Signal Flow

[ohmeohmy]

Can people explain their signal flow through their studio, or high-end entry level (if there is such a thing) studio. I don't care about the exact gear right now just the generic name of it like mix, preamp,mixer... and so on. I know this can get pretty complicated. Does anyone have any good pictures of the flow through a pretty decent studio?

Thanks

 

[mikeh]

I'll assume you mean analog sound sources (vocals, accoustic guitars, etc) In my relatively modest studio

1) Sound source into a mic
2) Into a mic pre - or - channel strip (mic pre -> gate -> compressor -> EQ)
3) From channel strip into A/D converter
4) From converter into computer
5) Out from computer thru D/A converter
6) From D/A converter to mixing board

The mixing board sends the signals several places

1) Though the channel inserts - to and from various compressors (mostly for lead vocal, bass gtr, kick drum & snare drum)
2) Through the channel effects send/return - to and from various reverbs, delays, etc.
3) Through the stereo monitor send to a monitor amp, which routes the amplified sound to a speaker selector box, which in turn controls 4 sets of speakers
4) Through the main stereo send to whatever 2 track mixdown deck is needed (DAT, CD, Cassette, etc)

 

[mshilarious]

For my mixerless studio:

Record:

mic-->preamp-->A/D converter-->PC

Playback:

PC-->D/A converter-->power amp-->monitors

and

PC-->D/A converter-->headphone amp-->headphones

Mixdown stays in the PC, gets burned to CD.

 

[radiorickm]

different way

i am just learning, like you. but i don't use a computer, i use a SIB. so i'll give you my set up.
(vocal)
Large Diaphram Stuido Condensor Mike -->

Mike Pre [Channel Strip] (This is a mike pre-amplifier, that has a built in compressor/limiter, de-esser, and parametric eq) --->

Outboard sound effects processor [reverb unit] (it's best to NOT do it this way, but because i record into a MR-8, i cant treat each track on the way out of the SIB. So i treat it on the way in. The catch is you gotta get it right, or you do the whole track over and over) ---> and over and over and over........

EFX into console ( i know this is an un-necessary step, but it allows 2 thing.. i have a calibration tone in my console to set the proper recording level into the multi track. 2ndly (if thats a word) it allows me to have everything plugged in at the same time and not be swapping cables into the recorder. I have a patch bay and could go around the console, but i like the cal tone....)



Console to Multi track recorder

(GUITAR)
electric (2 ways)
guitar into digitech effects pedal with speaker emulation -->

digitech into console (in stereo) [have the option of compressio/limiting, and eq built into the pedal, other wise insert here] --->

console into multi-track [with option of eq, compression across the track & master out buss in console]

(2nd option)
SM58 infront of amp grille -->
SM58 into console ---->
console to multi-track (same as above)

as a basic rule. you want to record a STRONG (not clipped, especially if digital) and clean signal. Then you can add effects such as reverb/echo, compression, and eq later.

good luck

 

[notbradsohner]

mic->mixer->direct outs of mixer->effects->adat->remaining channels in mixer