Track Selection and Control

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Track Selection and Control

Patch Bay (Input Mixer Channels Only)

Choose any of the available input sources. Selection is the same for pairs of adjacent channels.

Phantom Power (Analog Input Channels 1 “8 Only)

Toggles phantom power for these input channels.

Status (Track Mixer Channels Only)

Choose PLAY, RECORD, or OFF.

V-Track (Track Mixer Channels Only)

Choose V-Tracks 1 “16. Each V-Track can be named. A list of named V-Tracks can be navigated with the mouse. Taking the time to name your V-Tracks as you go will help you stay on top of your project.

Phase

The Phase switch literally turns your audio upside down! The choices are Normal or Inverted. If you have several mics on one source, experimenting with the Phase switch's settings on the several channels will yield different results.

Channel Group

When you create a group of channels, they will all react proportionally to the motion of any fader within the group. By grouping all the faders that control your drum tracks, for example, you can raise or lower the entire drum mix with one fader. You should get the individual levels set first, then group the channels.

Channel Link and Fader Link

When you are dealing with a stereo source, you may Channel Link adjacent channels to share adjustments of dynamics and EQ. By selecting the SUB DISP button under the VGA fader of linked channels, the individual channels may be panned and leveled. The main track faders then control how much of the custom pan and leveled signal reaches the mix.

If you wish to maintain control over each channel separately, Fader Link allows you to link only the faders.

Faders Fight Back

When adjacent channels are linked remember to adjust only one of the faders manually and let the VS-2480 move the other one for you. You will notice the VS-2480 fighting back if you attempt to move both faders.

Phrase Pads

In the Phrase Pad mode, each channel (or channel pair) becomes a sample player. Each track designated as a phrase pad will play the first phrase that occurs on the track. That phase does not need to be located at Zero; it can be anywhere on the track.

While the VS-2480 is in Phrase Sequence mode, the TRACK STATUS buttons are the triggers for the samples. The manner in which the playback occurs is governed by the Phrase mode switch.

Mode	Playback
GATE	The sample will only play as long as its associated PHRASE PAD button is depressed.
TRIGGER	Pressing the PHRASE PAD button once will start the phrase, and pressing it again will stop the phrase.
ONE SHOT	The entire sample plays each time the PHRASE PAD button is pressed.

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Dynamics

The VS-2480 offers a number of very powerful dynamics processors.

Compression

Use the Compressor, shown in Figure 14.4, to help tame the peaks of a signal. A compressor reduces the output signal automatically whenever the input signal exceeds a certain level. This allows you to hear more of the "meat" of the signal. The Threshold setting determines at what level the Compressor kicks in. Levels below the threshold are not affected. The Ratio setting controls how much compression is applied once the signal level exceeds the threshold. The Attack and Release settings control the speeds of change of the compression effect.

Figure 14.4. The Compressor controls

Expander

Use the Expander effect, shown in Figure 14.5, to reduce the level of background noise in your signal. From gentle background reduction to extreme gating, expansion can clean up your mix in an automatic way. The Threshold setting determines at what level the Expander kicks in. Levels above the Threshold are not affected. The Ratio setting controls how much attenuation occurs when the level is below the threshold. The Attack and Release settings control the speeds of change of the Expander effect.

Figure 14.5. The Expander controls

Combined Compressor and Expander

Figure 14.6 shows the Compressor and Expander combined. Combine the two sections to treat particularly unruly signals, such as a loud guitar amp with a lot of "buzzing" noise when the performer is not playing and a lot of peaks in the signal when he is playing.

Figure 14.6. The combined controls

Limitations of Dynamics Processors

While the VS-2480 is powerful, its power is limited. One such limitation applies to the Dynamics processors: If any track uses combined Compression and Expansion, no input channel may use ANY dynamics processing at all. The reverse is also true.

One other limitation is that the dynamics settings are not included in the list of things that may be Automixed.

Dynamics Key Source

The process of reacting to a signal is referred to as keying off of that signal. Hence the designation of the Key In signal track. Normally, the dynamics react to changes in the signal that they are processing. Sometimes, it is useful to have the dynamics react to a different signal than the one they are processing. The Key In data area lets you choose any of the 24 Track Mixer channels as a key source.

Dynamics Metering

The VU meters within the Dynamics processor are good indicators of your signal's current level. The GR (Gain Reduction) meters show how much the Dynamics processor is changing your signal.

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Premier Development, Skelnik Ch., Gibbs V.

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