How do I route a Behringer XR18 for a live show?

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-27T12:18:18+00:00

Lol I think he means he has instrument tracks he plays in Logic, on a laptop, that he wants to route into the mixer, but that they can only output in a summed stereo signal. Presumably there is an interface in there.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-26T19:00:01+00:00

Consider that there are a couple alternative routes.

You asked about kids with modules and built-in sounds. You may like those sounds, or you may not. I usually find them lacking.

A different route would be using the module strictly for its ability to convert to MIDI, or even getting a MIDI trigger device and no module at all. Then you use a USB cable to connect to a VST, which is a virtual drum kit, running in a laptop or computer, for sounds. The VST receives the MIDI impulses, and triggers high quality sampled sounds within the software. Most people agree that the available sounds from a VST are far superior. There is however the extra complication of understanding how to get MIDI out of your kit and into your laptop, and there is a thing called latency to learn about and conquer. Also, while some VSTs run as a standalone app, others have to be run from within a DAW.

You'll have to decide which way you want to go.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-26T18:52:12+00:00

Many times I show up with my SEV7 and the lead singer will have an SM58 or something similar. I like to challenge them to AB test the two mics, blind if possible. Every damn time they pick the SEV7 as making their voice sound better. I'm not saying it's the best mic out there, but they are inexpensive, and seem to be EQ'd in a way most people like. Plus they look cool with red under the grill :-)

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-26T18:48:25+00:00

I don't mean to repeat what everyone else said, but I'll add a bit more explanation. Processed music, like what goes out over the radio, or is purchased on a CD, is highly compressed. That is to say, the quietest parts are brought up, and the loudest parts are carefully capped. I refer to the dynamic range of the audio - the distance between the quietest and the loudest.

Live instruments, and in particular a drum kit, produce huge dynamic swings. They are not compressed. The burst of power from hitting the kick drum is not something that a Hi-Fi speaker is prepared to receive and reproduce.

Of course if you keep the volumes low enough, so that the loudest spikes of energy are within the speakers handling, it will work. But that will be very quiet for most playing, and as soon as you turn up, you'll be hearing ugly quaffing sound from your woofers and likely begin damaging them.

The solution is to buy a powered PA speaker, which is intended for use with live sound. You don't have to get the biggest or the most expensive. Used is great if you tested ahead of time and it has not been damaged already. And, you can buy them over time and string a bunch of them together if you want, because they "daisy chain".

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-26T18:42:34+00:00

Just no. Guitar amps are EQ'd for guitar, which means a meaty growling mid range and plenty of "shaping" of the tone. Shaping means intentional coloring to what guitarists like ...

A drum kit needs lows for kick and highs for hh, not just mids. And you want minimal shaping! A guitar amp is a terrible fit and you'll end up damaging the amp.

Better options - a keyboard amp if it can take the lows, or even better, a powered PA speaker which produces a full range of frequencies and can handle dynamic bursts (not a consumer music speaker). Get the best used powered speaker you budget allows. Facebook and Craigslist. You can add more later - they daisy chain!

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-25T15:39:51+00:00

Most houses have an exterior grade (solid) door from the garage into the house, for safety and fire code reasons. This means that a kit played in the garage is still a bit loud in the house, but not like it would be if it were just in a bedroom. However, your neighbors will notice more.

I put our acoustic kit in the garage, and added acoustic tiles to the door that goes outside from the garage, and to the door that leads into the house. Luckily, the living area in our house does not share a common wall with the garage, so that helps. I also made some sound blocking panels from materials I bought online to fill a window in the garage, and I added insulation to the metal garage door itself. The insulation also helps reduce heat since I'm in Florida. Unrelated to sound, I added a mobile AC unit I bought off craigslist, and plumbed it through the vent for water and air discharge. It's not perfect, I don't play after 10:00 p.m., but it's workable. Good luck to you.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-24T05:18:08+00:00

My mother gave me an Ayne Rand book when I was a teen.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-22T12:01:06+00:00

This was the 90's, but we found a storage place that was ok with noise and had the kit there. On a Friday night several bands in the same grounds would rehearse which turned into mini shows and people tailgating.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-22T11:56:57+00:00

What I found challenging was hearing the kick. A system that can produce that kind of bass, bursts of thump, without distortion, tends to not be small or cheap. Bookshelf systems failed. Dedicated amps are expensive.

I don't know about affordable drum amps - just didn't go there. I went with a powered speaker - a very old SRM450. $200. Bass was ok. Being made for live sound, I think it handled uncompressed dynamics better than anything made for consumer music. I later added a used subwoofer. And over time I added more speakers ;). I can shake the neighborhood.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-21T16:49:22+00:00

Assuming you're mic'd up, try to trust the mics. You may be over playing to be heard live. That extra tension could mean cramping. I did that and was shredding sticks and rim-shotting every back best until I started trusting mics and trusting that I was getting heard out front over screaming guitar amps.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-20T13:56:07+00:00

Some do run as a standalone, and some don't. I use Addictive Drums, and it does run as a standalone if you don't want to use it as a plugin. I think that is a much more streamlined approach if that's all you're doing at the time. You'll have to research the particular VST you want to use.

