Carvin SL40C manual Split Recording Setup

Split Recording Setup.

The Split recording method has many different looks depending on the mixing consoles setup and features. The basic concept of split record- ing is simply using a different channel or bus for mixing than was used for tracking. The complication comes with how the features of the mixer are used. If the mixer has direct outputs, then the channel used for tracking goes direct to the recorder’s inputs and another channel is used for the recorders playback through the mixer. If the channel does not have direct outputs, then the channel output goes through the busses to the recorders inputs. If there are more tracks and inputs than channels, then the channels have to be patched for mic and instru- ments to track. For playback and mixing, the channels are patched for tape outputs.

With S/L consoles, some split recording is done when there are less tracks on the recorder than on the console or multiple channels are desired to be recorded to one or two tracks. In these cases, the Groups are used to sub-mix banks of channels down to one or two tracks. The same In-line setup is used, except that the direct outputs going to the desired tracks to get the sub mixed signals are patched to the out- puts of the groups being used for sub mixing the channels. Even in this setup patching is greatly reduced with the S/L console because the tape returns can remain in the channels and only 8 direct outs and 8 recorder inputs need to be going through a patch bay for patching to the group outputs. The best recording setup has the least possible patching and interconnection.

Figure 5-3shows a simple combination of in-line and split recording setups using a patch bay like the Carvin PB48 patch bay . The setup shows a typical 16 channel recording system. The first 8 channels are connected with the in-line method; where the mixer’s TAPE IN’s are receiving the multi-tracks 1-8 outputs and the mixers DIRECT OUT’s are going directly to the multi-tracks inputs 1-8. Tracks 9-16 are setup using a patch bay with the normal connection (with nothing plugged in the front ) producing the same setup as with tracks 1-8. Using the patch bay allows the busses to be used instead of the direct out’s for inputs to the multi-track recorder. This allows multiple channels to be mixed down to one or two busses using less tracks. With the patch bay, compressors, gates or effects can also be patched (optional to using the insert jacks) covering multiple channels with one unit. The final channel setup shown in Figure 5-3shows the same 16 channels with the inputs from the mics and instruments being recorded.

see figure 5-3 on page 16

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