Mackie 24.8Bus Owner's Manual - Page 26

RECORDING FOLLOW THIS LEVEL-SETTING PROCEDURE FOR EACH CHANNEL IN USE: 1. I Assign signal to channel fader: • If channel will be used with a microphone, MIC/LINE switch should be up & FLIP switch should be up. • If channel will be used with line input, MIC/LINE switch should be down & FLIP switch should be up. • If channel will be used with a tape input, the FLIP switch should be down. 2. Set channel strip controls as follows: I TRIM pot all the way counterclockwise (+4dB) I AUX SEND controls all the way counterclockwise (off) I EQ switch up I LOW-CUT switch either on or off (on recommended for mic inputs) I Channel fader at UNITY I SOLO switch down 3. I Make appropriate "noise" into the channel input. For example, have a performer play/ sing/strike something or someone, etc. at the level they're going to record or perform. Don't just play a single sustained note, but rather, jam away as you would be during recording or performance. If the channel is being used for a tape input during mixdown, roll an already-recorded track from your recorder. 4. The channel's -20dB LED should light. The L/R main meters will show the actual internal operating level of soloed signals. Now you will optimize levels. 5. I • For mic or line inputs, adjust the TRIM control clockwise to get peaks that regularly hit 0dB on the L/R meters. OR I • For tape inputs, set the +4/-10 switch on the console back panel to its in position (-10) if the signalpeaks are below -10dB on the L/R main meters. 6. If desired (optional): I Press the EQ switch in. I Adjust the channel strip's EQ to about what you will be using during the session. I Re-perform Step 5. 7. I Return the channel strip's SOLO button to its up position. 8. I Repeat Steps 1-7 on the next channel that is being used. 24 providing all your chosen tracks are in record mode and auto-switching to input when tape is not rolling. Keeping the Phones on MIX-B may work for the entire session, but usually the musicians will want one or even two custom mixes. The bass player and drummer may want bass and drums featured very loud in their cans, which may be killing the vocalist. Likely, as soon as you are close, you will be required to come up with some new cue feeds for the players. AUXiliary Sends 3-4 and 5-6 are designed to set up two different cue mixes from the same source as MIX-B, which should be the signal from your recorder. Simply push the SOURCE button by Sends 3-4-5-6 down to the MIX-B position, and push the PRE button down (to bypass the MIX-B level control). With the system configured like this, you will be able to send a custom mix from each tape track to either Sends 3-4 or Sends 5-6, depending on the position of the AUX SHIFT switch. It's like having an extra Mix B section. Sends 3 and 5 are set to feed the left headphone, and 4 and 6 the right headphone. An equal setting on both knobs will place the sound in the center of the image. Additional Note: You can modifiy the channel Aux 1/2 sends to source the pre-fader information from the tape returns. This would provide an additional two aux sends that could be used as cue mixes from Mix-B (tape returns), and allow all six aux sends to access Mix-B during tracking or overdubbing for cue mixes as well as effects. Instructions for this modification can be found on our website at www.mackie.com (click on Support). Or you can call Tech Support at 1-800-258-6883 for assistance. Wet or Dry Monitor? Usually, you will not record wet (with reverb) onto your multitrack master. You can't undo it later. However, it is nice to hear a little echo on the tracks as you are working, and with the 8•Bus Series, you have the option of wet monitoring. Since you are using MIX-B as your monitor submix, you should derive the reverb send from the same source. When the SOURCE button next to Sends 3/4/5/6 is depressed but the PRE button is not, the sends are connected after the MIX-B level control and make great wet monitor reverb sends. Once you have your sends happening, you can assign the return from your reverb into the headphone cues by using Stereo Returns 3 or 4, which can directly assign into the phones. (Even if you are using Send 6, there is no reason not to patch the output of the reverb into Returns 3 & 4. The Send and Return numbers do not have to match.) Text continued on Page 27