Transcript
1380 Project 2: Mixing To begin, use the Zeroing the Toft Console document on the website to “zero out” the console, or put everything in its neutral or ‘off’ position. Next:
Mic-Pre section: Line/Mic button ‘Down’ (Line position) Mic/Line Gain set at 12:00
Monitor section Aux 5/6 to Mon switch up Monitor Level ‘off’ Monitor Pan to Center EQ to Mon = Up
Fader Section: L/R button Down (Important!)
Press Line on 1-8
Don’t Forget to Press LR Buttons!
1380 Project 2: Mixing Sub-Group Masters Red Faders Down (off) Master Fader (blue) Level to ‘0’, also known as Unity. Set Master Fader to Zero
Control Room Monitor Level to 12:00 (to start out, adjust as necessary)
All 2 trk selector (upper right of the console) switches ‘Up’ - (Use this in conjunction with the ‘2trk1’ yellow switch on rack to monitor CD playback)
1380 Project 2: Mixing
Getting sound & Loading Songs on the HD 24 You should follow the instructions for setting up the Toft in the Zeroing the Toft Console Document on the Website. Alesis HD24 returns to ****Channels 1-16**** Familiarize yourself with the transport control buttons, locator, locate positions, etc.. Prepare the HD24 recorder to play back a song
1. Turn the power on (if the unit is off) with the circular Power on in the left hand middle section 2. Press the Up and Down buttons to choose a song to play back.
1380 Project 2: Mixing
You can bring the faders up about half way and hit play on the tape machine at the beginning of a song to determine which song you desire to mix. Get familiar with the HD24 transport controls (Play, Rewind, Record, etc) on both the unit itself, and it’s Remote/Autolocator.
Determine by playing the tape what is on each of the tracks, drums, bass, guitar, vocals, etc. Now you can play the tape beginning to blend the various tracks. Take full advantage of the tools available to you:
The Pan knob (just above the fader) determines where that track will play in your stereo field. Don’t be afraid to move it left or right while listening to
1380 Project 2: Mixing the program, and if you decide that it belongs only on one side or the other, that’s Ok. Pan the sound left and right
The EQ Section: We’ve been talking about frequencies, enhancing sounds, masking, etc. so use the EQ section to enhance what’s there. You can play CD’s that you’re familiar with and compare your mix with those CD’s. Again, this is from a critical listening standpoint, not necessarily Analytical. Don’t forget to turn the EQ On by depressing the EQ On switch at the bottom of the section. Press the EQ In Button! Then Adjust the Hi, Mid & Low Frequencies to adjust the Timbre of each sound.
Currently, we have several FX “Normalled” to the Aux Sends and Returns. For example, the sounds on any channel can be sent to the Plate reverb by turning up Aux 2 on it’s channel strip.
Turn up the Aux for the FX you want to hear on the track.
This sends some of the signal out Aux 2 Master, which is already wired into the Plate Reverb. Turn Up Auxiliary Master 2 to send signal to the Plate.
1380 Project 2: Mixing
Aux Send Masters (Green – Send / Return Masters section) Turn up Aux 2 (or for other FX, set All 6 send masters to 3:00)
The Outputs of the Plate Reverb have been Normalled (connected through the patchbay) to the inputs of FX Return 2, so in order to add that reverb to our mix, we need to turn up the Aux Return (Labeled FX Ret on the Toft) Aux Returns (Purple – Send / Return Masters section) Level to 3:00 Pan to Center
B25 CD Burner Instructions After you have worked on your mix, insert a blank CD-R into the tray of the burner.
1380 Project 2: Mixing
Press the MONITOR button. Press the Input Selector until it says ANALOG.
Hopefully, the Master Fader (Blue) on the Toft Console will be at 0dB (or close to that) and the 2-Mix VU Meters on the console will be hovering around 0VU as the song plays.
A good mix can be obtained when all elements are playing/singing and the meters don’t exceed over about +1dB (on the console meters). This might require you to ‘ride’ certain element faders up or down to maintain good levels.
1380 Project 2: Mixing
But, Don’t ride the Master Fader! On the CD Burner, adjust the ANALOG RECORD LEVEL knob so that the meter display is just under ‘0’, preferably peaking at about -3dB on the loudest passages.
You’ll have to rehearse your mix a couple of times while watching the console meters, the LED meters on the burner, and listening to the mix. If during the mix, the top RED LED on the burner lights, you’ll need to back down the Record level a little on the burner. Allowing the Red light to come on during the recording will put a ‘pop’ or ‘glitch’ on the CD, and it won’t sound good.
1380 Project 2: Mixing
Put the burner in record by pressing PLAY & RECORD. Red Lights on the CD Burner are Bad. Turn down your Analog Rec Level Knob
Be sure it is not in PAUSE mode. You can tell if it is recording by watching the counter display roll by in seconds. Quickly start the 8 Track and PLAY your mix. Try not to waste too much time here. The time you waste will be recorded to the CD and every time your mix is played, the listener will have to wait that amount of time. (I’m the Listener, here). As you roll thru your mix, don’t be afraid to manually change volumes to compensate for level changes you hear and see on the meters. Its Ok to use ‘Mute’ switches to drop things out, or re-arrange the original recording. You should’ve rehearsed and memorized all of the moves prior to actually recording the mix to the CD. You may want to FADE OUT the mix before the song is finished completely on the 8 Track. To do this, simply pull the master fader from the console
1380 Project 2: Mixing down to zero, slowly. You may want to practice a couple times before you burn your CD to create a smooooothhh fade. On cuts with a ‘cold’ ending, don’t forget to gently FADE the last ring-out. Once the mix is completed and the Master Fader is down, stop the 8 track machine and the CD burner. Don’t stop the burner too soon. Allow at least 5 seconds at the end of the mix. Otherwise, the ending may sound abrupt. Important!!! You’re not quite finished. Press FINALIZE (so that the CD can be played on other CD players) on the burner. Eventually, you will see some numbers appear; 1:59.
Now, press RECORD & PLAY again, and you are now recording the TOC, or the table of contents on the CD. Once it finishes, it will display the song ID. As a precaution, double check and play the CD. Do this by: a. Plug in a set of headphones into the CD burner’s headphone jack and press PLAY. Listen to the entire mix. Optionally, you can press one of the 2-track inputs near the top of the monitor section of the console and listen through the speakers. Congratulations, you have completed the Lab Tutorial. Label the CD with a felt tip marker and include: a. AET 1380 Section__________ b. Last Names of all participants. What I’m looking for:
1380 Project 2: Mixing Sonic Integrity – relationships (kick to bass), (vocal to track), etc. Imaging – I don’t like ‘mono’ mixes!! There are Pan Knobs on the console, USE THEM! Mix Level – follow the instructions above Use of EQ – explore that Equal Loudness Principle taking advantage of sensitive hearing ranges. Use of EFX – a little reverb or delay can do wonders! CD Prep – even after all of this, I still get CD’s that haven’t been FINALIZED! Presentation – Proper, legible writing on the CD / sleeve or case. Due Date – points off if you don’t turn it in on Time! Have a couple of blank CDR’s available.
