Brace yourself!...
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Tascam M-35: Setup/Signal Flow/Process
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Starting Setup: (ZERO OUT THE BOARD):
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1) All [1-8] Trim (RED) pots fully Counterclockwise.
2) All [1-8] Input select switches to Line, (off).
3) All [1-8] Cue (GREEN) pots fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
4) All [1-8] Effect (BLUE) pots fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
5) All [1-8] High EQ Gain (WHITE) pots to center, (0/off).
6) All [1-8] Low EQ Gain (WHITE) pots to center, (0/off).
7) All [1-8] Pan (ORANGE) pots to center, (0).
8) All Channel faders [1-8] to 0.
9) All Submaster module [1-4] faders to 0.
10) Master [1] fader to 0.
11) All [1-8] Tape Cue (GREEN) pots fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
12) All [1-8] Submix Gain (ORANGE) pots to fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
13) All [1-8] Submix Pan (RINGS) to center, (0).
14) All [1-8] Submit Select switches to Off.
15) All [1-4] Effect Return level (WHITE) pots fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
16) Solo level (ORANGE) pot fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
17) Control Room Select switch to MIX.
18) Control Room level (RED) pot fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
19) Studio Select switch to MIX.
20) Studio level (White) pot fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
21) Headphone Select Switch to OFF.
22) Headphone level (BLUE) pot fully counterclockwise, (0/off).
23) 5th meter select set to OFF.
...
That's zeroed the entire board out.
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Next, THEORY:
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The MAIN MIX signal flow goes:
MIC > XLR Input > Trim > Channel Fader > Channel EQ > ASSIGN button > Submix Module Fader [1-4] > Master Fader > ... where signal is split to both:
>- BUSS OUT[1-4]: (Line Out | Aux Out, 4 pairs in parallel)
and
>- SUBMIX [8x2] Submix Select [1-8] set to BUSS.
The Submix and Buss signals exist on their own in parallel, and are routed to their own respective RCA outputs.
The BUSS OUTs would typically drive the INPUTS on the tape drive, and the SUBMIX OUT would usually drive the CUE mix, although not mentioned yet, is that the M-35 also has a separate CUE Mix section!
...
The SUBMIX SECTION exists to converge the (MAIN MIX) BUSS and TAPE RTN signals, INDEPENDENTLY of the MAIN MIX/BUSS. Isolation of the Submix and Main Mix sections is necessary to enable you to monitor tape/buss sources, while avoiding an internal feedback loop to develop, through the mixer and the tape drive.
...
The monitor signal:
SUBMIX > STUDIO | CONTROL ROOM Select switches MUST BE set to MIX > HEADPHONE Select switch may be set to either CR or STUDIO > HEADPHONE Level control, then FINALLY out to the phones!!!
A picture would be so much better, but... eh,...
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SUMMARY:
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With the basic 8-to-4, input-to-buss signal path, controls correctly set, you should get proper level on VU Meters [1-4], and use the Buss Outs (Line Out |Aux Out) to run to the 8 tape drive Inputs.
Monitoring is a separate signal path, which is sourced either from the BUSS or TAPE, and routed through the SUBMIX section to the headphones.
Each Submix Master Module has [2] Submix controls, giving a separate monitoring path for the [8] Tape Returns or [4] Busses, (switchable).
You MUST select the Submix Select switches to BUSS, to get monitor signal of the buss through to the phones, likewise, set to TAPE to monitor the Tape Returns while overdubbing.
The separete CUE pots and TAPE CUE pots are a separate tape cue section, an extra functionional I/O, but basic buss/tape monitoring may be done primarily with the Submix section.
Effects Send/Returns, too,... are an extra I/O section.
More on the TAPE CUE / EFFECTS sections, maybe later.
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PRACTICAL, STEP BY STEP:
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Through the settings above, you've ZEROED OUT the board.
Then:...
SET THE INPUT-TO-BUSS MAIN MIX:
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1) Plug mic into XLR mic input on Channel 1.
2) Set the Input Select Switch to MIC.
3) (Sing or speak into the mic, Mic Test, 1 2 3, etc).
4) Rotate the Trim on Channel 1 clockwise, until Red OL LED just barely flickers on the loudest parts.
5) Press ASSIGN buttons 1-4: DOWN, & leave Solo & Direct: UP.
6) Set Submix Module faders 1-4 to "6".
7) Set MASTER fader to "6".
8) Bring Channel 1 fader up to "6".
With all 4 Assign buttons down, Inputs are routed to Busses with PAN controls.
Pan Left to BUSSES 1 & 2, and Right to BUSSES 3 & 4. (Other combinations of Assign buttons 1-4 changes this L/R PAN scheme, somewhat, so experiment with it).
***
You should now have signal routed from Input 1 to all busses [1-4], with adequate signal levels on the all VU Meters [1-4], but with no headphone monitor yet.
