THE SOUNDCRAFT GUIDE TO MIXING Soundcraft Registered Community Trade Mark / RTM No. 000557827 SOUNDCRAFT HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES LTD. CRANBORNE HOUSE, CRANBORNE ROAD, POTTERS BAR, HERTS, EN6 3JN, UK. TEL: +44 (0)1707 665000 FAX: +44 (0)1707 660742 EMAIL: [email protected] SOUNDCRAFT USA 1449 DONELSON PIKE, NASHVILLE TN 37217, USA TEL: 1-615-360-0471 FAX: 1-615-360-0273 EMAIL: [email protected] www.soundcraft.com Soundcraft reserves the right to improve or otherwise alter any information supplied in this document or any other documentation supplied hereafter. E&OE 08/01 Part No. ZL0439 13924 Inners 7/8/01 2:56 pm Page 2 THE SOUNDCRAFT GUIDE TO MIXING – CONTENTS SECTION 1: STARTING OUT SECTION 4: PA MIXING A What does a Mixer do? 3 A Introduction, A Typical Live Performance; Microphones, B Guidelines in Choosing a Mixer. 3 Cables and Connections, Connecting External Effects and Processors, Setting Up, Ringing Out: Nulling Room C The Controls - A Description. 3 Acoustics, Setting the Mix, Avoiding Feedback. 17 Mono Inputs, Stereo Inputs, Subgroups, the Master Section. B Larger Performances; Medium Venues, Large Sized Venues. 20 D Signal Flow. 7 C Recording Live. 22 SECTION 2: CONNECTING SECTION 5: CONTENTS EQUIPMENT TO YOUR MIXER OTHER APPLICATIONS A Input Devices. 8 B Equipment requiring Inputs and Outputs. 9 A Monitor mixing. 23 C Output Devices. 9 B Submixing. 24 SECTION 3: SECTION 6: IN THE STUDIO MIXING TECHNIQUES A Essentials and Ergonomics. 25 A Choosing the Right Microphone; 10 B Tape Machines and Recording media. 25 Microphone types, Condenser, Dynamic, C The Console. 25 Electret. Different Polar Patterns. D Simple Multitrack Recording. 26 B Setting up a Basic Mix; 11 E Simple Multitrack Mixdown. 27 Setting the Gain, Balancing Fader Levels, F Using a Dedicated In-Line Console. 28 Balancing Output Levels. G Recording Instruments and Voices; Vocals, Drums, Electric C Using the Mixer’s EQ; 12 Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Bass Guitars, Keyboards. 28 Fixed EQ. Using a sweep-mid equaliser. H Planning a Session. 30 D Using Effects Units; 13 I Creating a Mix. 30 The different types; Reverb, Delay, Echo, Chorus & Flanging, Pitch Shifters. J Balancing the Mix. 30 Setting up an effects loop. Pre and post fade auxiliaries. SECTION 7: E Using Signal Processors; 15 WIRING UP & CONNECTORS The difference between signal processors and effects; Different types of signal processors; Graphic Equalisers, Balanced and Unbalanced Mic Inputs, Balanced and Parametric Equalisers, Gates, Expanders, Unbalanced Line Inputs. 31 Compressors/Limiters. Inserts, Ground Compensated Outputs, Impedance Setting up a processor. Balanced Outputs. 31 F Creating a Foldback/Monitor Mix. 16 SECTION 8: GLOSSARY An A to Z to save your head! 32 2 13924 Inners 7/8/01 2:56 pm Page 3 STARTING OUT C. The Controls - A Description DIR MIC A. What does a Mixer do? This is where we get into the nitty-gritty of what controls and inputs/outputs you’ll find A No matter how sophisticated or expensive, all mixers carry on a typical mixer. For this example, we’ve out the same basic function - to blend and control the used a Spirit SX . If you are already LINE volume of a number of input signals, add effects and familiar with what the controls on a standard mixer do, then it’s OK to skip to B processing where required and route the resulting mix to INS the appropriate destination, which could be power section 2. If you find a term particularly C amplifiers, the tracks of a recording device - or both. A difficult, further explanation can be found in the Glossary (Section 8). 30 SENS mixer is the nerve centre of these sources, and therefore the 20 40 10 50 most vital part of your audio system. 5 MONO INPUTS 0 -60dBu 100Hz –+0 33 A Mic In 66 B. Guidelines in Use this "XLR" input to connect your 99HF 12 12 Choosing a Mixer microphones or DI boxes. 15 15 For Mic Input Wiring Explanations see section 7. 0 10 –+0 MID Audio mixers come in many different sizes and at all price 33 SECTION 1: Starting Out 66 levels, so it’s little wonder that people are confused as to B Line In 99 12 12 what type is actually needed for the job in hand. However Use this connector for plugging in "Line 15 15 –+0 33 there are several questions you can to ask yourself that will Level" instruments such as keyboards, 66 99LF help you narrow your search to the most appropriate samplers or drum machines. It can also be 12 12 models. used to accept the returns from multitrack 15 15 AUX tape machines and other recording media. 