Recording Quick Start

The following is a brief step-by-step quick start guide to getting sound from source into the computer and back again.

Plug in the microphone

Once your microphone is on a stand and in position use an XLR cable to plug the microphone into the wall box. The XLR inputs on the main live room wall box correspond with the same number channels on the Audient mixing console.

Get signal from the microphone

Once the microphone is plugged in return to the control room. Before applying any gain, first check that the master fader and the speakers are turned down. You will need some form of sound source in the live room, this could be the instrument you intend to record or a noise played on a mobile if you are just practicing.

If you are using a condenser microphone you will need to turn on 48 Volt "phantom power". To do this, press the button at the top of the channel you have your microphone plugged in to labelled "48V". If you are using a dynamic or ribbon microphone make sure this button is switched off.

Now apply gain to the signal using the blue gain pot just above the 48V button. You will see a signal appear in the small meter at the top of desk, once the bottom light is remaining relatively solid stop applying gain.

Listen back to your source

To listen back to your signal bring the short fader up to 0dB and press the mix button, bring the master fader up to the top and then slowly bring up the volume of the speaker using the main speaker pot. You should now be able to hear your signal adjusting the gain if necessary, if all is well press the mix again to cut the signal from the speaker.

Send the signal to the computer

Leaving the short fader set to 0db (as this is the level sent to the computer) choose a bus to send the signal to the computer on, the number of the bus you choose corresponds to the input number in logic, the bus matrix is found below the gain pot. Once pressed your signal should now show on the RME M32 AD, if the level shown is going red turn down your gain a little on the mixing desk.

Open your DAW and check for incoming signal

Being a session in either Logic or ProTools and create a new audio track selecting the same input number as bus you have chosen on the desk. Press the record enable button on the track in your DAW, you should at this point see the signal on the track meter. At this point you could record this signal by pressing the master record button, if you cannot see a signal sometimes starting a recording will cause this to show up.

Listen to the returning signal on the long fader

When you originally pressed the bus matrix button you should have noticed the longer meter light up, if this did not happen do not worry. Open the program "Total Mix" on the iMac and make sure the preset "Recording" is selected on the right hand side of the screen. Press the mix button on the long fader of the channel and turn up to listen back, this signal is "post-conversion" so by listening to this while recording you will be able to listen out for digital clicks and pop.