MP212 Principles of Audio Technology II

L a b # 1 – D M 2000

Version 2.1, 02/22/11 – revised AR. Older versions by JL and JMC

Version 7, 09/11/13 – revised AR

Copyright © 2007 – Berklee College of Music. All rights reserved.

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MP212 Lab #1 – Exploring the DM2000 Objectives By the end of this lab you will • know how to “normal” the DM2000 • be capable of implementing a master word clock scheme • understand the digital interconnections between the X48, DM2000 and CDR • comprehend the different operational controls on the DM2000 • utilize on-board eq and compression as channel inserts • experiment with the on-board effects processors • use outboard effects processors • complete a mix to CDR This is a 3-hour Lab, performed in Studio M27. In this Lab, you and your partner will mix a song on the DM2000. You’ll mix the song down to a blank CD. You need to bring your own media to perform the lab. There is a quick overview from the manual of the DM2000 console parameters you will be using at the end of this document, but you should every time have the full User manual at hand. It can be downloaded from the MP211 course web page at http://mpe.berklee.edu/studio/studios/studios.php?studioid=studiom27 You can also find a copy of the X48 front panel description at the end of this document. Before your session, choose a song from the MIX 1 library – on the internal hard drive of the Tascam X48 Digital Audio Workstation - and do some preproduction -listen to the rough mixes we have in the Studio Office, take some notes on your mix ideas, etc. Be prepared for your Lab time to get the most out of it! Each team member should write their own Session Report detailing their experiences in doing this Lab. Describe how you accomplished certain tasks, technical hurdles you had to overcome, and creative issues in mixing on the DM2000. On or before the due date, submit a manila envelope (1 per team), properly labeled, containing your labeled CD with your mixes, your Session Reports from each person, as well as COPIES of any other paperwork you generated

while mixing (lyric sheets, production grids, patching grids, etc.). Be prepared to demonstrate fluency with all tasks associated with this lab during class. The individual reports need to be submitted separately, individually. There are two ways of submitting the report, either a hard copy, printed and included in the team’s Manila envelope submission, or uploading the Word document at Inside Berklee), The following pages are a step-by-step walk–through of one way to finish this lab. Feel free to complete the lab at your own discretion using only the objectives above. DM2000 Mix from X48 to DM2000 walk-through “Normal” the DM2000

1. Begin by setting the DM2000 to a “default” state. First, hit the Input Patch button

on the display access, and find the Library page. From there, recall Library setting #0.

This will reset the input patching in the DM2000.

2. Do the same thing for the Output Patch settings. Find the Library page, and recall

Library setting #0.

3. Next, recall mix Scene #0, which will reset all of the DM2000 faders, EQ’s, etc. Set up the master word clock

4. Now you should clock the DM2000 to the Apogee Big-Ben. On the DM2000, go to the Digital I/O “DIO" word clock page, and clock the DM2000 from the Big Ben via the DM2000’s word clock input (WC IN)

5. Check the X48, and make sure its clock is set to WORD. This can be checked at the Sync tab of the Settings window. There is a dedicated Sync button on the Menu Buttons area, on the lower right side of the front panel of the unit:

6. In the Control Room section of the DM2000, choose ST to listen to the 2-mix.

Utilize the digital connections from the X48

7. You should be ready to go! In Studio M27 the X48 digital returns come in to the DM2000 via Card Slot #3, which are internally routed to mix channels 49-56. Access those mix channels on Layer #3 of the DM2000. There is also analog outs normalled into the DM2000, on the first layer, but we won’t use those. We will only use digital in/outs in this lab.

8. Push “Play” on the X48, bring up the faders (and the 2-Mix master fader), and you should have audio. If not, check your meters, and find the problem.

Some troubleshooting if you don't get the X48 signal: • Is it showing on the X48 machine meters? If not the X48 could be set to “Input

All”. Turn “Input All” off and the machine should be showing signal on its meters.

• If the machine shows some levels, but the DM2000 not, check if you are working on the proper layer (obviously, considering all Word Clock settings are set correctly)

• If you have signal in both the X48 machine, and the DM2000, but you are not hearing anything, check fader mode, you should be working in Fader, not Aux Mode. Also check if the stereo master fader is on, and all settings necessary on the master section.

Use on-board EQ and dynamics

9. Setting the panning, EQ, and dynamics is pretty straightforward on the DM2000, as these parameters are part of the Selected Channel area. Select the channel you want to work on, and have at it!

10. Create PAIRS of faders to help you deal with stereo pairs from the DA-88. Also, make at least one GROUP of faders to control, for example, the level of the entire rhythm section. Remember, these are not audio subgroups, just fader control groups.

The DM2000 has different types of groups: faders, mutes, EQ and dynamic processing. In this case, you may benefit from creating a fader group. In order to do so, you will need to go to GROUPS on the Display Access Area (that’s where other major functions are set: DIO, Input and Output Patches, etc.). Once on a GROUPS window, you will need to find the page associated with the faders you want to group, most likely, Faders 49-76, and hit the SEL (select) button next to the faders you would like to group, as shown on the next picture. You can go to page 91 – “Grouping Input Channel Faders” of the DM 2000 Manual for more details about how to set groups. As to setting PAIRS, you can go to page 144 “Pairing Channels” for more info.

