I. Map of the Studio

The studio has a computer, a large mixer, 5 speakers, a MOTU audio interface, a USB MIDI keyboard controller, and a patch bay. The setup also has a way to interface with your laptop through a 1/8" stereo out, or through your own audio interface using the 1/4" pigtails.

In this image, we can see how the studio is wired.  It works as it is now, so don’t unplug things.  Instead, use the patchbay (discussed later) or the unoccupied tracks in the mixer.  You can route these to wherever you need them to go.  The cabling details are what we use to keep track of things.  Please refer to the mixer and patch bay diagrams for the current channel setup.  It is labeled beneath the faders.

III. Map of the Mixer / Mixer Diagram

OVERVIEW OF THE MIXER:

This is a brief diagram of how the current setup is laid out.  We have stereo monitoring set up via the control room output, with the capability to route sound into the front, back, or adding a center channel.  This is useful for surround sound work or testing out your mix and for the fun of being surrounded by your music while you mix. I have also included a small description of how this mixer works in the event you are unfamiliar with this particular brand.  For more information, take a look at the user manual here .

It looks like a lot of detail, but the mixer isn't as complex as it seems.  Each track, like a digital track in Logic or Pro Tools, is independent, looks exactly like the other tracks, and has the same controls.  They can all be sent to the main mix.   

This next image is a detail of the output section of the mixer, which is a very important part of the mixer.  Refer to this detail if you find yourself in the studio after someone has come in and pressed every button on the mixer and left you with confusion or (*gasp*) no output!  The sub groups (not subwoofers!) assignments on the track can be used to send the sound to different places in the studio.  It can also be used to adjust levels of entire groups of tracks (like a percussion recording setup), or simply to place sounds in different physical locations for fun.  

For example, if you wanted track 15 and 16 (far left in the image to the right) to be sent to the front stereo speakers press the little square button next to the fader that says “L-R”, bring up the main mix fader and the ctl room potentiometer knob - making sure ‘main mix is selected for the CTL room source.  You can assign to the sub-groups by pressing the 1-2 or 3-4 buttons. Sub groups 1-2 are ‘normalled’ to the rear speakers, sub groups 3-4 are available at the patchbay.  The Left-Right ‘assignment to main mix’ buttons (green arrow) allow the groups to be sent to the main mix. This is useful for live sound when you want have a master control of a group of channels, but is not generally needed in this studio so make sure you leave them up when you’re not using them.     

You don’t need to worry about re-directing your sounds to the subwoofer - the low frequencies of all sends to the speakers go through the subwoofer.  You can add additional signal to the subwoofer LFE input using the Aux 4 channel send (towards the top of each track near the input trim pot - aux 4 is normalled to the subwoofer LFE input).

IV. PLUGGING IN A MICROPHONE

 If you are working with only one or two inputs, simply plug the XLR into the IN 1 or IN 2 (shown to the left).  These inputs handle Microphones on XLR cable or instrument and line inputs using 1/4” cable. You will then be able to locate the input in Logic, Protools, Max/MSP....  

 If you are working in a larger setup, you can plug into the mixer and then find your inputs into your software of choice!  

JUST A NOTE: Please, please PLEASE do not unplug existing connections to insert your microphones/DIs.  If you need more inputs... route them through the patchbay.  

VI. TUTORIAL: PATCHING IN 101

1. Using the mac, open logic.  Then find a project named “test.”  It should look like this:

2.  Take a look at the mixer.  You should see the Test Oscillator’s signal being sent through 9-10 and then to the main mix to track 15-16.  You should be able to see the little green lights that indicate the presence of a signal:

You can turn down the faders if you don’t want to listen to the annoying test sound.

3. Now, get a ¼” cable from the cable drawer.  Connect one end to the Main Out in the patch bay.  Then re-route the signal to mixer channel 13 (labeled mixer 13 on the patch bay):

4. Now look at the mixer one more time.  You should see the green light indicating that the presence of a signal on track 13:

Test this out other places in the mix.  Now try getting sounds to come IN.  

5. Try re-routing the signal to come back to logic.  Take the output from before, and patch the sound into another input.  For this one, we will send it to MOTU L4

We can now see in logic that the signal is coming from input 6.  Why 6?

Input : MOTU

1. MAIN OUT

2. MAIN OUT

3. MOTU L1

4. MOTU L2

5. MOTU L3

6. MOTU L4

Play around with the patch bay and see what you can do.  Just don’t go around to the back and unplug things, please.