Can You Route a VST to a Channel on an Analog Mixer?

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Creativemind
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07 Jan 2022

Hi All

As the title suggests, can you route a VST synth to a channel on an analog mixer?

I recently bought a Behringer Eurodesk 3242FX Mixer and I want to do everything as analog as possible. I have a Behringer MS-1, a Nava 909 (which I'm yet to assemble) and gonna get a Roland Boutique Ju-06a and as close to 20/20 speakers that I can afford. I will however need to use the Roland Cloud TR-727 and Mimic / NN-XT for samples and probably 1 or 2 other VST synths. Can I route them to their own channels on my Eurodesk?

Thanks!
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crimsonwarlock
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07 Jan 2022

If you have enough outputs on your audio interface, you can simply cable each VST instrument to that output in Reason.
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Creativemind
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07 Jan 2022

crimsonwarlock wrote:
07 Jan 2022
If you have enough outputs on your audio interface, you can simply cable each VST instrument to that output in Reason.
Wasn't talking about my audio interface (my new mixer) but sounds do-able then.
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crimsonwarlock
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07 Jan 2022

Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Wasn't talking about my audio interface (my new mixer) but sounds do-able then.
That mixer doesn't seem to have any digital connections, as in AD/DA convertors. If you want to connect a VST to its separate channel on that mixer, it needs a separate output (DA convertor) on your audio interface. That goes for each software instrument that you want to connect separately. So, as I said, you require enough outputs on your audio interface to give each software instrument a separate output that you then connect to your mixer.
-------
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selig
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07 Jan 2022

Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022
crimsonwarlock wrote:
07 Jan 2022
If you have enough outputs on your audio interface, you can simply cable each VST instrument to that output in Reason.
Wasn't talking about my audio interface (my new mixer) but sounds do-able then.
You WERE talking about VSTs, which run on your computer, which needs an audio interface if you want to hear them.
That mixer doesn’t have a digital or USB input, so you will need two analog outputs from your interface connected to two mixer channels for each stereo VST you want to use with your analog synths. Make sense?
[edit; @ crimsonwarlock, I typed this while you were posting yours…]
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Creativemind
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07 Jan 2022

crimsonwarlock wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Wasn't talking about my audio interface (my new mixer) but sounds do-able then.
That mixer doesn't seem to have any digital connections, as in AD/DA convertors. If you want to connect a VST to its separate channel on that mixer, it needs a separate output (DA convertor) on your audio interface. That goes for each software instrument that you want to connect separately. So, as I said, you require enough outputs on your audio interface to give each software instrument a separate output that you then connect to your mixer.
Ahhh I see. Thanks.
Last edited by Creativemind on 07 Jan 2022, edited 1 time in total.
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Creativemind
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07 Jan 2022

selig wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022


Wasn't talking about my audio interface (my new mixer) but sounds do-able then.
You WERE talking about VSTs, which run on your computer, which needs an audio interface if you want to hear them.
That mixer doesn’t have a digital or USB input, so you will need two analog outputs from your interface connected to two mixer channels for each stereo VST you want to use with your analog synths. Make sense?
[edit; @ crimsonwarlock, I typed this while you were posting yours…]
Yeah think I gotcha. So I could go from a channel via a 1/4" jack to a channel on the mixer to route 1 vst to it?
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crimsonwarlock
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08 Jan 2022

selig wrote:
07 Jan 2022
[edit; @ crimsonwarlock, I typed this while you were posting yours…]
It happens :D
Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Yeah think I gotcha. So I could go from a channel via a 1/4" jack to a channel on the mixer to route 1 vst to it?
Yes, but that would be mono. If you have a simple audio interface with only one stereo output (in most cases two mono jacks), you can route two VST or RE instruments in mono to your mixer. From the perspective of the audio interface, there is no stereo, only mono ins/outs. If you want to route a stereo signal, you need two channels on your interface.
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Creativemind
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08 Jan 2022

