TRACKING ROOM 205: Working the Soundcraft Mixing Console

STEINERT - TRACKING ROOM 205: Working the Soundcraft Mixing Console

The Soundcraft Mixing Console is used to provide audio to the 8 Mackie monitors in the tracking room. Subwoofers are included in the bass-managed system.

The mixer is also a multitrack USB interface for playback and recording. The recording output (to usb) is direct from each channel's pre-amp (pre-fader, eq etc.). Pressing the 'usb return button' on the input channel strip will connect software (via usb) outputs to channels. (see below for info on using headphones for monitoring while recording).

An ⅛” mini plug provided to the right of the mixer provides easy stereo playback using the labeled channel. With the mixing console, you can choose to output your signal to just one speaker, to a stereo mix, to all 8 monitors for a surround sound mix, or any other combination.

Each mixer channel has its own 4-band equalizer, as well as standard pan controls, aux sends and on-board efx sends.

Setting Up a Channel in Stereo

In order for any channel to output sound, make sure the channel mute button is off. The most common configuration will direct regular stereo playback to the front speakers, Speakers 1 and 2.

- The “MST” buttons will assign the mixer channel to the 'Master' output, which connects to Speakers 1 and 2 as you turn your respective channel’s fader up.
- Make sure that the yellow Master Fader all the way to the right of the mixer, is up. It's usually best to leave the master at '0' (unity gain)

NOTE: The USB Return switch at the top of each channel dictates whether that channel will play back output from your computer (plugged in via the usb port/miniplug) or live monitor instruments/microphones plugged into the mixer.

Working in Multichannel Playback.

IMPORTANT: When connecting to the board via usb, make sure the usb return button is pressed at the top of each channel you're using.

This will allow you to control audio processed on your laptop out to the speakers

Speaker Groups: These are our main group controls for the board. Aside from auxes, all output to speakers is routed through these groups. Note that the group naming does not correspond to the speaker numbering in the room. They are routed as followed (see labels):

Master: Outputs to speakers 1-2 (front left and front right)

Group 1-2: Outputs to speakers 3-4 (middle left and middle right)

Group 3-4: Outputs to speakers 5-6 (rear left and rear right)

Speakers 7-8 (center front and center rear) are controlled via aux channels--keep reading to see how we set those up on the board

Speakers 1/2 (Front Left/Right) - controlled by the "master" fader, activated by pressing the “mst” button on your respective channel and adjusting the level of the master fader. (master at unity is recommended to balance with subwoofers and other outputs - control monitoring level with input faders - see below).

Speakers 3/4 (Middle Left/Right) - controlled by Group 1-2, activated by pressing the “1-2” button on your respective channel and adjusting the levels of faders “Group 1” and “Group 2” appropriately (masters at unity is recommended to balance with subwoofers - control monitoring level with input faders - see below).

Speakers 5/6 (Rear Left/Right) - controlled by Group 3-4, activated by pressing the “3-4” button on your respective channel and adjusting the levels of faders “Group 3” and “Group 4” appropriately (masters at unity is recommended to balance with subwoofers - control monitoring level with input faders - see below).

Speakers 7/8: (Center Front/Rear) - controlled by Aux Sends 1 and 2: these speakers can be utilized by adjusting the gain of Aux 1 and Aux 2 on your respective channel. These are green knobs located above the blue fx knobs and below the grey channel EQ knobs. (Recommend use is to put these knobs and the related aux master at unity gain - indicated with the triangle graphic; and make sure the send is ‘post fader’ - switch is on the aux master - so the channel fader controls your level and the channel will balance with other channels assigned to stereo and group outputs).

IMPORTANT: To control your aux levels with the faders, make sure the pre/post buttons on the right side of the board are pressed--this sets the auxes to post fader

Assigning to Each Speaker Step-by-Step

Speaker 1 (Front Left): Select the master (MST) group for speakers 1-2. Pan hard left to send audio to speaker 1

Speaker 2 (Front Right): Select the master (MST) group for speakers 1-2. Pan hard right to send the audio to speaker 2

Speaker 3 (Middle Left): Select the 1-2 group for speakers 3-4. Pan hard left to send the audio to speaker 3

Speaker 4 (Middle Right): Select the 1-2 group for speakers 3-4. Pan hard right to send the audio to speaker 4

Speaker 5 (Rear Left): Select the 3-4 group for speakers 5-6. Pan hard left to send the audio to speaker 5

Speaker 6 (Rear Right): Select the 3-4 group for speakers 5-6. Pan hard right to send the audio to speaker 6

Speaker 7 (Center Front): Deselect all group assigns. Send audio via Aux 1 on the channel strip, then raise the output gain for Aux 1 on the right side of the board. Make sure the button to the right of this knob is pressed (post fader mode). This allows you to control this channel with the fader

Speaker 8 (Center Rear): Deselect all group assigns. Send audio via Aux 2 on the channel strip, then raise the output gain for Aux on the right side of the board. Make sure the button to the right of this knob is pressed (post fader mode). This allows you to control this channel with the fader

Daw Tips for Multichannel:

Make sure to enable sufficient inputs and outputs in your i/o settings (they often default to just 1-2 or 1-4)
When connecting via USB, make sure to select the SoundCraft as your audio device

Playing a Mix from the Control Room

As of now, to play sounds from control room, one must manually patch from studio tie lines in the control room, out into the tracking room, and from those studio tie lines either into individual speakers or into this Soundcraft mixer.

Monitoring through Headphones:

On the channel you'd like to monitor through, toggle the PFL (pre-fader level) switch - this will sound audio from that channel out to the headphone jack near the output section of the board (top right). To feed one of the studio headphone amps with a stereo or mono send - patch the aux outputs to one of the headphone amps just like tie lines. use open aux outputs, 1/4 inch jacks are accessible at the top of the console (aux 3 and 4, and 5 are free) to patch to headphone amps, mix DAW output (using usb return switch) and record inputs using aux send knobs - switch aux sends to pre-fader (at right of console) for simple operation and to keep the sound out of the speakers.

Phantom Power:

If you are using the mixing console as an interface and you are using a condenser microphone, make sure the phantom power button near the top right of the console is depressed. This will send phantom power to all microphone inputs - channels cannot be sent phantom power individually.