| You can always add external gear to your VS-1680 if you want to, but you don't have to. The VS-1680 is a self-contained, all-in-one unit. It has preamps, A/D converters, and compressors (with the optional VS8F-2 and VS8F-3 effects boards ) built right in. If you are having problems controlling a wild vocalist, you can use the VS compressors to smooth out the track. A good place to start is to use effects patch P221: MTK:VocalCmp. This patch is specifically designed to help bring out the best in a wild vocal track. The following steps detail how I use it on vocals while recording. Internal Compressors Come After Internal Preamp You have to be very careful when using the internal compressors to tame vocals. This is because the internal compressors come after the internal preamps in the signal chain. Since the compressor is after the preamp, it cannot control the incoming vocal signal from distorting the preamp if a loud peak is present in the input signal. Only an external compressor can do that. You will have to adjust your input recording level to a point where the vocalist is not distorting the signal, even when he sings at full volume. You can then use the internal compressor to smooth out the signal. |
| 1. | Set the Input Peak Level to “6db. Use the following steps: SHIFT  F5 SYSTEM F2 GLOBAL. Use cursor keys to tab to Input Peak Level. This makes the red clip light above the Gain knob to indicate clipping (lights red) at “6db instead of 0. This setting gives you an advance warning before your signal actually hits 0 and distorts. | | 2. | Allow the vocalist to sing as loudly as he will during his performance, and adjust the Gain knob so that the recording level does not distort or that the red clip signal barely lights up at the loudest volume.
| | 3. | Insert P221: MTK:VocalCmp to the vocal input channel using steps 4 “12.
| | 4. | Hold SHIFT F3 (FXA) F1 (FX1) F2 (Select). | | 5. | Use the jogwheel to scroll to P221: MTK:VocalCmp.
| | 6. | Press F4 (Exec).
| | 7. | Press the INPUT SELECT button for the input channel to which the microphone is connected.
| | 8. | Press PAGE until you see FX1 In above F1. Press F1.
| | 9. | Press ENTER/YES.
| | 10. | Turn the jogwheel to insert the effect. InsL (mono) uses the left side of the effects card, and InsR (mono) uses the right side of the card. Ins (stereo) uses both sides of the card. Since this is a mono track, I suggest using either InsL or InsR.
| | 11. | Press PLAY/DISPLAY to exit.
| | 12. | Hold SHIFT F3 (FXA) to get back to the effects screen.
| The MTK Vocal Compressor is now inserted on the input track. While the vocalist is singing , you can press F5 (Bypass) to hear the vocal without compression. Press it again to hear the vocal with compression. You can edit any parameter of the MTK Vocal Compressor patch by selecting the component with your left and right cursor keys and then pressing F3 (Edit). Be Careful When Tweaking MTK Components Each component of the MTK patch is powerful. If not used properly, drastic tweaking of these components can ruin a track rather quickly. I suggest you experiment with these settings until you are comfortable with them before making any drastic changes. |
You can also record the track without any compression and then add compression to the track at a later time. This is covered later in Chapter 11, "Advances in Mixing with the VS-1680." |