crimsonwarlock wrote:
08 Jan 2022
selig wrote:
07 Jan 2022
[edit; @ crimsonwarlock, I typed this while you were posting yours…]
It happens :D
Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Yeah think I gotcha. So I could go from a channel via a 1/4" jack to a channel on the mixer to route 1 vst to it?
Yes, but that would be mono. If you have a simple audio interface with only one stereo output (in most cases two mono jacks), you can route two VST or RE instruments in mono to your mixer. From the perspective of the audio interface, there is no stereo, only mono ins/outs. If you want to route a stereo signal, you need two channels on your interface.
Oh yes, of course. Makes sense. :thumbs_up:
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Creativemind
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10 Jan 2022

crimsonwarlock wrote:
08 Jan 2022
selig wrote:
07 Jan 2022
[edit; @ crimsonwarlock, I typed this while you were posting yours…]
It happens :D
Creativemind wrote:
07 Jan 2022
Yeah think I gotcha. So I could go from a channel via a 1/4" jack to a channel on the mixer to route 1 vst to it?
Yes, but that would be mono. If you have a simple audio interface with only one stereo output (in most cases two mono jacks), you can route two VST or RE instruments in mono to your mixer. From the perspective of the audio interface, there is no stereo, only mono ins/outs. If you want to route a stereo signal, you need two channels on your interface.
Right, trying this out today. Not working so far.

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I used a 1/4" jack from the line input underneath the mic input (but I did others as well and no joy there either) on my interface (as this seems to be the only port that works if I use an electric guitar and it was explained to mke by someone why, but forget now. Went from there to channel 3 on the mixer, into the Insert I/O. I tried the Line In on the same channel but got a humming. and then plugged my headphones into the headphone port of the mixer. Yes I know this would only be a mono input but was just tryna get it to work for now.
:reason:

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ScuzzyEye
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10 Jan 2022

Creativemind wrote:
10 Jan 2022
I used a 1/4" jack from the line input underneath the mic input (but I did others as well and no joy there either) on my interface (as this seems to be the only port that works if I use an electric guitar and it was explained to mke by someone why, but forget now. Went from there to channel 3 on the mixer, into the Insert I/O. I tried the Line In on the same channel but got a humming. and then plugged my headphones into the headphone port of the mixer. Yes I know this would only be a mono input but was just tryna get it to work for now.
I can't see clearly enough, but I think that input you're using on the mixer is "Instrument"? You're going to need to use the "Line" input. The reason is, mic, line, and instrument, are different levels, and need different pre-amps and gain to get them up to the level the mixer uses internally. Yes, your guitar, being an instrument, needs to go into the instrument input to get enough gain. But the line output of an audio interface operates a "line level", which is much louder than instrument (or mic) level. You'll drastically overload the instrument pre-amp if fed with a line level signal.

So it might not be working yet, but if you're going to continue to try things, focus on the line input.

You're using the Main Out (L) of your interface to go into the mixer?

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Creativemind
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10 Jan 2022

ScuzzyEye wrote:
10 Jan 2022
Creativemind wrote:
10 Jan 2022
I used a 1/4" jack from the line input underneath the mic input (but I did others as well and no joy there either) on my interface (as this seems to be the only port that works if I use an electric guitar and it was explained to mke by someone why, but forget now. Went from there to channel 3 on the mixer, into the Insert I/O. I tried the Line In on the same channel but got a humming. and then plugged my headphones into the headphone port of the mixer. Yes I know this would only be a mono input but was just tryna get it to work for now.
I can't see clearly enough, but I think that input you're using on the mixer is "Instrument"? You're going to need to use the "Line" input. The reason is, mic, line, and instrument, are different levels, and need different pre-amps and gain to get them up to the level the mixer uses internally. Yes, your guitar, being an instrument, needs to go into the instrument input to get enough gain. But the line output of an audio interface operates a "line level", which is much louder than instrument (or mic) level. You'll drastically overload the instrument pre-amp if fed with a line level signal.

So it might not be working yet, but if you're going to continue to try things, focus on the line input.

You're using the Main Out (L) of your interface to go into the mixer?
Wasn't using the Main Out no. Will try again a bit later. Thanks.
:reason:

Reason Studio's 11.3 / Cockos Reaper 6.82 / Cakewalk By Bandlab / Orion 8.6
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Creativemind
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10 Jan 2022

Using the Main Outs worked. Thanks all.
:reason:

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