But how important is the computer to your final mixes? Right now, I'm still just messing around on my Tascam 4-track... what's the easiest digital equivalent... where I could mix an entire album?

i don't WANT to say it, but i have to: the computer is absolutely critical to my final mixes.

i originally learned to mix on 4-tracks, and i learned a lot. but i simply could not advance my skills significantly until i got going on the pc.

but the pc is not the secret ingredient. its TIME. over the years i've learned new things about mixing and my ears (and gear!) have improved so mixes get better. the pc allows trial and error, output and re-output.

now i am always conscious of frequency ranges and how things fit together on the 404 (for example), because of my mixing experience elsewhere. i may not be some ninja w/ regard to mixing, but i'm a far cry better than i was.

I use the 4-track too. It has high, low and mid controls+panning and that is all I really need.

The only thing you absolutely need a computer for is putting your tracks on the net A 4 track with the master out going to a decent compressor and parametric EQ going to some sort of 2 track reocrder is all your need. When I was working at sam ash one of my customers was a cat with a few grammys for mastering and all he used was a 12 channel mackie mixer, a high end compressor and EQ

i went from the tascam to using a computer with audacity (free program, can be everything you need). i think with electronic and sample based music its essential for dynamic mixing and eq options at the end - but contaryily when you're just working with what youve already got is sometimes when you can be the most creative

my question is, how much adjusting, if any, do you guys that first chop the samples on the computer do before putting it on the sp