For my cue bus, I tend to approach it in a few different ways based on the situation. For FoH gigs, I tend to use it to solo individual sources for spot checks. Not a lot of grouping/sub mixes for me (unless it's the record aux mix anyway). When I'm running the record and/or broadcast desks, I use the cue not only to solo, but also to help focus my ears on a particular source. If I solo a particular input for a half second, my ears focus on that source, then when I release the solo I can hear how that input sits in the mix and better seat it in the mix. I could also just pick the source from the existing mix, but sometimes when I'm really having to hunt for that one or two inputs, it helps. I should probably follow that up by saying that I am an amateur in all this. I ran live and broadcast sound through high school and college to pay for tuition, now only work about 10 hours a week in events (day job as a software developer). Events are my "fun" side job to keep my ears and skill sharp. :) Thanks for the great videos!
Thank you for that detailed insight in your work. A digital console makes it easy to add a delay on the headphones, so no more getting disturbed by the differently timed sound from the main PA. Now it is a pleasure to use headphones. I really like your setup with a RTA on the cue bus. I will try it when using an analog console the next time. On the M32, which I often work with, I use my MacBook with the M32 software as an additional display for the built in RTA, keeping the built in screen available for mixing. This RTA jumps right to the channel you listen to. Whenever I'm mixing I have my iPad with an RTA and mic next to me, just as a reference of what's going on in the room, how loud it is in numbers,... as a reference for myself, as you mentioned, to keep up learning, and to keep my mixing consistent during the whole show.
Thanks for the message! I'm hoping to get the chance to work on the M32 at some point soon, haven't seen any come through on any tours yet, but it seems like a really nice little console.
Thanks Nate, it's awesome to hear you're still watching and enjoying the videos. I try to keep up with your channel too, how's that TF5 been treating you?
Hi! Great video. Using an external RTA tool on the solo channel is a great idea. Just wondering, I'm not a fan of digital desk for live mixing for 2 reasons that are not the menus :). The 2 main reasons are: 1) I'm having oftentimes trouble to get the screen react to my finger if it is cold in the venue. It's a real problem regarding addressing quickly a problem, when I'm hitting the screen frenetically to access an eq parameter or the compressor settings... and 2) I've stil to find a digital desk where I can make complementary EQ. Having a single set of knobs to EQ the selected channel is very limited for me. It's like mixing in a DAW with the mouse and being able to change only one EQ parameter on one track at a time. I often have 2 to 3 knobs moving simultaneously on different tracks, especially when I make the drum sound, or the drum and bass, or the guitars sound, etc. Do you have any of these issues or idea to solve them?
Hi, thanks for the question! I've never had an issue with a touchscreen not responding to me indoors, and even outdoors on cold days, the displays can be a bit slower to refresh, but again I've never had an issue with it just not responding. Have you tried using a stylus? Which console are you experiencing this with, I'd be interested to know if anyone else is having the same problem with that console. As far as EQ goes on digital desks, my style of mixing (as I've talked about in videos before) is when I identify an issue and want to make an EQ change, I will make a deliberate adjustment on that channel alone. I can't remember a time where I've wanted to make multiple EQ adjustments at once, even on analog consoles. The old Yamaha method of (select / adjust / save) is typically how I'm thinking behind the console. I know everyone mixes and approaches their console differently, and whatever works for you is what you should be doing. That being said, I can't imagine a situation where I would want or need to be moving 2 or 3 eq points on different channels at the same time.
Thanks for your answer! I'll definitively give a try to the stylus. I have this problem on Yamaha consoles like the LS9 and the CL5. I have really cold hands, so I think it does not help. Regarding multiple eq moves, I have to make those in certain live situations where several bands playing only one to three songs go one after each other on stage. I have to deal within the 30 first seconds of each band's first song with big changes in sound (guitar especially, but also bass and vocal to a certain extent). That's why I enjoy having multiple midrange frequency knob under my fingers!
In the case of FOH mixing, do the engineers still use headphone to listen to the solo bus? 1. The headphone is going to sound very different than in the PA speaker. 2. And if it is already live, I don't think they will take the risk of leaving their FOH mix alone and listen to a channel in headphone to troubleshoot anything. It's like text and driving :)
In a perfect scenario, you have really good headphones ("reference" quality, meaning they have no BASS BOOST or anything like that), and the idea is to make the PA sound as close to the headphones (or "reference") as possible. During the show, you are correct, you're usually not wearing the headphones and listening very often. Usually just to spot check, or check a particular input or mix. When you're mixing monitors, it's very very different. You are constantly bouncing around between different mixes, checking each output as you cycle around the stage.