Use on-board effects processors

11.The DM2000 has eight onboard FX processors. Set up the first onboard effect processor as a reverb, and the second FX processor as anything you like. This is done via the Effects button, then selecting the processor (1-8) you’d like to edit.

12.Recall the effect you’re looking for from the effects library. Use these effect processors in your mix. Feel free to use more than 2 effect processors if you like -explore!

13.Note that when you recall an effect setting into an effect processor, there’s an indication as to whether that effect preset is 1-in/2-out, or 2-in/2-out effect. If you recall a 2-in/2-out effect, you’ll have to go to the Input Patch pages, find the input routing to that FX processor, and patch the corresponding aux send to feed the right input to the effect. For example, Aux 2 feeds internal FX processor #2. In the Input Patch settings for FX processor #2, you’ll see that aux2 only feeds the 1st input to FX processor #2. This is fine

for 1 in/2 out effects. If you recall a 2-in/2-out effect (such as chorus) into FX processor #2, you’ll have to use the Input Patch/Effects 1-2 page to patch aux2 to the 2nd input into FX processor #2. Now Aux2 feeds both inputs of FX processor #2. Don’t forget that the internal FX processors return to DM2000 channels 73-88, which appear on DM2000 layer 4. If you’re feeling brave, you can go to the Input Patch pages, and instead patch the outputs of FX1, FX2, etc. to appear on the unused mix channels on Layer 2, where your DA-88 signals appear. This way, you’ll have all of the signals in your mix appearing on the same Layer.

Use out-board effects processing

14.In addition, use another Aux Send to feed the Lexicon MPX-500 effect processor in the rack, perhaps using it as an additional chorus effect. The Aux sends feed the Omni Outputs, which are labeled as such on the analog patch bay. Bring the output of the MPX-500 back into the mix via one of the analog inputs (Line In 1-24). The analog inputs appear on Layer 1 on the DM2000.

Setup the CDR

15.On the DM2000, you must be sure and set the Stereo Output word size (bit resolution) and dither options correctly via the Digital I/O/ Dither page. Since you are mixing to CD, you’ll want to dither down to 16 bits.

16.Next, you need to route the digital output of the DM2000’s 2-mix signal to CD (HHB-830). On the digital patch bay at the bottom of the left side of the desk, patch the DM2000 output (Stereo Out) into the CD-R via AES. Set CD recorder’s input to DIGITAL, and set the input format to Coaxial. If everything’s OK, the DIGITAL LED on the CD Recorder should be solid, not blinking, when you select “Monitor” mode.

17.Put the CD Recorder into RECORD, slate the mix, then play the DA-88 to record your mix onto the CD.

18.Do as many takes as you need to get the mix the way you want it. Be sure to slate each take. Use a Take Sheet to log all of your takes and circle the one you want your instructor to grade. This submission is one for each team, the write-up is individual, the CD is the result of the team’s work.

DM 2000 Overview A D Input Section. This section controls the analog inputs to the board, before they are converted to digital data.

Display Access This section contains global settings for the console. For this lab you will be concerned with the DIO, Input Patch and Output Patch areas.

Dis pla y S e c tio n All DM2000 parameters can be edited on the various display pages. The LCD display contains information related to the paged architecture of the DM2000.

The selected channel area contains individual settings as they are applied to each channel strip. Settings include bus assignment/routing, eq, compression & gating, aux sends and the phase/insert menu.

M o nit o r S e c tio n This section controls the Control Room and Studio monitor source and volume, L a y e r

This section controls which channels are currently controlled by the channel strips.

The fader mode determines the functionality of each channel strip’s fader.

Encoder Mode. The encoder mode adjusts the functionality of each individual encoder Channel Strips. The channel strips are used for individual

track adjustments.

Aux Select. The aux select section determines which aux is currently being adjusted.

X48 front panel description (this is a copy from the X48 manual):

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Track meter - displays signal level from -60dBfs to -1dEfs and overload.Track record arming button - puts that track into record ready unless "All Safe" isturned on. Record Ready status is reported by a flashing red light directly above thattrack's record arming button.Status Lights - These lights flash when the X-48 is accessing the hard drive, busywith a task, has MIDI input or encounters an error.Sample Rate - these lights report the current sanaple rate. If the X-48 is set to 96kHz,the "48kHz" and "2X" lights will be lit. lfit isn't set to one of these standard rates(i.e. 47952 Hzl48k pulldown), the "Non Std." light will turn on.Timecode Rate indicator - Displays the current frame rate.System Lights - Indicates sample lock to an external source, when destructiverecording mode is enabled and when varispeed is enabled.Power - Turns the unit on and off. A system prompt will confirm shutdown. Holdingthe button down for several seconds will shut the unit off without a confirmation.Optical drive - the internal DVD optical drive for backup, import and export of files.Transport buttons - See the Recorder chapter if you're unsure how to use these.Menu buttons - These access menu groups like Project, Sync, Preferences, etc. Youcan also change the input status, unmount a disk and more.Enter button - Confirms menu selections. The Exit button is directly below it tocancel a menu option.Change button - Use this key to change a menu item in the Project, Sync, etc.menus.UplDown buttons - Use these to scroll through menus and change their settings.

Now let's walk through the rear panel: