Bypassing the Sound Card When Recording a Band
Another way to simplify matters when recording bands is to use a digital console instead of an analog console (see Figure 7.23).
Figure 7.23. The Mackie Digital X Bus Digital Recording Console.
Digital consoles are usually a little more expensive than lower-end analog consoles, but they can save you a lot of patching by acting like a cross between a sound card, an analog mixer, and a patchbay. They also offer a user more hands-on control than working directly with the Cubase mixer.
Most digital consoles allow users to “build” the console to their specifications by adding special cards that offer specific input and output types as well as digital effects. Digital consoles give you the added advantage of access to Cubase’s onboard digital effects, saving you the trouble of using external effects processors. You can usually run the outputs of the digital console straight to your computer through FireWire, cutting out the extra step of connecting to an external sound card.
One of the best features of using a digital console, or virtual console, is the ability to save your setups. By saving your setups, you can save loads of time in the studio, especially when you’re recording the same type of band frequently. If you can afford a digital console, I highly recommend it to get the biggest bang for your buck.