User manual ALESIS 1622

[. . . ] ALESIS 1622 Mixer Reference Manual TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 WHAT IS A MIXING CONSOLE?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 FEATURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 SECTION 1 DESCRIPTION OF CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] This is a separate mix which provides the engineer with a useful instrument balance and enables him to make changes and adjustments to the mix (such as muting or soloing channels) without disturbing the signals being recorded on tape. See Section 2 - INTERFACING TO THE MULTITRACK TAPE RECORDER CUE MIX Many times a third separate mix is required as well. This mix is sent to the musicians headphones for overdubbing and is called a CUE mix. This mix can be radically different from what the engineer is listening to since the musician may need certain instruments louder or even absent in the mix in order to cue off of (hence the name). This mix is derived from the PRE-FADER SENDS, 19 which means that the headphone mix will not change if the fader level changes while the engineer makes adjustments to his monitor mix. Since the 1622 MIXER has 2 Pre-Fader Sends, either 2 separate mono Cue mixes or 1 stereo Cue mix can be provided. MIXDOWN - After all of the desired musical parts have been performed and recorded satisfactorily, the mixdown stage takes place. During this stage, the musical parts are blended together, tonally enhanced with EQ and effects, positioned in the desired stereo spectrum with the PAN controls, and finally recorded onto a DAT (Digital Audio Tape), 2 track reel to reel, or cassette recorder. The 1622 MIXER provides a separate facility for both a mix to the mixdown recorder, and for playback as well. THE 1622 MIXER AND A 4 OR 8 TRACK TAPE DECK USING THE 1622 MIXER TO RECORD: A SINGLE SOURCE TO 1 TRACK 1) With a microphone or instrument connected to the desired input channel, set the input level correctly. See Section 2, INTERFACING, and HOW TO ADJUST LEVELS 2) Connect the DIRECT OUT of the input channel to the input of the desired tape track. See Section 2, INTERFACING, 3) To monitor (listen to) the track through the Multitrack Tape Deck, place the desired track of the tape machine into "source" or "input" and raise the Channel Fader of the 1622 MIXER where the tape return from the Multitrack is connected; i. e Track 1 to Channel 9, Track 2 to Channel 10, etc. (See Section 2, INTERFACING, and HOW TO ADJUST LEVELS) Follow instructions for playback. OR FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR TWO OR MORE SOURCES TO 1 TRACK. TWO OR MORE SOURCES TO 1 TRACK 1) With microphones or instruments connected to the input channels, set the input levels correctly. 2) If more than 1 instrument is to be recorded on 1 track at the same time, assign it to a SUB MASTER by switching the SUB switch to the "On" position on the desired channel. 3) Use the PAN control on all of the assigned channels to position the channels fully either to the left or right. If the panning is fully left, then you will be using SUB MASTER 1 (the left). If the panning is fully to the right, then you will be using SUB MASTER 2. 4) Connect the output of the SUB MASTER of the 1622 MIXER to the input of the track to be recorded on the Multitrack Tape Deck. For cleanest recording, the SUB MASTER Fader should be adjusted so that the level going to tape should reach 0 VU on peaks on the meters of the Multitrack Tape Deck. The exception to this would be for percussive instruments with lots of high 20 frequency information, such as cymbals, which should be recorded at -10 or -15 VU to prevent unwanted peaks which the meters won't indicate. 6) Be sure that the SUB ASSIGN switch (the one above the SUB MASTER Fader) is in the "Off" position. Otherwise, the signal will be assigned twice to the Master buss and may cause the signal to be too loud in the Monitor Mix. 7) To monitor (listen to) the track through the Multitrack Tape Deck, place the desired track of the tape machine into "source" or "input" and raise the Channel Fader of the 1622 MIXER where the tape return from the Multitrack is connected; i. e Track 1 to Channel 9, Track 2 to Channel 10, etc. [. . . ] Transients - Extremely brief, high output audio signals, usually the attack portion of a signal. For example, when looking at a signal meter, even though the meter of a signal may indicate an acceptable level, the transient portion of the signal (such as a cymbal crash) can very briefly rise far above what the meter is capable of reading, causing a moment of overload and therefore, distortion. Trim - A control on a mixer or console that sets or "Trims" the gain of the microphone preamp. TRS - A stereo phone plug is also commonly known as a TRS plug because of the arrangement of construction; i. e. [. . . ]