1 • What am I going to be using the mixer for - i.e. PRE 0 10 multitrack recording, live PA work or both? The Line Input is not designed for AUX microphones and although it may be used, 2 • What is my budget? POST/ PRE • How many sound sources do I have? As a guideline your will not provide optimum performance with 0 10 them. AUX mixer needs to have at least as many inputs as sound 3 POST sources. If you are likely to be buying more equipment in For Line Input wiring explanations see section 7. 0 10 0 PAN 11 the future you should budget for extra inputs. 22 C Insert Point 33 • What particular mixer facilities must I have for my 44 This is used to connect external signal 5 5 application? i.e. plenty of EQ, auxiliaries, or Direct Outs 0N for recording. processors such as compressors or limiters within the input module. The Insert Point 10 • How portable does the mixer need to be? MIX • Will I be doing any location work where there won’t be allows external 5 MIC/LINE devices to be SUB any mains power available? 0 • Have I read the Soundcraft Guide to Mixing from cover PROCESSOR placed within the - COMPRESSOR Input Path - see 5 to cover? - NOISE GATE INSERT - LIMITER - EXPANDER Fig. 1.1. Once you can answer these questions satisfactorily you 10 should have a fairly accurate specification for the mixer you need. 15 EQ FIG. 1.1 20 See Section 2 and 3 for more detail on how to use processors, and 30 Section 7 for information on wiring. PFL ∞ 8 3 13924 Inners 7/8/01 2:56 pm Page 4 D Direct Out H Auxiliary Section This allows you to send audio direct from Typically, these controls have two functions: First, to your channel out to a multitrack tape D DIR control the levels of effects such as reverb from external recorder, or to an effects unit when the channel MIC effects units that have been added to the input signal, and requires its own special effect. second to create separate musician’s "foldback" mixes in the studio or on stage. See sections 2 and 6 for more details on connections and studio techniques. How to use auxiliaries, connecting them to external equipment LINE and other applications are described in section 3. E Gain Control (Input Sensitivity) Sets how much of the signal from the INS I Pan (Panoramic Control) mic or line inputs is fed to the channel. This determines the position of the signal within the stereo mix image or may be used to route (send) the signal 30 SENS F HPF (High Pass Filter) 20 40 to particular GROUP outputs as selected by the As the name suggests this switch cuts out the E 10 50 5 ROUTING SWITCHES (see below). very lowest frequencies of a sound whilst 0 -60dBu 100Hz F –+0 allowing the higher frequencies to “Pass 33 J Solo (PFL and Solo in Place) 66 Through”. It’s particularly useful in live 99HF The PFL solo switch allows you to monitor an input 12 12 situations to reduce stage rumble or microphone 15 15 signal independently of any other instruments that have ‘popping’, which can produce a muddy mix, been connected, which is useful for troubleshooting, or or to ‘clean-up’ male vocals and filter out low 0 10 setting an instrument’s Input Preamp Gain and EQ –+0 MID G 33 66 SECTION 1: Starting Out frequency hum. Some manufacturers may setting. 99 also use the term “low - cut” filter to describe 12 12 15 15 Pre-Fade Listen (PFL) is a type of solo that allows you –+0 the HPF. See Fig. 1.2. 33 66 to monitor your sound BEFORE THE FADER. In other +20 99LF STAGE RUMBLE 12 12 words when you move the input fader in PFL mode the MIC “POPPING” FIG. 1.2 15 15 +15 level will not change, nor will you hear any effects. +10 AUX 1 100Hz PRE Because effects and volume are not a distraction, PFL solo +5 HPF H 0 10 is very useful for setting proper input preamp levels. dB 0 AUX -3 2 -5 POST/ Some Soundcraft mixers use SOLO IN PLACE, which PRE -10 0 10 allows you to monitor signals after the fader in their true AUX -15 3 POST stereo image, and with any effects that have been added. -20 0 10 2060 100500 1k 5k 10k This type of Solo is less good for level setting, but more 0 PAN Hz 11 22 useful in mixdown situations for auditioning sounds. I 33 G EQ Section 44 5 5 See section 3 - Setting Gain, for more information on using PFL. Usually the most closely scrutinised part of 0N any mixer, the equaliser section allows you to K 10 K Mute/Channel On-Off Switch change the tone of the sound on each input.