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I need your advice
Hi guys, I’m slowly upping my audio game for my small video production company. I’ve owned a number of Tascam (dr-40) and zoom audio recorders (h4 & h6). I just bought the zoom f8 multi-track field recorder. Nice little unit. But compared to the relatively easy (almost plug n play) functionality of my previous recorders, I’m humbled to realize that I don’t actually know jack about audio recording hardware.
Pre-fader vs post fader? Trim/gain/fader? Signal routing? OH MY.
I have searched high and low for a simple tutorial for setting up a simple interview recording with the f8 (or another similar field recorder) so I can understand how to load the signal from my shotgun (on a boom) to my field recorder and out to the camera. No luck.
Can you point me in a direction? I’d be happy to get some simple tips, or if you know a url to a tutorial video… Etc. Thanks, Matt
Talkingbox Digital Media Group, LLC
http://www.talkingboxdmg.com
(203) 249-7718 -
2 Replies
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You might look up the on-line manual for a simple mixer like a small Mackie and reference the section on “Gain Stage” setting.
Basically, on any mixer, you want to optimize the controls so that they affect the signals in the most optimum way, neither imposing too much gain, or too much cut at any stage.
This normally involves setting the TRIM at the channel input to ZERO – then setting all the downstream controls at their optimum position (typically 0db so they pass the signal without either boost or cut)
After doing that, you inject a signal into the input (often, a fixed level 1k tone so you know the signal is stable) then bring theTRIM up so the signal flowing through each channel to the output is ideal.
Once the gain stages are set this way on all the channels in use, you can use the channel faders and the master level controls to boost or cut the signals as needed, without worrying that you are trying to “fix” a signal that is messed up to begin with.
Those basic mixers manuals did a pretty good job of explaining all this.
Pre fade and post fade are exactly that. Taps off the signal either before or after the channel strip controls – so changes to the faders affect the post fade mix, but don’t mess with a pre-fade signal that you likely want to send out to recording and NOT have messed up by live mix adjustments.
Those are the very basics.
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Thanks Bill, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.
Matt
Talkingbox Digital Media Group, LLC
http://www.talkingboxdmg.com
(203) 249-7718
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