In the finest Blues Brothers tradition, I'm getting the band back together. The problem seems to be that everyone in the six-piece band has one or more different cables, monitors, boxes, microphones, etc. A Mackie mixer with 16 channels was donated, and it has 5 XLR inputs available, in those 16 channels.

Given that two or three of the instrumentalists will likely connect instruments to instrument amps, for their own monitor, which then have output connections to the mixer, I'm wondering what makes more sense. My amp has XLR out, so obviously a microphone XLR cord would work, to one of the five XLR channels on the mixer. But, if microphones need XLR, and we need five microphones, it seems that my XLR output jack needs to go to 1/4 inch TRS input. Am I thinking correctly? Keep all mikes on XLR inputs, and instruments on the other 1/4 inch channels?

My brain hurts.

H&K-Guy

An XLR to TRS cable or adapter will work just fine.

If your amp has a "preamp out" or "Effects loop" standard phone jack output, you can also take an output from there. On almost all Mackie preamps, a TRS input will also function as a standard phone jack input. They are made to default that way.

You may need a bigger mixer.

Mics directly to mixer. Direct boxes for instruments going directly to mixer. XLR to 1/4" adapters if instruments amps only have XLR outs. They also make cables that are XLR on one end and 1/4" on the other.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Mics directly to mixer. Direct boxes for instruments going directly to mixer. XLR to 1/4" adapters if instruments amps only have XLR outs.

This.

A lot of this depends on how large the venues you want to play are going to be.

Everyone's amps (assuming everyone has a decent rig), with mics for vocals and one mic on the kick (especially if you are using monitors) will suffice for most coffeehouse type gigs or garage practices.

Next steps up would be DIs for the bass, then guitars. I don't recall ever seeing an XLR direct box but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

You've got to be playing a pretty good sized venue before you have to worry about putting mics on the rest of the drums.

If the instrument amps have line level outputs (1/4" or XLR), they can be plugged in the Mackie line inputs with no problems. If the extra outputs are speaker level, they of course will need a D.I. box, most models output low-z/mic level though, chewing up the 5 mic inputs.

Also depending the size of gigs, you may not need to have all guitars go through the P.A. In my younger days of playing in a little band, the only things going in to the board were vocal mics. But then we only played to 40-50 people in a backyard.

The number of XLR inputs required is directly proportional to the collective egos of the musicians.

Everyone wants a "balanced" input. Give them all direct boxes if they only have XLR, and run ¼" to the mixer.

The vocalists will need XLR. And the drummer. So you're shy XLR, but a good drummer can get by with only two, bass drum and another between the hi-hat and snare.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
The number of XLR inputs required is directly proportional to the collective egos of the musicians.

I present, The Bono:

This band is:
1. Guitar / lead vocal
2. Harmonica / ukulele / alternate lead vocal
3. Violin
4. Pedal Steel / mandolin
5. Bass
6. Second guitar, someday

1. needs vocal and instrument connection
2. needs vocal and two instruments
3. needs vocal (for emcee) and instrument
4. needs two instruments
5. needs instrument
6. needs vocal and instrument connection

That's four vocal (we have five XLR) and eight instruments. I suppose we would run all eight instruments using 1/4 inch connections, and four mikes with XLR.

No drums?

Of all the instruments listed do any require mics due to a lack of pick-ups?

The violin is would sound better miked so that would take the last XLR.