| Here's some rules of thumb and forefinger, general comments and system information. Start Start with the suggested settings on the diagram in the user guide. There are blank templates you can draw on to remember your own adjusted settings. Give the filled-in templates and notes to the camp office at the end of your week, we'll look them over to help us keep the system optimized for all users. The system is built so that two mixers, The Ashley 8 channel on stage, or the Spirit 12 channel or any other remote mixer can both send sound to the speakers and monitors. This gives the system a great deal of flexibility, and expanded utility. A look at the audio flow block diagram might help clarify this for you. Or, if it gives you a headache, just remember this: Only turn up the master outputs (Left, Right, Aux 1, & Aux 2) on one mixer, not both. It's ok to leave the channel knobs up, just make sure the master outputs are down on one mixer, or else when you try to turn something down from the other mixer, it won't turn down!. You can operate the system from either mixer. The Ashley mixer can be operated from the stage window or the dance floor window. The Spirit mixer can be operated wherever the snake and power cables reach. System Equalization (tone adjustment) Start with the graphic equalizer and mixer eq knobs flat (in the middle). If you are not familiar with using a graphic equalizer with live music, that's fine, leave it flat, or leave the Eq On switch out. The system sounds great without it. You pros: Try using the graphic only after you've heard the system with the band. The system is pretty flat, and has been optimized by listening to a lot of musicians play through it. Use the mixer channel eq knobs first to achieve a tonal balance. If you find you're adjusting the same frequency on a several mixer channels, then consider adjusting that frequency at the graphic equalizer. The graphic is there to accommodate for differing operators' modus operandi, remember, there is no one way to get a good sound. Attentive mixing (volume adjustment over time) is as big a key to good sound as tone adjustment. Microphones: The PL90 - DS35 (same mic, different model number) are 'bland' microphones. As opposed to many microphones, they have little personality. That's good for a facility like Pinewoods, with many users and endless instrumental variety, since a mic with personality could make one fiddle sound good, perhaps by accentuating a tone that is subdued on that fiddle, but could accent that tone on another fiddle that already has that tone, creating an annoying peak. A lot of tonal color can be adjusted using the eq/tone knobs on the mixers, both of which have sweepable mid, low, and high eq . There are several other mics to choose from which will require some experimentation to match to instruments. The current mic inventory includes 6 x DS35, 1 x SM58, 1 x SM48s, 4 x ND757, 1 Barcus Berry piano pickup, 1 passive direct box, 1 active direct box, 12 boom stands and 16 mic cables. 'Phantom Power' Phantom power puts a voltage across mic cables that can be a problem in a tough enviroment like Pinewoods. Any slight resistance or dampness in a cable with phantom can cause snap, crackle and pops. And you really give your ears a blast if you unplug a phantom power input without turning it down first. Ouch! So the rule of thumb is "Don't use phantom power". Batteries preferred. Use with caution. You get the idea. The batteries in active pickups, active direct boxes, and condenser mics last a really long time. All units of this type start each season at Pinewoods with a new alkaline battery, and should not need battery replacement until the end of the season. Just in case, there are spare batteries and a battery tester in the audio storage room. Mute Switch: Pressing the mute switch (on the stage input stage box) turns off the band to the dance floor, so musicians can unplug, tune, or generally carry on while the caller does their thing. Two bright red lights indicate the mute condition, one on the mixer rack, and one on the beam over the front of the stage. Caller Monitor: The caller monitor volume is adjusted on the caller monitor itself, with separate controls for hall mix and caller only. It is affected by the volume of the caller in the main mix, that is, if the caller is off in the main loudspeakers, the caller will be off in the caller monitor as well. The monitor is mounted above the front of the stage, and can be swivelled side to side. Stage Monitors: The floor monitors run off the cable outlets in the stage floor pocket. The 4 small black monitors are 2 way with a woofer and tweeter, and quite smooth sounding. Many performers prefer them raised up about 2 feet off the floor. There is also one EV100S speakers available as a monitor. There are two 'mixes', Aux 1 and Aux 2. For example, the piano player might want more fiddles than the rest of the band, so the piano player could get one monitor running off Aux 2 with the rest of the band's monitors running off Aux 1. Adjustments to the monitor mixes are made on the Aux 1 or Aux 2 knobs of the mixer in use (remember, the Ashley or Spirit, not both) For the adventurous, the Ashley can be used as an 'onstage monitor mixer' (8 channels only) while the Spirit mixes to the Left & Right outputs for the dance floor. There is a graphic eq on each of the two monitor mixes. (See above regarding graphic eq use). User Comments: This system has been designed and is being enhanced with constant input from users like you. Just as there is no 'one way' to mix good sound, there is no 'final' system for Pinewoods. Your comments and the records of your week's system operation are key to keeping the system current with users needs. Many, many thanks go to all the users who have taken the time to experiment, comment, and help pull the system together over the last season. John Doerschuk 15 Hazel Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (617)868-8963 home (617)201-2184 cell |
