Topic: Where can I get a clear explanation of matrix?

[Simp-Dawg]

"75% sbd and 25% aud"

wow, at that ratio your looking at a fairly sterile sounding recording.

unless the room is shitty sounding, we usually mix 50/50 or 40/60(sbd/mics).
most sbd weve ever mixed in was 60/40.

something to keep in mind: the bass(kick and bass instrument) you hear at a show is usually coming from the POST sbd EQ. . .

ok...
admittedly i've never done a matrix and i pulled those numbers outta my ass.  
however, i do think that is how the soundman for railroad earth said he set up the matrix at quixotes a few months back.  

[play-it-again]

I guess what I am thinking is different types of mics picking up the sound differently. Mixed together they might compliment each other the same way the sbd/auds do.

[nic]

how big are the venues your talking about?

the only time Ive run multiple mics in a room that have produced a good tape when mixed have been either a onstage+foh pull or this 1 time in Baltimore at  really TINY club called 13th Floor and the band didnt use the p/a for anything but vocals. we set up 4 mics about 10' from stage all on the same stand, 2x MG m200 + 2x AKG 391,  AKG's in x/y and MG's  in ortf.
setup similar to a " W " shape
...mixed the 4 channels in DP3 to give it a nice wide soundstage(no hole-in-middle due to x/y) and everything is crystal clear.
let me see if I can find a track to put up for you to hear.

guess the story comes down(imo) to 4 mics being used only in damn small places or spread out(onstage and at foh-or center). you'll have to be careful in mix-down to avoid phasing issues and delays.


anyone else want to chime in?

[cpclark]

auxilliary sbd mix is what I always labeled my cutom board mixes as usually I was taking it from an open auxilliary channel.

On higher end soundboards there is actually a matrix section with seperate outputs. you can mix thsi matrix section to taste. This owuld be the true and accurate definition of a "Matrix Mix" but it's never used. These tapes are generally just labeled "SBD"

In the taping/trading community "matrix mix" refers to a sbd feed mixed with audience mics for ambience. Go check out some of Dan Healy's "ultra-mix" matrixes.... 7/12/90 is a personal favorite of mine.

tim-ive been thinking about how i run the sbd patch out of my board for my band, i have 6 aux with full control for all the channels, so should i just mix to taste all the channels then run mono 1/4 -> 1/8 for my sony dat line in, thats what im thinking, i know its gonna be a lot of work, running the sbd, running the mix to my dat and running my full rig, but would the aux be a good choice for a custom mix for me?

[Tim]

I did that all the time... it's actually how I learned to construct a mix when I was just some kid with a deck and no sound experience.

Record the soundcheck and listen back. Use a PRE fade aux send. Not too much verb or effects, they can really saturate the tape. If you're doing the same band on the same board a lot it should be really easy after just a few times out. I could usually just guess and have it pretty close.

I used to hangout at the big venue in town (eventually became the house soundman) and would patch my deck and make my mixes. Still have some of those tapes and they sound pretty sweet!

[justink]

i've done some sbd and aud mixes in real time w/ the mixpad 4...  some come out pretty well... but others sound like complete ass!  if you have two recordable media... ie a dat and a jb3... i'd do them both seperate then mix them in post!  

-j