guitar,
The Behringer is your sound level control. With it you'll have the ability to Pan Left and Right for stereo seperation as well as low, mid and high frequencys. Most good audio editing software has the same the features, however, with a console you can control the level of sound "before" it gets to the computer.
A short example ... if you're going to do any home recording get to know the word "clipping" and what it means. If your sound is going directly into the audio editor without any pre-amp or mixing console, exactly what you are playing is exactly what you're going to record. And if you clip, you'll have to do it all over again. With a console you can experiment prior to recording and get your sound level the way you want them without have to record all over again.
Clipping is when the sound level goes beyond the db threshold or out of normal db range. As noted below, the clipping zone is what turns your sound into mush and buzz and harsh tones coming from your speakers. Clippping is to be avoided at all costs. ( or at least, reasonable cost
)
Having a console like the Behringer or similar tool, will allow you to contol the sound levels before it gets to the computer, and that truly simplifies the production and mixing processes.
clipping zone
(+10)------------------------------------(+10)
no clip
( 0)--------------------------------------( 0)
no clip
(-10)------------------------------------(-10)
clipping zone
And like all things of this nature, there is a learning curve as well. Because once you step out of the "creative" playing music window and into the "technical" production window, it's a whole new ball game. You'll learn to seriously appreciate how much work goes into producing a high quality song that you hear on the CD. And thats not a bad thing!
I think a musician that learns the technical side of things has a better appreciation of the creative side of things as well and works harder to make his or her music better to begin with.
Can you image what the Beatles could have done if George Martin had the equipment that we can get today? I can't!
Les