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24
RECORDING OVERVIEW
The recording process can be as simple as one
microphone recorded on a monaural tape re-
corder. Not much advice needed for that.
But since you’ve bought such a large mixing
console, we expect you’ll occasionally be doing
pretty big sessions. This section will describe at
least one way of approaching a large session—
for example, a big drum set, bass, guitar, piano,
scratch vocal and horns, with background vocals
and synthesizer overdubs. Let’s assume there is a
16-track recorder already patched in to the first
16 Tape In and the 16 Tape Out jacks on the
8•Bus Console. There is a set of Master Track-
ing, Overdub and Mixdown drawings farther on
in this section for general reference.
SETUP
Okay, now let’s get ready for your session.
Make a diagram of your studio setup showing
mic positioning. Then assign an input channel to
each mic.
Trying to make your microphone-to-input layout
sensible now will avoid confusion later. Group
similar instruments together. If there is a left-to-
right pattern to the mics (like drums mics or a
vocal group), keep the same left-to-right sequence
on the console. Plan your basic track assignments
the same way. It’s very confusing to have inputs
randomly strewn across a mixing console.
Now, normal your console (also called “zero-
ing”). This means check the position of every
switch and every knob to be sure they are in the
normal position. Your normal may be different from
someone else’s, but generally it means all switches
off or up, all knobs either all the way down or at
their Unity detent. If you are working in a certain
mode, say, for example, all AUX 3-4 SHIFT switches
in TAPE, this is the time to set them all.
Lay a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" white paper tape
across the top of the input faders and label all your
inputs. (By the way, avoid masking tape. It will
slime your console. Take the time to go to an art
supply store or a recording supply store and get
some better-quality “low tack” tape.)
Since your multitrack returns will be coming
into the MIX-B inputs on some of the same input
strips, you might want to divide your label into
multitrack track labeling and input labeling. See
TRACKING drawings 1&2 on pages 26 and 27.
If you have any careful submixing to do during
the recording, you might want to lay strips of 1/4"
white paper tape alongside each fader slot (bus
faders too, if you need them). Then you can mark
your place as you rehearse your fader moves.
RECORDING AND OVERDUBBING
Using Buses
If you have to combine two or more inputs
into one output (two trumpets on one track, five
drum mics panned across a pair of tracks), you
must assign the inputs to a common bus or pair
of buses.
If you have only one source going to one tape
track, you have a choice: you can assign the chan-
nel to the bus feeding that track, or you can patch
the tape track into the channel’s Direct Out.
Rationale for using a bus:
• It’s there, it’s easy, it sounds great.
• You meet interesting people on the bus.
Rationale for using a Direct Out:
• You’ve already assigned all eight of your buses
to other duties.
• You are a purist and you think you can
hear the additional circuitry used in a bus.
Monitoring
The most straightforward way to monitor dur-
ing a recording or overdubbing session is by
listening to the output of the recorder, played
through MIX-B. Properly configured, your re-
corder will automatically switch between source
and playback as you put the deck into stop, play,
fast wind, record and so on. That way, you’re al-
ways hearing your instruments after they travel
through the multitrack deck, regardless of
whether or not the tape is rolling.
MIX-B allows you to set up a custom mix of
the tape tracks, independent of your recording
levels. You can set level, pan, reverb and even EQ
in your monitor mix while you record. You can
even patch a cassette recording into the outputs
of MIX-B for a rough mix of the session.
Both the FLIP and MIX-B SOURCE buttons
should be in their up positions. This connects
the Tape In amplifier to the MIX-B level control,
and MIX-B will monitor the recording machine.
Cue Mix
Initially, as you are setting up, set the Phones
source to the MIX-B selection. This way, the mu-
sicians will at least have something to listen to
SECTION 4:
RECORDING WITH THE MACKIE 8•BUS CONSOLE
RECORDING