It is possible to get a solid guitar signal without ever plugging in an amp. You can do this with a mixer and by using the right cables. This article will show you how to How to run guitar through mixer, as well as how to set up signal chains and practice with your rig.
A lot of people get into the music industry with dreams of being a famous singer or bassist in a band. A lot don’t seem to realize that a musician’s job goes much deeper than playing an instrument. Not only do you need to be able to play your instrument, but you also need to know how to mix your music. This article is going to teach you the basics of getting your music mixed.
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Find a safe place to plug your guitar in
When you plug your guitar into a mixer, it should be plugged into the effects send jack. This jack will take whatever signal you send through it and then route it to the input of your effect pedal. However, there is no guarantee that this is the only place you can plug in a cable. You could also use the line input or microphone input on your mixer to get a signal from a guitar. That being said, be sure not to accidentally plug your guitar into an input that will cause feedback or damage.
Get the right cables
There are three types of cables used for running a guitar through a mixer. The first two you will need are an instrument cable and a 1/4” patch cable. The third type of cable is a 1/4” to 1/8” converter.
The instrument cable has three connections, one on each end, as well as the middle connection which is where you plug in your guitar. This cable has the male connection that plugs into the microphone input jack on the mixer and the female connector at the other end that connects to your guitar.
The 1/4” patch cable also has three connections – one at each end and one in the middle. The male connection connects to the left channel or right channel output on your mixer and can be used if you want to go directly from your guitar to either channel on your mixer.
The last type of cable needed is a 1/4” to 1/8” converter which plugs into both ends of the 1/4” patch cables, connecting them together like in step 5 below.
Plug the cables into the correct inputs on the mixer
Depending on the mixer, the inputs are probably laid out in rows. Usually, they’re laid out with a row of mono inputs below a row of stereo inputs. This is important because you can’t plug a mono cable into a stereo input and vice versa.
Look for the right inputs according to your guitar’s output (the mono or stereo output). Plug one side of your cable into the input and then plug in both cables at the other end to their corresponding output on your amp or audio interface.
If you’re running your guitar through a mixer to an amp, you’ll need to route one cable from each input on the mixer to their corresponding input on the amp or audio interface with two cables plugged in at both ends.
Connect the cables together at both ends
The last step is to connect the cables together at both ends. Connect the input cable from the guitar to the mic input on the mixer. Then plug an output cable from the mixer into a guitar amp or PA speaker.
Set up your signal chain correctly
When setting up your signal chain, it’s important to know that the cable that runs from the guitar needs to be connected to an input on the mixer. The input is a hole in the front of the mixer that you can plug something into. If there are multiple inputs, you will need to make sure you’re plugging your guitar into the same one that all of your other devices are plugged into.
Now, what you want to do is run a cable from the output of your guitar (the hole where you connect your guitar) and plug it into an input on the back of the mixer. You may have multiple outputs but they should all be going to inputs on the back of the mixer. This will create a feedback loop so that what you play through your guitar is also played through speakers or headphones.
Next, take another cable and run it from one of these output holes on the back of the mixer and plug it into an input on one side of a splitter box. Then, take another cable and run it from another input hole on this splitter box and plug it in to an input hole on one side of another box with 2-3 more outlets or plugs coming out. Finally, take a third cable and run it from one last output hole on this last box and plug it into an output hole on one side of a speaker system or headphone jack. Now what you do is turn everything up really high because then if there are any problems with your
Pick a channel for your guitar signal
The first thing you’ll want to do is pick a channel for your guitar signal. You cannot simply plug your guitar into any old input on the mixer, as this will cause a loud noise and feedback.
Instead, find an open channel and connect the cables accordingly.
Pick another channel for your amp signal
A mixer has a 4-channel input section on the front of it. This is usually where you plug in your instrument cable. You will often see a guitar plugged in with a microphone also plugged into that same input. The mic signal is routed to one of the channels, while the guitar signal is routed to another channel.
If you want to run your guitar through the mixer and have an amp as well, you need to pick another channel for the amp signal. For example, if you have your guitar plugged into input 1 and your amp into input 2, then you need to move the amp to input 3 or 4 so that it doesn’t interfere with your guitar sound.
Check that there is no feedback in the signal chain
It is important to check for feedback in your signal chain. Feedback is the screeching sound that you hear when an amp or a speaker gets too close to a microphone. This causes the amplified sound to feed back into the mic. Feedback in your rig can be very annoying, especially if you are performing live on stage with an audience.
To avoid feedback, plug your guitar into an input that has a high impedance. This will help prevent any unwanted feedback from happening since you will have less resistance in your signal chain.
How to run guitar through mixer FAQS
You will need three cables: a 1/4 inch to a dual 1/4 inch, a 1/4 inch to stereo RCA, and a stereo RCA to dual 1/2 inch.
Place your amp on the left side of your board with the guitar input on the right. Plug the right cable into the guitar input and plug the left cable into the amp input. Now plug both outputs of the guitar (the one in from the mixer and out from the amp) into inputs on channel 3 and 4 of your mixer respectively. Plug your headphones or speaker output into channel 5 for monitoring purposes.
You will need a stereo cable (usually a 1/4 inch to RCA cable) and a 1/4 inch guitar cable. The stereo cable plugs in to the right input on your mixer, while the guitar cable plugs into your guitar.
It’s possible you’re using two cables that are too close together. Double-check all connections and make sure they are not touching each other or any other cables or equipment.
Try putting your amp farther away from your mixer if possible. If you can’t do that, try turning down the volume of your amp before turning it on, or just lower the volume of the channel you’re using for distortion on your mixer. Your amp should be able to handle higher volumes than your mixer can.
Conclusion
Once you’ve got your signal chain set up, there are a few things you can do to make sure your guitar sound is perfect.
First, check that the guitar sound is not too loud or too quiet. If it’s too loud, your guitar may drown out everything else. If it’s not loud enough, you may not be able to hear it.
Secondly, if your guitar is sounding a little flat, you can use the “treble” EQ on your mixer to bring out the highs. If your guitar sounds too distorted, try reducing the “treble” EQ.
Thirdly, if you want to add more reverb to your guitar sound, use the “reverb” effect.
Fourth, if you want to adjust the volume of your guitar and amp separately, use the “balance” effect.
