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Many Basic Questions...

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Topic Many Basic Questions...
I have been doing Home Recording in a very basic way...
I simply create the drums on FL Studio, then I plug my bass to the Line In in the PC and record, then I plug the guitar to the PC and record, then keyboards, then the mic to record vocals, then (if necessary) I add some extra effects and noises done on FL Studio too... after all this, I try to get a decent volume level for every track, put some effects on the tracks and all that stuff, mix, etc., etc.....
So, I know almost NOTHING about other (and better) processes to record.
And that's why I've decided to show-off how ignorant I am about all of this, by making some questions (many of which could seem really stupíd) so I can get some doubts out of my head and who knows, maybe improve my way of recording. So, here they are:

- What is the BIG advantage in recording with an actual mixer between the instrurment and the PC? I simply record directly to the PC and use the virtual mixers included in the recording softwares... I don't do any "multi-track-at-once" recording, just track by track, instrument by instrument. So what's the advantage I could find in having a mixer and record through it?

- What are Preamps? What are they for? Are they truly important for a good sound? To which device/where should they be plugged?

- What is the difference between recording a MONO track panned 100% to the left AND recording a STEREO track panned 100% to the left?

- The Bass guitar should be Mono or Stereo? I mean, I record my guitars as mono tracks, because I always record about 4 or 5 guitar tracks and then simply play with the panning of them until I get what I want. But with the Bass guitar I always record only one track of it. Should that be Mono or Stereo? And should it be panned to the left, right or centered?

Anyway, those are my basic dumb questions. Please enlight me if you can! I will really appreciate it.
Thank you all in advance for your patience and help!!!

Cheers!

DB
2
1) Well if you call a drumkit one instrument a mixer would allow you to mix and record the whole kit at once if you have enough mics. You would probably really want to multitrack drums to bet a better mix tho.

2) Preamps are used to get mic level signals up to line level. Tube preamps can color the sound in a very pleasing way. A preamp could also be the source for phantom power for a good condenser mic. Most mixers have some sort of preamp. Guitar preamps usually have some effects and possibly amp/speaker modeling.

3) About half the file size.

4) Most bass guitar stuff is down the center. Flanged or chorused bass needs to be stereo panned center.

Not dumb questions. Hopefully not dumb answers, but definately simplistic answers.
3
I agree with Sam Spastic.

If you record only one track at once you don't need mixer, but you need preamp for good quality. And you need good soundcard. It has to work with 24 bit an 96kHz al least. There is no BIG advantage with an actual mixer recording. Some of mixers has it's own preamps.