***
Then,...
SET THE headphone MONITOR:
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1) Set HEADPHONE Select switch to EITHER CR or STUDIO.
2) Set Headphone Level to "7".
3) Set STUDIO Select switch to MIX.
4) Set CONTROL ROOM Select switch to MIX.
5) Set SUBMIX 1 Select switch to BUSS.
6) Rotate SUBMIX 1 Gain pot clockwise, and you will start to hear your BUSS 1 check signal in the phones.
Note:...
Two [2] Submix controls exist that may monitor the same buss [1-4], or alternately monitor a SEPARATE tape track return [1-8], (switchable).
7) You may now switch EACH SUBMIX Select switch [1-8] to BUSS, and
8) Rotate EACH SUBMIX Gain pot clockwise to about "7",...
~ to get ANY COMBINATION OF the BUSS [1-4] (or TAPE RETURN [1-8]) signals merged through the SUBMIX section, and out to the HEADPHONES.
***
Through this procedure, you should now have proper Main Mix (Inputs-to-Buss outputs) and proper monitor mix of all busses [1-4], (BUS/TAPE through the SUBMIX), to the headphones.
IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE, STOP AND CHECK ALL SETTINGS.
***
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NOTES:
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Remember, this board was intended to support up to an 8 track recorder, with 4-simul recording/max in BUSS mode, and up to 8-simul recording/max through DIRECT mode patching, with 8-tape return monitoring capability.
KEY POINTS:
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- The Buss mix and Submix are separate sections, with their separate RCA outputs, and yet the submix merges Buss and Tape Rtn signals for purposes of monitoring.
- The Studio and Control room select switches must be selected to MIX (Main Mix), but the Studio and Control Room Level pots pertain only the RCA outputs of these signals, not the headphone feed, and for purposes of monitoring in phones, may remain at "0". Once you hang something off those RCA outputs, do the Studio and Control Room Level pots come into play.
- You may get an adequate MAIN MIX signal from the Inputs, through the Busses, the VU Meters 1-4, and out to a tape drive, independently of having a headphone monitor active, which is driven separately through the SUBMIX section.
- The SUBMIX SELECT switches MUST be set to BUSS, to monitor the BUSSES, which for all intents and purposes has your MAIN MIX (Input) signals on.
- The LINE INPUTS on RCA connectors, 1-8, bypass the TRIM (preamp) section, as do the TAPE RETURNs (on RCA connectors), but they BOTH may be switched through the MAIN MIX, through the INPUT SELECT switches.
- Routing of BUSS and TAPE signals through the SUBMIX section is required to keep the INPUTS routed to BUSSES and ultimately to tape TRACKS, while keeping CUE MONITOR separate from the BUSS. Therefore, the SUBMIX section would typically be used as the traffic intersection for the Tracking and Overdub process.
- Routing of TAPE RTNs through the MAIN MIX section is typically done for purposes of FINAL MIXDOWN, where you'd then apply EQ & Effects to the tape tracks.
- DUE TO THE OPEN AND FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE OF THIS BOARD, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACCIDENTALLY PATCH A FEEDBACK LOOP THROUGH THE BUSSES AND A TAPE DRIVE WHICH MAY HAVE TRACKS SET TO RECORD ENABLE (READY) ON ANY TRACK, so be careful, and when you patch your first feedback loop, remember you heard it here, first.
- Each process has a slightly different patching or switch setting, but hopefully this has gotten you to the basic point of being able to route inputs to tracks, then to/from an external recorder, with proper headphone monitor.
- There are several different modes of working with this board, depending on if you're recording one track at a time with overdubs, recording Live-to-8-tracks, recording up to 4-simultaneous tracks, OR doing a final mixdown (8-tracks) from tape.
- The Cue and Effects mixer sections are added redundant layers, or sections of I/O, which enable certain other signal sends and/or monitoring modes. Sorry if I've skimmed over these items, specifically, but I've gone through the main bulk of signal flow, and hopefully got you to a place that you're functional, in a basic sense.
- Effects loops may be patched to bring effects into play in either the TRACKING or MIXING phase of production.
...
It's not as complicated as it sounds, but it is highly complicated to fully explain in text. All references above were made with the mixer actually on hand for reference, and practical points were performed as written, step by step. These are guidelines to very specific purposes, which may be changed to accommodate variables in the recording process, and are not carved in stone. Once you get the basic gist of this board, you change specific settings to go along with specifically what your'e doing, from live tracking, to tracking with overdubs, and to final mixdown.
- A simple change of the switch settings should be all you need to transition from tracking to dubbing to mixdown, without repatching.
Simple, huh?
Sorry if I've repeated myself on certain points, and maybe glossed over others.
More details on the other processes, later, if necessary.
/DA
