'Mono' Instrument(s) Inputs (e.g. 'Guitar', 'Bass', 'Mics',... ), each one having certainly its own dedicated 'Preamp'. *yes*
In this case, you have then rather : '2 Mono Inputs' ('Front Panel') and '1 Stereo Input' ('Rear Panel') physically available...

The big trick would be if you can use both the 'Physical Inputs' and the 'S/PDIF' ('Digital Channel Inputs') at the same time, which I don't know...

 

Congrats on reaching that golden age, mate! Drink a few pints that day for us if you can.

 

+1

 

Studio555...is this the midi merge i require?


http://www.juno.co.uk/products/kenton-merge-4-midi-merge-box/443853-01/

Thanks guys, ill have a few drams for you all next week

 

Yes Sir, that's the guy. From personal experience, may I suggest something affordable,
yet future (upgrades) proof;
http://www.juno.co.uk/products/motu-midi-express-128-midi-interface-patchbay/452150-01/
http://www.thomann.de/gb/motu_micro_lite.htm
Happy birthday, young man!

 

Thank you my friend, i'm still 21 at heart though *yes*

 

Welcome to the forums hooch.
You'll find our forums quite different than what you're typically used to. *yes*

 

If you WANT to mix and feel how your hands blend sound through the mixer, then buy the mixer and get a lot of fun.
If you WANT to record sounds from analoge synths, romsamples, etc, it would be good to buy cables for midi and audio, using your current sound card.
If you do NOT WANT to record analog sources, and prefer to EDIT projects and save them, retouch them and render, then, I would buy a good basic sequencer software (CUBASE, SONAR) and two monitors or a midi controller. Enjoy!

 

Consider that most musical projects are mixed editing curves in a sequencer. Live mixing can not be recorder if the mixer is not also a controller and if you don't have a sequencer to record the mixing movements.

 

That should be today, right? So Happy 50th Birthday hooch, hope you have a great day

 

SOUNDCARD