Familiarize yourself with how the controls look by examining the console and reading the labels on the console.
Use the console manual to help you identify parts you don't recognize. Most mixing console manufacturers' websites offer a downloadable version of the console manual. Many manufacturers of professional audio offer mixers. Common mixer manufacturers include Behringer, Mackie and M-Audio. Behringer offers its console manuals for download on each product page, which can be accessed through behringer.com/EN/Products/. Manuals for Mackie mixers, including manuals for Onyx and Spike series mixers, are available at mackie.com/support/downloads/manuals.html. M-Audio offers its manuals for download through its "Documentation Download" search form at m-audio.com/index.php?do=support&tab=manuals.
Identify the console's important parts such as the inputs, aux sends and the sliding volume controls, also known as faders or pots. Find the master output controls and locate the meters that indicate the sound levels on each channel. Inputs are used to plug instruments and microphones into the mixing console. Aux sends are used to feed the audio through external effects units. Effects units are external electronic instruments that modify the sound, and can be used or distortion or to fine-tune and improve sound quality. Musicianstechcenteral.com has a glossary of mixer terms that may help you locate and identify the functions of your mixer.
Study the relative location of each channel's insert with the fader that controls the channel volume. If you are working on your own console, label or identify corresponding controls. Many shared consoles, such as those in academic and learning recording studios, will already have controls labeled by the person who installed the mixer.
Power up your audio editing and recording software. Pro Tools is one of many professional audio programs used in recording studios. When beginning a recording in Pro Tools, you must first start a new audio project, and save it to the desktop.
Import some audio into your audio editing program to learn to use mixers to record. Use the Import function under the File menu to load one of your favorite songs into your audio editing program. The Import function is available in a few different recording programs, including Pro Tools and Audacity, but may be different in the software in your studio. Experiment with changing the sound and mix of the audio using the controls on your mixing console. Play with the faders and observe the meters to get a feel for how the mixing console interacts with the audio program.
Use the mixer to record some tracks. You can add new audio tracks in the Tracks menu of Pro Tools. Plug microphones into the correct inputs and try recording some audio to the tracks you have loaded. Record and mix a few tracks using the recording, fader and input controls on your mixer.