ALESIS Studio 32 Reference Manual Contents CONTENTS Important Safety Instructions ................................................... 5 Safety symbols used in this product.........................................................................5 Please follow these precautions when using this product:.........................................5 Introduction ................................................................................. 7 How to use this manual ..........................................................................................7 For beginners..............................................................................................7 For the experienced: a quick overview ....................................................................9 About the Studio 32 ................................................................................................10 Basic Principles of Mixing & Multitrack Recording..................................................11 The stages of multitrack recording ..............................................................12 The different mixes and what they're needed for ....................................................14 Multitrack Mix ..........................................................................................14 Monitor (Control Room) Mix .......................................................................16 Aux Sends and Returns: Effects ...................................................................18 Guided Tour................................................................................. 19 Recorder Mix/Monitor Mix System..........................................................................19 Starting at the source: input and TRIM .......................................................19 The equalizer.............................................................................................20 Fader and assignment section ......................................................................20 Monitor 1/2 section .....................................................................................21 Aux Send/Return System ........................................................................................22 Aux sends...................................................................................................22 Stereo Aux Returns .....................................................................................22 Control Room System..............................................................................................23 Control Room source....................................................................................23 Solo/PFL ...................................................................................................23 Meters .......................................................................................................24 Hooking It Up............................................................................... 25 Unpacking and Inspection.......................................................................................25 Installing in a Rack................................................................................................25 Power ....................................................................................................................26 Avoiding ground loop noise .........................................................................27 Channel Inputs and Outputs....................................................................................28 Mic Inputs..................................................................................................28 Line Inputs.................................................................................................28 Tape Inputs................................................................................................29 Direct Outputs ...........................................................................................29 Insert.........................................................................................................30 Master Inputs and Outputs......................................................................................31 Main Outputs.............................................................................................31 Main Inserts...............................................................................................31 Group Outputs............................................................................................31 Control Room Outputs.................................................................................31 2 Track Inputs.............................................................................................31 Stereo Aux Returns .....................................................................................32 Monitor and Auxiliary Outputs...................................................................32 Headphones ..............................................................................................32 Chart of Connections ..............................................................................................33 Studio 32 Reference Manual 1 Contents Connecting to an Unbalanced -10 dBV Multitrack Recorder ..........................34 Connecting to a Professional +4 dBu Multitrack Recorder .............................35 Connecting to a 2-Track Mixdown Deck........................................................36 Connecting to a Control Room amplifier ......................................................37 Connecting to a Headphone Amp ................................................................37 Connecting to a Patchbay............................................................................37 Effects and Signal Processing ................................................... 39 Connecting Aux Sends and Returns to Outboard Effects .............................................39 Should you use one or two inputs to effects?..................................................40 Using Effects ..........................................................................................................41 Connecting Signal Processors to Insert Jacks..............................................................44 Multitrack Recording Applications ........................................... 46 Recording...............................................................................................................46 Setting Levels............................................................................................46 How to Record a Single Source to One Track.................................................48 Recording Multiple Sources to One Track.....................................................49 Recording Multiple Sources to Two Tracks (Stereo) ......................................50 Recording Tips ...........................................................................................51 About Metering ..........................................................................................51 Overdubbing ..........................................................................................................52 Using MONITOR 1/2 to Monitor the Multitrack ..........................................52 Using the Channel Faders to Monitor the Multitrack...................................53 Getting the Mix to the Headphones............................................................55 Monitoring MIDI Virtual Tracks.................................................................56 Bouncing Tracks..........................................................................................57 Playback/Mixdown................................................................................................59 Getting the Mix to the 2-Track Deck ...........................................................59 Mixdown Basics .........................................................................................59 Guidelines for a rough mix..........................................................................60 Sound Reinforcement Applications .......................................... 63 Creating a mono house mix......................................................................................63 Subgrouping with the Group Faders ........................................................................63 Stage Monitor Mix......................................................................................64 Alternate uses for the Monitor 1/2 section: Stereo recording during a live concert......65 Using Monitor 1/2 to feed a cassette deck.....................................................65 Using Monitor 1/2 as the PA mix during multitrack recording.......................66 Video Production and Post-Production.....................................................................67 Description of Controls ............................................................... 69 Channel Input Controls...........................................................................................69 Trim ..........................................................................................................69 Fader Source switch ...................................................................................69 Equalizer section....................................................................................................70 75 Hz switch ..............................................................................................70 EQ IN Switch ............................................................................................70 HIGH and LOW.........................................................................................70 MID EQ controls: LEVEL, FREQ, and Q.......................................................70 Auxiliary Send Section...........................................................................................72 AUX 3(5) SOURCE Switch.........................................................................72 AUX 3(5) and AUX 4(6) Sends.....................................................................72 TO 5/6 Switch (Aux Assign Switch)............................................................72 MONITOR 1/2 SOURCE switch .................................................................72 Studio 32 Reference Manual 2 Contents MONITOR 1/2 LEVEL, MONITOR 1/2 PAN ...............................................73 Channel Output Section..........................................................................................73 Channel PAN ............................................................................................73 MUTE........................................................................................................73 PEAK LED.................................................................................................73 -20 dB (Signal Present) LED........................................................................73 SOLO ........................................................................................................74 Group Assign Switches (1/2, 3/4) ................................................................74 L/R Switch................................................................................................74 Channel Fader...........................................................................................74 MASTER SECTION................................................................................................75 Power and Phantom indicators....................................................................75 Headphones Level and Source ....................................................................75 Phone jacks ................................................................................................75 Stereo Aux Return Section .......................................................................................75 MON 1/2 ...................................................................................................75 LEVEL.......................................................................................................75 L/R Assign Switch .....................................................................................75 GRP 1/2 Assign Switches (Stereo Aux Return A and B Only).........................76 GRP 3/4 Assign Switches (Stereo Aux Return C and D Only).........................76 SOLO IN PLACE Switch ...........................................................................76 Aux Master Controls ...............................................................................................77 Auxiliary Masters......................................................................................77 Monitor 1/2 Master.....................................................................................77 LINK ...