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Suggest a logical mixer channel layout for live & recording

slap-a-da-bass

slap-a-da-bass

Sep 28, 2009
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#1
Hey all,

I'm looking for a logical layout for my channels on my Presonus 1642 mixer. I use the mixer in my practice space as my recording interface, and for live use (band practice). This is also the mixer I use for gigs. I'm trying to come up with a logical channel layout so I can keep it the same all the time. I also use a 8 channel snake.

Here's my inputs that I use for live

Guitar 1
Guitar 2
Bass
Kick
Snare
Back up vox 1
Back up vox 2
Back up vox 3

I also have 1 wireless mic for practice/gigs

Moving on to recording

I include the full drum kit, so the kick & snare from the snake and these...

OH R
OH L
Tom 1
Tom 2
Floor Tom

plus a large diaphragm condenser mic for vocals

I want to be able to leave the snake hooked up all the time, but also have my drum channels next to each other.

Everytime I try a layout it just doesn't feel natural or logical.

Suggestions?
 
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#3
1. empty (for ad hoc instrument use)
2. guitar
3. guitar
4. bass
5. empty (for ad hoc vocal use)
6. vocal 1
7. vocal 2
8. vocal 3
9. empty (for ad hoc use)
10. kick
11. snare
12. tom 1
13. tom 2
14. floor tom
15. OH 1
16. OH 2

That's just one of many possible layouts. There's no wrong answer. This layout keeps the instruments together, the vocals together, and the drums together. The three groups are separated by "empty" channels so you can tell at a glance where the groups are (because the empty channel faders are on zero, mute lights are on, etc.)
 
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#4
Big_Daws said:
put OH at end of your drum patch

so patch it like this

drums, bass, guitards, vox
Click to expand...

My channels would look like this for live use

1 Kick
2 Snare
3 not used - recording only
4 not used - recording only
5 not used - recording only
6 not used - recording only
7 not used - recording only
8 Bass
9 Guitar 1
10 Guitar 2
11 Lead Vox
12 B vox
13 B vox
14 B vox
15 not used - recording only

That seems awkward having all the blank channels mixing for live? I guess I'm just not used to it. I had a different layout for a couple years, but every time I want to record, I'm plugging & unplugging stuff.
 
#6
There's no "right" or "wrong" way to set up your channel layout.. you'll often find folks putting drums on the lower (left) channels and vocals on the upper (right) channels... the logic behind this approach comes from old large-scale analog console mapping.. eg 56+ channels.. with master, mix busses on far right (tho one in pic below has them in the center), so engineer could "grab" problem channels (usually vocals) without having to run a mile !!

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-sX-9zWgC-aLKry6-RJmGL4ClZ9WErxBeK71NvEyU52Aya4kH.jpg


Vocal levels changed the most, so they stayed nearest the master faders.

For todays digital/small foot print consoles, this application is moot.
Set them up for whatever makes most sense to you.

On my Presonus 16.4.2 my usual layout is vox, guitars, bass, drums. The number depends on which band I'm mixing.
On my current bands X32 it's drums (1-8), bass (9), guitars (10-12) then vox on 14-16.
It's that way because the venues we play that have house systems are ordered that way (old sound guys!), so when we patch into their system we don't spend an hour working out which X32 channel the snake splitter feed XLR #1 goes into... #1 => #1.
#16 -> #16.
 
#7
It doesn't make much difference, other than drums together, vox together, instruments together... If you have extra channels, put them between sections so if you have a late entry you have room for it instead of having to reassign lots of channels or have an "orphan" out on the end.
 
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#8
slap-a-da-bass said:
My channels would look like this for live use

1 Kick
2 Snare
3 not used - recording only
4 not used - recording only
5 not used - recording only
6 not used - recording only
7 not used - recording only
8 Bass
9 Guitar 1
10 Guitar 2
11 Lead Vox
12 B vox
13 B vox
14 B vox
15 not used - recording only

That seems awkward having all the blank channels mixing for live? I guess I'm just not used to it. I had a different layout for a couple years, but every time I want to record, I'm plugging & unplugging stuff.
Click to expand...

might sound stupid...but this is how every tech rider i see is pretty much laid out...you wanted to know how to and this is it according to a standard...
 
#9
We do a lot of small festival settimgs. I start with vox, usually 4 channels and then instrument mics and di's as they flow from left to right as I look at the stage. Except that I locate drums at the top of the board. Tape strips abound... Each mic cable get's a number so we can keep track of what is where quickly. We use 2 or 3 drop snakes to keep things clean. This works for me as I can see things at a glance. It might not work for anyone else and that is fine by me. Your setup has to work with your workflow.

On the 16.4.2 I keep the comp's off the vox channels and engage it on the sub group. That seems to work well.
 
#11
If you typically work with the same bands/instruments all of the time, then having a standard layout can work really well. If you know that no matter what lead guitar is channel 5, then when he kicks in a pedal for a solo and starts blowing the roof off, you know which channel you need to grab. This works really well if you are used to a 4/5 piece rock band with drums, bass, two guitars, and vocals. Adding an extra channel or two between groups helps if your guitarist decides to bring along an acoustic and wants a DI channel, your drummer adds a cowbell you just can't get enough of, or you need an extra vocal mic for that chick singer that occasionally does one tune with you. It also means you don't have to rework everything to keep things in order, or you don't have the drum kit on opposite ends of the board because of spillover.

This setup also involves less work up the channel because you don't have to dramatically change the EQ all the time if the same signals go into the same channels, and you will have to make smaller adjustments in a new room or with new musicians.

If you find yourself in situations that change a lot, then having a "standard" setup isn't as helpful. If you need a stereo channel for a keyboard for one band, another band is just bass, guitar, kick, snare, and one overhead but has a trumpet, theremin, harmonica, and banjo, then everything is going out in left field. In that case, having all of your channels and cables numbered and identified in a way that you can tell from the board makes more sense. Some bands with a bunch of vocalists use coloured windscreens for their mics so it's dead simple if "blue" is too loud. A lot of people like left to right when looking at the stage, and a big strip of painter's tape and a Sharpie works wonders. Although you should always have good lighting at the board, you can get glow in the dark or black light markers too that make seeing what you write down a lot easier.

This works better when you find yourself in situations outside of your standard setup. If you have a band without a drummer, there isn't any point in having half your channels dedicated to drums. Ultimately, find something that works for you, and be flexible for when it doesn't.
 
#14
The band I run sound for is like this
1- kick
2- snare
3- hats
4- Tom
5- Tom
6- Tom
7- Tom
8- OH
9- OH
10- bass
11- guitar
12- blank (but guitar might go stereo soon)
13- stage right vox
14- stage left vox
15- talk back
16- click
17+18- iPod for breaks
19+20- blank

Drums are also on a sub mix as are vocals when I feel like it.

My informal training (with a pro sound company) always had this basic layout.
 
#15
The best layout for you to use is one that makes sense to you and enables you to grab the knob or fader that needs attention the quickest and with the least amount of thought. Other than that there is no right or wrong.

Once, years ago when I was showing a budding soundwoman the ropes, she told me something that just floored me. She was getting training from another guy as well, and she told me that he had admonished her for marking channels with tape and Sharpie because that was "cheating". I told her what she should do with her Sharpie the next time she saw that guy. :D
 
#16
ggunn said:
I told her what she should do with her Sharpie the next time she saw that guy. :D
Click to expand...
And do the same to the guy whose faders are in a straight line across the console, and mixes with the input trims!
I actually saw a "professional" who provided SR for a Festival event my band played mix like that.. on a full format X32.
Having heard the mix for the blues band that was playing after seeing that mixing "method", I turned and walked away. It said it all.
 
#17
Dogbertday said:
The band I run sound for is like this
1- kick
2- snare
3- hats
4- Tom
5- Tom
6- Tom
7- Tom
8- OH
9- OH
10- bass
11- guitar
12- blank (but guitar might go stereo soon)
13- stage right vox
14- stage left vox
15- talk back
16- click
17+18- iPod for breaks
19+20- blank

Drums are also on a sub mix as are vocals when I feel like it.

My informal training (with a pro sound company) always had this basic layout.
Click to expand...

Working 17 years running House and Monitor consoles with a Pro Audio production provider, this is a very standard "Festival Layout".

It's basically "Zoned", though obviously things can "float" to meet current needs, ...but the "reset" is always back to the original scheme. Most everyone I worked with worked this way. For the largest stages it expands, but a standard 40 channel layout almost always looked a lot like this.

1- Kick 1
2- Kick 2
3- Snare top
4- Snare bottom
5- Hat
6- Tom
7- Tom
8- Tom
9- OH
10- OH
11- Bass 1
12- Bass 2
13- Backline 1
14- Backline 2
15- Backline 3
16- Backline 4
17- Backline 5
18- Backline 6
19- Backline 7
20- Backline 8
21- Frontline Inst Mic 1
22- Frontline Inst Mic 2
23- Frontline Inst Mic 3
24- Frontline Inst Mic 4
25- Frontline Inst Mic 5
26- Frontline DI 1
27- Frontline DI 2
28- Frontline DI 3
29- Frontline DI 4
30- Frontline DI 5
31- Vocal 1
32- Vocal 2
33- Vocal 3
34- Vocal 4
35- Vocal 5
36- Vocal 6
37- Vocal 7
38- Vocal 8
39- MC
40- Talkback
 
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