Patch bay signal flow with compressor

For example, althoughversatile for its size, the 1604 doesnt have true subgroups. Pb48 patchbay i nderstanding patchbays and the dbx. The signal is sent into the input of one device as well as the input of another, which allows you to record a dry and wet signal at the same time. If you need to patch the mics signal over to another input channel, or to an outboard preamp, you do not want it to remain connected to its normal channel, as would happen in a halfnormal configuration. Audio patch bays are switchboards for rerouting audio signals. A patch panel like this can split a signal, but you generally cant merge signals with a patch panel. Then run a patch cable from the compressor output to the bottom front jack connected to the interface input and your signal chain will be pre.

Heres how the signal flow typically breaks down on a patchbay. Outputs are almost always on the top row, with inputs on the bottom row. If the mic preamp is connected out 14 and the interface is connected to in 14, but you also want to send the signal to a compressor, you would just patch the output of the. So that if you want to access a signal to send to a compressor, you patch from the out top row and after youve sent it to the compressor, you patch the compressor return back into the in bottom row. These terms relate to signal routing inside the bay itself. You plug in a patch cable and route it to the bottom row, which is the exact opposite of the top row. Samson saspatchplus patch bay with 8 hosa 14 inch cables. Record through hardware eqs, compressors, and reverbs. Using a patch cable for every connection is not only awkward and messy, but it can get expensive, too. Again looking at a typical row of patchbay jacksouts over insa normalled connection would mean that the bay or some connections in the bay would be wired so that signal would normally flow from a top jack to the jack just below, without any need for a patch cable between those two patch points. Learn signal flow with your mentor at a real recording studio this week was my fourth week in the recording connection, which deals with patch bays and signal flow, in which i really thought was going to be a daunting challenge, until i actually studied it with the materials provided to me by the.

Join brian lee white for an indepth discussion in this video recording with compression. For instance, you use different colors for preamps, eqs, compressors, and. The signal flows into the cable, into a bottom front jack, and out of the. Recording principles final exam guide flashcards quizlet. Normal mode means the signal will flow from the rear top patch point to the rear bottom patch point below inside the bay no patching required. Start with a mixer and amp connected to one vertical pair of the patch bay s rearpanel jacks, as described before. An example of where you would probably want a full normal is when you are bringing microphone signals into a mixer through a patch bay. Signal flow computerbased studio signal flow of an mpc hip.

This is often done via a patch bay or through points on the channel strip in smaller mixers. Channel bucket there are several module slots associated with each 16channel bucket in the legacy axs mainframe. How to use a patchbay spectre sound studios tutorial. One of the things that make a patchbay practical is the use of normal connections between top and bottom jack pairs.

Long story short, it travels through a complicated chain of equipment and eventually reemerges out your studio monitors. As soon as you plug a patch cable into the top jack, this connection is broken, and the signal now flows out of the top jack, into the patch cable, but not back into the bottom jack. Tweak shows you how to set up a patch bay creatively for your special audio projects. Dan dietrich andrew bird,neko case head engineer at. Ive noticed no loss or degradation of signal when tracking or mixing with the unit and ive found the signal flow diagrams printed on the top of the casing to be very helpful as well. Still learning the ins and outs of signal flow and patch bays.

You want to never have to go to the back of the bay, and only patch things into your recording paths with short patchbay cables or directly from gear you dont have plugged into the patchbay. Generally, patchbays are organized in order of signal flow. Sure, the real power of the patchbay is in the ability to fly things around willynilly, an impressive maze of patch cables routing all of your signals this way and that. The patch bay for consoles with frames for 32 thru 64 channels can be mounted onboard the console or externally. If youre here reading this, it may be the case that you already have access to a bay. Using the guide above, you may be able to vastly simplify and understand the complexities of a patchbay much better.

