But rather than doing so in front of a computer screen, you’d rather work near a window and ponder the existential crisis your neighbour’s dog is having while you write. You’re intending to write the craziest post-future-dub-folk track the world’s ever heard. The biggest factor in the decision between the two is: do you want to make music – with electronic instruments – without involving your computer? Say you have a drum machine, a keyboard synth and a mic. To make this article as succinct and clear as possible, I’m going to focus on musicians who don’t intend to make music with a live band or record via a complex acoustic instrument setup. Unfortunately, the answer probably isn’t as clear cut as you might like as the ways in which people make music varies a hell-of-a-lot. Audio interfaces tend to suit the needs of producers working inside the box or dealing with MIDI instruments.įor more audio advice and gear rundowns, check out our Features page.Typically, setups with copious amounts of hardware that require constant tweaking are better suited towards a mixer.Depending on what kind of music you’re making, purchasing a mixer might be a superior option to an audio interface.It’s an understandable point of confusion, particularly with lots of modern mixers now featuring USB connectivity, in turn providing similar functionality to audio interfaces.
Something I see come up amongst beginners a lot is confusion over whether they need a mixer or audio interface. Words by Michael Cusack Find out which option is right for you.