The Ubiquitous Music Mixer

by Myke the Satyr
(Easton, PA, USA)

To a media-centric individual, mixers are everywhere. Take a case of your entertainment center. I use a mixer to direct audio for the components of my system. DVD, CD, VCR, Television and even my Computer. The output from the mixer is switched so that I can route the output to either my Cassette Recorder (which is getting used less and less) and to my Media System Computer.

This arrangement gives me the ability to compose a variety of multimedia projects. AudioZines (now called Podcasts), I've been doing for over ten years now. I combine audio from sources to make professional quality soundtracks for animations, slideshows and desktop media presentations. The ability to mix multiple sources give a great deal of dimension to visual and even audio only media.

I have a separate music mixer system for rendering music. Using a Realistic 4 Channel mixer and a Tascam 8 Track Digital recording system, I'm able to import pre-recorded sound from my old vinyl records, an audio cassette component and live commentary through the XLR microphone input. Then add MIDI through the 4th channel.

My Realistic mixer has worked well for me over the many years I've had it. The mixer features twin analog VU meters, instrumental in keeping a level and consistent audio output.
With all audio sources off, the VUs are flat with no activity.

I once detected a 60Hz hum on the VU meter and tracked it down to a faulty audio cable. Once replaced the hum was gone. I've had my Realistic since the last time I was a DJ for parties... when we played vinyl. I couldn't match the skill of a top DJ, but I played all of their favorites, packed up my twin Technics turntables and wrapped my lil Realistic up for storage. However, as long as there are multiple audio sources, there will always be a need for my Realistic... and it still works.