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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: acidjack on December 29, 2015, 10:33:13 AM
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Circling back to posts in other threads, I am trying to get smart about how to patch out of an SBD digitally -- meaning being able to take all the multitrack files, or select what I want from the multitrack (say, 2-channel PA mix + room mics).
I have an Apogee Quartet, which has optical ADAT/SMUX inputs and can connect to a MacBook or iPad/iPhone.
There's a bunch I'd like to better understand about using those ADAT inputs and the software related to them. For example, my understanding is that some boards only work with ProTools (all the Avid-branded boards).
Assuming I have ProTools on the Mac, and connect the SBD to the ADAT input, how do I determine what channels I am getting? Does the ADAT somehow have "all the channels" coming through it, and then I select which to actually record? Is there some kind of cable needed beyond a normal optical digital cable?
Is it in fact the case that every board needs different software, or are there situations where I can just use the Apogee software and select board outputs on that? As the iPhone/iPad option doesn't allow Pro Tools as of yet, I'd of course rather use those than have to lug a laptop.
While I understand how to do multitrack stuff in post, I have zero experience actually recording them- I've always had the FOH simply export stuff from Pro Tools onto a USB drive, which frequently has resulted in mistakes (such as them not arming channels, starting record on time -- I get it, it's not their job to do that). I'd like to be able to control as much of the process myself so as to avoid that.
If someone could explain this to me as if I'm a complete novice, I'd appreciate it.
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I am not familiar all the mixers, but my experience so far is the ability to capture multi track is board specific and how you do it is board specific.
Examples-the presonsus studio live mixers will export multi track, but the signal is sent via a FireWire connection to a computer DAW.
Confusingly, the behringer xr18 exports a multi track via a USB connection into a computer DAW. But the xr16 and xr12 send only a two track mix directly into a USB stick via the USB port. The routing of signals is controlled by the software that runs the XR. so the mix itself depends on that. I believe it would be possible for the SBD operator to control the live mix while you set recording levels on a different control tablet/computer, but you would need to thoroughly understand the software and the operator would really have to have confidence in giving you this level of access.
Behringers PC edit software is available for free download through their XR product page. It operates in a manner similar to many audio editing programs. I think you'd pick up on it pretty quickly and at least give you a frame of reference.
But that's just this one series of mixers...
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Since you're using the Apogee - I dont think you'll have to worry about the SBDs interface drivers.
You will need to know how the ADAT outs are assigned/handled by the board. (and that they are turned on)
So you'll need the FOH to make sure the channels you want are assigned to those outputs.
Look like its 4 channels per optical in?....as long as 2 of those are the L/R main and the other 2 are the house mics - should work.
Just a regular optical cable...
Not sure about ProTools - but I know in Reaper you have to add the desired number of tracks and assign each to the proper board channel.(in your case - the interface channels)
I like to save that as a template before I start recording...probably something similar in ProTools...
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I'm not much help, but here are a few basics-
ADAT is a bus standard. It supports up to 8 channels at 24/48. If SMUX'd, the channel count gets halved to support double rate, max of 4 channels at 24/96. You should be able to use any software on the receiving end to record those channels as long as your interface supports ADAT.
What those 8 ADAT channels contain is determined by whoever is running the board. The sound guy needs to assign individual channels, buses, or other outputs to the ADAT output. Same goes for any AES or SPDIF digital stereo outputs.
USB is different in that it is a computer standard data bus, meaning the connection itself is standard, but the data format may be proprietary to certain software used by the board. With ADAT, AES or SPIDIF outs, any software should work to record it.
Other than getting the physical connection figured out, the primary stumbling block is going to be the soundguy's familiarity with the board and willingness to work with you in routing what you want to those outputs.
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It is true that some soundboards require an interface. In the case of the studiolive and XR mixers, no interface is needed-just a computer. What you need to multitrack is very much board specific these days. In the case of the XR, the board operator could assign a mix to a series of the aux outs and you could pull a recording that way without getting into the software of the board, but the board is really intended for direct recording of multitrack through the USB port.
Here's the link to the downloads page at Behringer. http://www.music-group.com/Categories/Behringer/Mixers/Digital-Mixers/XR18/p/P0BI8/downloads