As you read this manual, it will help if you maintain a vivid mental picture of the direction of signal flow, as though your audio signal was water flowing through pipes, and your cables were hoses. With a patch panel, testing circuits and signal flow can be done with flexibility and ease, and are a dream come. Plus, many balanced patchbays have the advantage of being able to work with unbalanced signals, so youll be able to accommodate unbalanced gear too. The patch bay for console frames over 64 channels must be externally mounted. Patch bay connections can seem confusing at first until youve grasped the concepts.

Id say a patch bay is an absolute necessity for any decent home studio, and for value and features, i. Da conversion normally you should set this to 1 bit. On the patch bay, you will typically have a row dedicated. Some studios colorcode their patchbays to help separate the different sections. There are some often used conventions for a patch panel. Setting up a patchbay in your home studio by tweakheadz lab. If you are using an analog console in your setup, the patch bay is a must to properly send signal from one place to another. The signal flows into the cable, into a bottom front jack, and out of the bottom back jack and into an input in another piece. When patching gear together, think of the signal flow like a waterfall. A patch bay can help identify weaknesses in signal flow, and can aid in eliminating ground hum from the use of multiple devices. I have set up a 14 24 in24 out patch bay to route signal in and though a saffire 40 card, configured this way. Another common use of the patch bay is to create an insert between the outputs of digital to analog convertors and the inputs of a summing mixer. In this video we cover the basics of using a patch bay in a recording situation and a mixing situation. What happens to sound once it enters the microphone.

Ongoing set of flash cards dealing with recording consoles, signal flow, patch bays, and bussing. Many thanks to redco audio for supplying the outstanding patch bay. But you dont want to have to use up 16 precious patch cables to do basic. If youre set up for mixing, youll probably use inserts and outboard compressors. It allows you to place an effects unit or signal processor such as a compressor into the signal chain. Patch bay type you can change the signal flow within the patch bay. A patch bay allows you to create custom audio signal routings. You want to set up the signal flow so that what you. You would need to physically route this out of the insert, into your effect and then back into the signal chain. Patchbay, adda converters setup explained interfacing. Like many home studios, oppenheimers revolves around a mackiecr1604 compact mixer rackmounted with a rotopod adapter so thejackfield is situated just below the patch bays and an alesis adat.

How to use mixer and outboard preamp in home studio discussion in recordinglive sound started by felken. The place to patch a stereo compressor, should the need arise to compress the entire mix. A patchbay is this wonderful, rackmountable unit consisting of cable jacks on the front and back. The two most common types of patch bays include 14 patch bays and tt patch bays. How to use external hardware with your daw black ghost audio. At first, knowing how to use a patchbay seems like it would require a textbook. However, in this special patch setup, the signal also flows from the top jack in the front. What is a patch panel also known as a patch bay or patch field, a patch panel is a routing device featuring a number of connection jacks of a similar or certain type, facilitating the interconnectedness and routing of various hardware. Once you get your patchbay all hooked up, your days of crawling behind your rack will be over. A patch panel like this doesnt have any particular direction of signal flow. How about trying to patch in a compressor over your entire mix. How to use mixer and outboard preamp in home studio the.

Patchbays while not necessarily the heart of your studio, a good patchbay can certainly be the blood vessels, and you most definitely dont want them getting clogged. Wear and tear on the inputs and outputs of external hardware can be virtually eliminated, because you no longer have to spend your time connecting and disconnecting units manually, which can thrash your jacks. Often, multiple patch bays are used so that every sound source, every signal processor, and. If for example i want to send something through the la610 i would break that normalled signal on an adda line out at the patch bay and then patch it into the la610s line input on the bulkhead. This makes it easy to patch one piece of gear into another. Signal flow question greetings, i want to setup a stereo master fader that i can mix multitracks down to where i can add 2 separate compressors on the stereo mix as follows. The top and bottom jacks on a patch bay are internally connected so that the signal will pass from the top jack to the bottom jack. Good studio design means having your normal setup routed through the back of the patchbay, and when you wish to change the signal flow or try something different, you simply. This is a powerful and proven duo, but as 1604 owners know, the matchis not exactly made in recording heaven.