Can a computer be connected to a mixer board?

Question

The other day I saw an amateur drama show, and saw the sound operator using a comuter, which looked as though it may have been connected to the sound mixer.

Doing sound at my previous school sometimes, how would i connect a laptop to the mixer board (or other). I guess i could use this to play the tracks? Having many CD's to change quickly between is a nuisance, i suppose i really should burn them all to one.

Any suggestions on the laptop idea?

Answer 1

yes you can hook it up from the audio jack out fromt he laptop to the mixer board aux or line in, i use my laptop to play mp3s into my mixer board, got a iMac G5 and a Pioneer DJM500

Answer 2

Yes - take the output of the mixer and run it into the audio input jack on the computer. You might need some adapter jacks, or a special cord or cords. Or, there are audio to USB adapters available, such as the Tascam US-122, the Lexicon "Omega" (4 channels), etc.

Answer 3

There are bags of software utilities around for audio. You could play your tunes from your hard drive couldn't you? The audio signal from a PC or laptop can easily be connected to a mixer etc.

Answer 4

yes...you would need a midi unit/software...MIDI is the acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Throughout its existence, MIDI has gained acceptance with industry professionals by leaps and bounds. Not only does it allow for faster creation and composition of music, it allows the composer to become the proverbial one-man band.
MIDI was introduced in 1983. It was developed in cooperation between the major music industry electronic instrument manufacturers including Roland, Yamaha, Korg and others. No one ever dreamed the kinds of sounds that could be created and accessed using such a powerful communications protocol.

The MIDI protocol allows electronic devices (usually synthesizers, but also computers, light show controllers, VCR’s, multi-track recorders, etc.) to interact and work in synchronization with other MIDI compatible devices. Using a master controller device such as a keyboard, one can play or trigger sounds from other electronic devices remotely. This eliminates the need for one keyboardist to perform with nine or ten keyboards around him. He can play all the keyboards through one simply by connecting them using MIDI. The other keyboards can be off-stage; he never has to touch them, yet he can play them.

The best analogy for MIDI is to liken it to the linking of two computers via modems. The same way the computers share information via modem, electronic devices share it via MIDI. It does not send the actual musical note, but the information about the note. It can send messages to synthesizers telling it to change sounds, master volume, modulation devices, which note was depressed, and even how long to sustain the note.

MIDI has been continually expanded to include other features for the professional musician. Some of note include MIDI Time Code (allowing synchronization of video and audio), Sample Dump Standard (allowing for the transfer of digital audio files) and MIDI Show Control (allowing control of devices used in theater).

Answer 5

yep, you can get a midi controller with nice fader slides. this can be used with pretty much any music sequencing software, but probably won't add much to just playing cd's etc. unless you hook it up with some mp3 dj'ing software. i'm sure you can spend 100's on something like this, but esentially a midi controller is a very basic piece of kit that has been around for years, so scour e-bay for something cheap.

Answer 6

if your laptop had an audio input you could connect to it, you also need softwares to control your sound input like the bass, treble etc.

Answer 7

If the mixer has a MIDI interface.....

xxB

Answer 8

Yes you can. If you have a MIDI plug in.

Answer 9

no dumbo duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!