Mixing in TotalMix FX is very simple and straightforward. The mixer allows you to combine input signal with the playback from software, and monitor the audio with no added latency. Let’s look at the presets first. Go to the options menu and hover on Reset Mix. The first option, Straight Playback, Mix to main out will send all playback signals to their respective outputs, and mix all playback channels to the Main out. The next option, Straight playback is a direct one to one routing of playback channels to the respective output. Playback channels are not mixed together. We’ll use Straight Playback for this demonstration. Here we have some audio playing in Multitrack software. The stereo output is on channel 1 & 2, and each track is sent to a separate output channel as well. This will allow us to create a custom headphone mix. Starting with the main stereo output from software, we will route this to the main output channels, where the control room monitors are connected. In TotalMix, every routing starts on the bottom row. Click on the channel labeled Main in the bottom row. When this is selected, all the faders in the Input row and Playback row show the current routing for the Main output. There is a mixer layer for every output channel, and you can click on any channel to quickly see all routings to this output, and make any necessary changes. Back to the Main output. Click on the channel strip, then pull up faders for any signal you want to route to this output. Here, we just want Playback channels 1&2. Now, to create the headphone mix, click on the Phones 1 channel. In the middle row, rather than sending the stereo output of the DAW to Phones, we will route the individual tracks, and create a custom mix for the talent. So, with Phones selected in the bottom row, move to the middle row and pull up faders for the tracks. You can click the Cue button on Phones 1 so you can hear the mix you are creating for Phones. If you want to copy the mix to another output, just right click, select “Copy Mix”, then on the new channel, select “Paste Mix”. The main idea of TotalMix is to allow you to monitor input signal with no latency, so we can now mix in the live input signal with the existing tracks. Make sure you still have the correct output target selected in the bottom row, then pull up the input fader. If the musician needs “more me” in the mix, you can adjust the balance between the input and playback by pulling the input faders up and playback faders down. To take the mixing capabilities one step further, you can assign custom names to channels in the mixer. Just double click the name tag, and type in the name.