ALESIS Studio 32 Reference Manual Contents CONTENTS Important Safety Instructions...................................................5 Safety symbols used in this product.........................................................................5 Please follow these precautions when using this product:.........................................5 Introduction.................................................................................7 How to use this manual..........................................................................................7 For beginners..............................................................................................7 For the experienced: a quick overview....................................................................9 About the Studio 32................................................................................................10 Basic Principles of Mixing & Multitrack Recording..................................................11 The stages of multitrack recording..............................................................12 The different mixes and what they’re needed for....................................................14 Multitrack Mix..........................................................................................14 Monitor (Control Room) Mix.......................................................................16 Aux Sends and Returns: Effects...................................................................18 Guided Tour.................................................................................19 Recorder Mix/Monitor Mix System..........................................................................19 Starting at the source: input and TRIM.......................................................19 The equalizer.............................................................................................20 Fader and assignment section......................................................................20 Monitor 1/2 section.....................................................................................21 Aux Send/Return System........................................................................................22 Aux sends...................................................................................................22 Stereo Aux Returns.....................................................................................22 Control Room System..............................................................................................23 Control Room source....................................................................................23 Solo/PFL...................................................................................................23 Meters.......................................................................................................24 Hooking It Up...............................................................................25 Unpacking and Inspection.......................................................................................25 Installing in a Rack................................................................................................25 Power....................................................................................................................26 Avoiding ground loop noise.........................................................................27 Channel Inputs and Outputs....................................................................................28 Mic Inputs..................................................................................................28 Line Inputs.................................................................................................28 Tape Inputs................................................................................................29 Direct Outputs...........................................................................................29 Insert.........................................................................................................30 Master Inputs and Outputs......................................................................................31 Main Outputs.............................................................................................31 Main Inserts...............................................................................................31 Group Outputs............................................................................................31 Control Room Outputs.................................................................................31 2 Track Inputs.............................................................................................31 Stereo Aux Returns.....................................................................................32 Monitor and Auxiliary Outputs...................................................................32 Headphones..............................................................................................32 Chart of Connections..............................................................................................33 Studio 32 Reference Manual 1 Contents Connecting to an Unbalanced -10 dBV Multitrack Recorder ..........................34 Connecting to a Professional +4 dBu Multitrack Recorder .............................35 Connecting to a 2-Track Mixdown Deck........................................................36 Connecting to a Control Room amplifier ......................................................37 Connecting to a Headphone Amp ................................................................37 Connecting to a Patchbay............................................................................37 Effects and Signal Processing ................................................... 39 Connecting Aux Sends and Returns to Outboard Effects .............................................39 Should you use one or two inputs to effects?..................................................40 Using Effects..........................................................................................................41 Connecting Signal Processors to Insert Jacks..............................................................44 Multitrack Recording Applications ........................................... 46 Recording...............................................................................................................46 Setting Levels............................................................................................46 How to Record a Single Source to One Track.................................................48 Recording Multiple Sources to One Track.....................................................49 Recording Multiple Sources to Two Tracks (Stereo) ......................................50 Recording Tips ...........................................................................................51 About Metering ..........................................................................................51 Overdubbing ..........................................................................................................52 Using MONITOR 1/2 to Monitor the Multitrack..........................................52 Using the Channel Faders to Monitor the Multitrack...................................53 Getting the Mix to the Headphones............................................................55 Monitoring MIDI Virtual Tracks.................................................................56 Bouncing Tracks..........................................................................................57 Playback/Mixdown................................................................................................59 Getting the Mix to the 2-Track Deck ...........................................................59 Mixdown Basics .........................................................................................59 Guidelines for a rough mix..........................................................................60 Sound Reinforcement Applications .......................................... 63 Creating a mono house mix......................................................................................63 Subgrouping with the Group Faders ........................................................................63 Stage Monitor Mix......................................................................................64 Alternate uses for the Monitor 1/2 section: Stereo recording during a live concert......65 Using Monitor 1/2 to feed a cassette deck.....................................................65 Using Monitor 1/2 as the PA mix during multitrack recording.......................66 Video Production and Post-Production.....................................................................67 Description of Controls ............................................................... 69 Channel Input Controls...........................................................................................69 Trim ..........................................................................................................69 Fader Source switch ...................................................................................69 Equalizer section....................................................................................................70 75 Hz switch..............................................................................................70 EQ IN Switch ............................................................................................70