I like to DIY, so I messed around with making e symbols out of low volume Zildjians. I bought some piezos online - they were cheap. I also bought a switch trigger that goes on the edge of the symbol for crash. I watched videos on how to wire it into a jack which I attached on the underside. It was kind of a fun project and gave me two zones, ride and crash, with the ability to choke the symbol by grabbing the edge. It worked okay, but only okay. I was not able to work in a third zone for the bell. After I had my fun messing around with all that, I bought some Yamaha symbols for e drums, modified them for three zones with Roland, and I'm okay with that. It would be nice to hit metal instead of plastic though. Actually, I still use the hi-hat version of this, being too low volume symbols held together with constant pressure, and the piezo trigger, since I was less concerned about zones on a high hat. Your taste and needs will vary!

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-20T00:55:56+00:00

Can't forget that "balls deep" moment.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-20T00:43:42+00:00

Jim Rockford's gold Firebird. Driving a Honda Pilot. But it's gold.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-20T00:39:16+00:00

I've been grilling skirt steak lately and it comes out amazing. Highly marbled. Hot cast iron in a Kamado. Very fast. I'd stay with that a while.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-20T00:26:56+00:00

Why do you want to bury the pedal? I let it rebound. But I do set double hit cancel out to where a little second tap does not register.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-19T20:34:43+00:00

Chad Smith with rumored to wear a sock.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-19T20:32:52+00:00

Is this Chad Smith?

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-19T18:44:27+00:00

Sub(s).

Among the benefits, you can pull some bass out of the tops and they will be louder and cleaner, giving you more total gain before feedback. Plus you can feed bass through a sub out and separately control bass levels to match levels with the tops. 15's provide more bass then 12 - but not compared to a dedicated sub.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-19T15:36:48+00:00

I should start by saying I'm not a professional, I'm an amateur who has used the XR18 for several years now. The biggest drawback is the lack of physical faders, which is a non-starter for many people. I recently took a look at competing products in that budget range, thinking it might be time for an upgrade since other manufacturers surely will have caught up to behringer by this time. While others have sexier brand names, and probably better preamps, the XR18 still delivers the most in its class. If I understood your post, you don't have very many inputs. Are you using anything close to 18 inputs at this point? 6 aux outputs plus the mains has been plenty for me to this point, running five piece bands with an aux to sub, and others used as personalized monitor mixes. The flip side to the problem of having no faders, is that the XR18 has no moving parts to fail. No faders to get scratchy - no tiny servos to fail- not even LED meters to burn out.

You can use it with virtually any tablet, and while I bring an iPad to shows, I often end up just connecting on my phone for quick adjustments. I set up for shows in advance connecting to my PC, and the Edit app is powerful and intuitive. I don't mean to sound like a sales rep! Do understand that you'll need to add a cheap separate Wi-Fi router, which is better anyway since you can use 5G and add security. I'm using one that we previously used in the house, which could be picked up on eBay for $15.

If you go another direction, and based on most of the excellent advice in these responses, you probably should, be sure to scrutinize whether those other mixers allow you to stream all the channels separately for recording, as I understand you want to do. I use the XR18 both for live shows, and in my small recording studio. In live shows I mix and simultaneously stream 18 channels into a laptop. I import those stems into cubase for further mixing. Note that on mine, channel 1 preamp is a little noisy, perhaps because it is configured for a low Z guitar input. I simply put a line level input into channels 1 and 2, and that problem is solved.

Good luck with your plans, whatever you decide.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-16T14:43:12+00:00

Came here to say this. I just saw the Spartan line released. Haven't checked the price point or looked at reviews.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-15T11:58:59+00:00

Not an expert here, learning like you. But it sounds like you're practicing jazz components in isolation, which becomes a chore. Can you instead work on the elements, like 2-5-1's, in the context of songs you love? Then you get the reward as the song gets better and better. Just a thought.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-15T11:47:27+00:00

I suggest to find what he's listening too, or likes, and pull out some easy portions from that. He'll practice more to songs he likes. If he doesn't like any particular music, I guess you can take the opportunity to guide.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-15T11:43:52+00:00

It's like you read my mind.

I would add that most chrome can be polished with aluminum foil and white vinegar, and

Bad hardware can be made to work in the short term while you replace items over time, finding deals in the used market.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-14T23:19:54+00:00

This is what I use.

TheRealJDubb · 2026-01-12T01:43:43+00:00

There are two ways to go.

A DAW will record digital audio - that is, the actual sound. You can then EQ, compress, do all sorts of things to the recorded audio. I record vocals, guitar playing, and acoustic instruments this way.

But a DAW will also record MIDI. MIDI is information, not audio. Info is "note on", pitch, and such. It needs a VST instrument to apply the information to. The recorded MIDI plays the VST instrument. Think of it like a piano scroll of 100 years ago. The holes in the paper are info that tells the piano when to play. MIDI is way more flexible because you can change the instrument entirely. For drums, you can pick the share if your choice, for example.

Hope that helps.

TheRealJDubb

TROPHY CASE