For my cue bus, I tend to approach it in a few different ways based on the situation. For FoH gigs, I tend to use it to solo individual sources for spot checks. Not a lot of grouping/sub mixes for me (unless it's the record aux mix anyway). When I'm running the record and/or broadcast desks, I use the cue not only to solo, but also to help focus my ears on a particular source. If I solo a particular input for a half second, my ears focus on that source, then when I release the solo I can hear how that input sits in the mix and better seat it in the mix. I could also just pick the source from the existing mix, but sometimes when I'm really having to hunt for that one or two inputs, it helps.
I should probably follow that up by saying that I am an amateur in all this. I ran live and broadcast sound through high school and college to pay for tuition, now only work about 10 hours a week in events (day job as a software developer). Events are my "fun" side job to keep my ears and skill sharp. :)
Thanks for the great videos!
Thank you for that detailed insight in your work.
A digital console makes it easy to add a delay on the headphones, so no more getting disturbed by the differently timed sound from the main PA. Now it is a pleasure to use headphones.
I really like your setup with a RTA on the cue bus. I will try it when using an analog console the next time. On the M32, which I often work with, I use my MacBook with the M32 software as an additional display for the built in RTA, keeping the built in screen available for mixing. This RTA jumps right to the channel you listen to. Whenever I'm mixing I have my iPad with an RTA and mic next to me, just as a reference of what's going on in the room, how loud it is in numbers,... as a reference for myself, as you mentioned, to keep up learning, and to keep my mixing consistent during the whole show.
Thanks for the message! I'm hoping to get the chance to work on the M32 at some point soon, haven't seen any come through on any tours yet, but it seems like a really nice little console.
Great content... just discovered your channel and am watching every video... I've been in the business 17 years and am learning new things... thanks!
Totally agree with you on the "mic pre" fetish!
Please add a link to the website in the description.
Done... Thanks for pointing that out & thanks for watching!
Reliable
Consistent
Success
great stuff on your channel. Really been enjoying your content geared for live sound folks. thumbs up!
Thanks Nate, it's awesome to hear you're still watching and enjoying the videos. I try to keep up with your channel too, how's that TF5 been treating you?
Hi! Great video. Using an external RTA tool on the solo channel is a great idea. Just wondering, I'm not a fan of digital desk for live mixing for 2 reasons that are not the menus :). The 2 main reasons are:
1) I'm having oftentimes trouble to get the screen react to my finger if it is cold in the venue. It's a real problem regarding addressing quickly a problem, when I'm hitting the screen frenetically to access an eq parameter or the compressor settings...
and 2) I've stil to find a digital desk where I can make complementary EQ. Having a single set of knobs to EQ the selected channel is very limited for me. It's like mixing in a DAW with the mouse and being able to change only one EQ parameter on one track at a time. I often have 2 to 3 knobs moving simultaneously on different tracks, especially when I make the drum sound, or the drum and bass, or the guitars sound, etc.
Do you have any of these issues or idea to solve them?
Hi, thanks for the question! I've never had an issue with a touchscreen not responding to me indoors, and even outdoors on cold days, the displays can be a bit slower to refresh, but again I've never had an issue with it just not responding. Have you tried using a stylus? Which console are you experiencing this with, I'd be interested to know if anyone else is having the same problem with that console.
As far as EQ goes on digital desks, my style of mixing (as I've talked about in videos before) is when I identify an issue and want to make an EQ change, I will make a deliberate adjustment on that channel alone. I can't remember a time where I've wanted to make multiple EQ adjustments at once, even on analog consoles. The old Yamaha method of (select / adjust / save) is typically how I'm thinking behind the console.
I know everyone mixes and approaches their console differently, and whatever works for you is what you should be doing. That being said, I can't imagine a situation where I would want or need to be moving 2 or 3 eq points on different channels at the same time.
Thanks for your answer! I'll definitively give a try to the stylus. I have this problem on Yamaha consoles like the LS9 and the CL5. I have really cold hands, so I think it does not help. Regarding multiple eq moves, I have to make those in certain live situations where several bands playing only one to three songs go one after each other on stage. I have to deal within the 30 first seconds of each band's first song with big changes in sound (guitar especially, but also bass and vocal to a certain extent). That's why I enjoy having multiple midrange frequency knob under my fingers!
Wait what exactly is a cue bus? I have no idea.
Did you watch the video?
In the case of FOH mixing, do the engineers still use headphone to listen to the solo bus?
1. The headphone is going to sound very different than in the PA speaker.
2. And if it is already live, I don't think they will take the risk of leaving their FOH mix alone and listen to a channel in headphone to troubleshoot anything. It's like text and driving :)
In a perfect scenario, you have really good headphones ("reference" quality, meaning they have no BASS BOOST or anything like that), and the idea is to make the PA sound as close to the headphones (or "reference") as possible. During the show, you are correct, you're usually not wearing the headphones and listening very often. Usually just to spot check, or check a particular input or mix.
When you're mixing monitors, it's very very different. You are constantly bouncing around between different mixes, checking each output as you cycle around the stage.