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[Ital-Rolando]

Just to get some new ideas n how you route/control your channels inputs among auxes, matrixs, dca, etc... in order to feed PA, wedges, subs, front, external inputs/processor/recorders etc.
I know the theme could be vast but I wonder if you came up with a schema to accomplish a functional and probably a rapid setup. (Please specify if you are talking about foh or monitor mixing  )
For example, on my SD9, I usually group channels by their stereo or mono aspect (grp1=kick+snr) and furthermore by their frequency range (grp2=drums highs), then I use dca to control inputs and dca to control groups too; use matrix to feed phisycal outputs; auxs just for effects or wedges/iem, ... anyway, whatever you feel confident to share I will surely take notes from it  ...

[Chris Grimshaw]

Ch1-? - vocals, from left to right (front row first) from the mix position. If I'm mixing side-of-stage, I'll go stage left, stage right, etc. If I'm mixing from somewhere useful, I'll order them as I see them. Then anything else I might want on the fader bank I play with most. Guitars, maybe keys. Bass and drums go on a different page, and I rarely come back to that once it's dialled in.

Aux sends are the same as the vocal channels. Number them as I see them. Aux 1 = left mons, Aux 2 = centre mons etc etc. I don't really get on with Aux-fed subs, but do occasionally run delays off Aux5/6, since 4 monitor mixes is plenty for my level.

This is mostly on my QSC TM16 (running mains and mons), but I'll use every other desk the same way, unless it's something big like an ML4000 where I don't mind the drums being all the way over on channels 1-8. I want the vocals immediately to hand, so they go on the faders that are close to me.

For DCAs, whatever I find useful. Drums as a mix, guitars, vocals. If I really want to mix on 8 faders all night, I'll put the lead vocal alone on a DCA. I often keep a DCA spare to use as a "push" fader. If someone's just too quiet but their monitor mix is good, I can't adjust the input gain, so having up to +12dB of post-fader boost available has helped me out a couple of times.

Chris

[Bob Leonard]

Starting in the days of old and analog I grew into a habit of instruments then vocals. This made sense to me then because many larger consoles seemed to be split in the middle, and I'm right handed. Silly I guess, but that's how it started for me. Of course it didn't matter at all when your first PA is a Bogen. In those days it was vocals left to right across the stage and across the knobs. Whatever was left was used for instruments, if any.

Today I live in the digital world and assign instruments to layer 1, vocals to layer 2, left to right DCA, matrix, groups, as needed usually on another layer.

[Brian Jojade]

My standard layout has percussion on channels 1-8, starting with kick drum.  9-16 are left open for additional percussion type instruments.

Channel 17 is bass, then guitars, then keyboards.  Vocals are channels 25-32.

I use DCA groups for percussion, instruments, and vocals.


I used to compact the channels to get everything on the same layer, thinking it would be faster.  Problem was, in doing one off shows, it would take me longer to find each channel because it was in a different spot for each band.  Ugh.  So, by creating a standard layout, with openings available for different instruments, my muscle memory lets me find what is needed to mix right on the fly.

On the X32, the instruments and vocals are all on the same layer, which is where most adjustments are happening anyway.  Mixing the drums is a simple button press, and there you go.

[Justice C. Bigler]

I always set up my channels in score order. Vocals at the top, then strings, then woodwinds and brass, then percussion, piano at the bottom.

[Corey Scogin]

I do
- drums
- bass
- backline from SR to SL
- vocals from SR to SL

Monitor mixes the same backline SR to SL then downstage SR to SL

DCAs are the same order - drums, instruments, vocals, FX, walk-in music source, etc. Sometimes those are split to more DCAs.

[brian maddox]

I do
- drums
- bass
- backline from SR to SL
- vocals from SR to SL

Monitor mixes the same backline SR to SL then downstage SR to SL

DCAs are the same order - drums, instruments, vocals, FX, walk-in music source, etc. Sometimes those are split to more DCAs.

I do things basically this same way, but with one little twist.

I put drums in reverse order from most people.  So OH Left and Right is channel 1 and 2, then toms, then snare the Kick.  This puts the drive section along with the Bass all in the same part of the desk.  Also, in the olden days of analog, many older desks had fairly 'tired' channel 1 strips from constantly enduring heavy transients since everybody puts kick there.  Might have been my imagination, but i could hear the difference when i moved the Kick to a different channel strip.

I'm also likely to leave gaps along the way to allow easy additions of extra percussion or that extra guitar the guitarists brings or whatever.  I actually rather like having a channel between instruments anyway.  Helps to visualize what i'm doing better.

[Brian Jojade]

Also, in the olden days of analog, many older desks had fairly 'tired' channel 1 strips from constantly enduring heavy transients since everybody puts kick there.  Might have been my imagination, but i could hear the difference when i moved the Kick to a different channel strip.

Um, that really sounds like your imagination thing.  Channel strips don't 'wear out' by being used.

Now, it was true way back in the day that the further you got from the mains, the higher noise floor there was on a channel, especially on crappier desks.  That's why the money channels were usually a higher count.  The noise level on the kick didn't matter as much, so it was put on channel 1.

[Tim McCulloch]

Um, that really sounds like your imagination thing.  Channel strips don't 'wear out' by being used.

Now, it was true way back in the day that the further you got from the mains, the higher noise floor there was on a channel, especially on crappier desks.  That's why the money channels were usually a higher count.  The noise level on the kick didn't matter as much, so it was put on channel 1.

And in Ye Olde Recording Dayz it was common to put bass or kick drum on recorder Ch 1 because head misalignment was greatest on the outside tracks and because of the potential for damage to the outside edges of the 2" tape from mis-spooling, spills and transport damage.

[brian maddox]

Um, that really sounds like your imagination thing.  Channel strips don't 'wear out' by being used.

And i don't doubt for a minute that you are correct.  My imagination is a very powerful thing. 

That being said, i've heard lots of people talk of 're-capping' older analog desks and that sort of thing.  Is that just a time thing?  That is, all the Capacitors get tired due to the passage of time and a recap tends to clean that up?

I readily admit that i know little to nothing about electronics on the component level, other than the most basic understanding of each components function.

[apologies for topic swerve...]

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