In our first collaborative video with YouTube synthmaster BoBeats, Bo gave us a rundown of the basic building blocks of a hardware-based synth rig. In part II, Bo took those various components and explained how to fit them all together with a pair of model rigs. In today's video—the third and final in this series—we're taking a look at how to record such setups using a variety of different hardware options.
As you can see in the video above, there are a few different ways to go about recording your synth rig. For something simple and portable, grabbing a handheld recorder such as something from the venerable Zoom H series is a solid route for any synthesist who wants to get things down quickly without dealing with a computer.
For those that want a little more flexibility, audio interfaces remain the most popular solution for recording across the board. An interface allows you to connect your synth (or any other audio source) into a computer for DAW-based recording and mixing. There's a massive variety of different interfaces on the market, and for those who are just starting out, something like a Focusrite 2i2 makes for a great entry point. You can also check out this article for general tips on choosing the right interface for your needs.
A third option comes in the form of USB mixers, which are simply mixing boards with built-in interfaces. If you know you want to work with the tactile flexibility of a traditional mixing surface with flexible EQ and gain controls, USB mixers are a good option. Keep in mind, though, that many USB mixers will only let you output to your computer in two channels, so if you want the flexibility of individual control over every audio component, you'll still need to get a more robust audio interface.