How To Use Help; The Split-Console Approach - Mackie Digital 8 Bus Owner's Manual

How To Use Help

The special Help button, located in the Fat
Channel Section of the console's control panel,
can help you quickly determine how to use a
button or configure a particular aspect of the
Digital 8•Bus.
When the HELP button is on, the green LED
lights and the console switches to interrogate
mode. After pressing the HELP button, press
the button associated with the feature you're
interested in, and some descriptive text will
appear in the Fat Channel Display.
Note: The Help function may not be
implemented in the first release of the Mackie
Real Time OS software. Stay tuned to Mackie's
website for software updates.
Channels 1-24
MIC/LINE IN
Channels 1-24
TRACKING HALF
Fader Bank 1
Figure 1-2. Tracking and Monitoring with the D8B.

The Split-Console Approach

This concept is presented in the Digital
8•Bus Quick Start Guide, but it is so important
we decided to include it here also.
One of the primary applications the Digital
8•Bus was designed for is multitrack recording
(up to 24 tracks). This involves tracking and
monitoring, bouncing and overdubbing, and
mixdown.
Tracking
The first 24 channels, on Fader Bank 1, are
used for tracking. Microphones and instruments
are connected directly to the input jacks on
channels 1–24, and their signals are direct-
assigned to the Tape Outputs 1–24 (and not to
the L-R bus). The Tape Outs are then
connected to your multitrack recorder(s).
Monitoring
In order to monitor these signals from your
multitrack as you're recording, switch to Fader
Bank 2. Channels 25–48 are located here and
they let you hear the signal the way it will go
to tape. (They are assigned to the L-R bus).
On an analog mixer you'd need 24 channels for
tracking and 24 more for monitoring. But here
— using the split-console concept — you can
switch between Fader Banks 1 and 2 with the
touch of a button. The D8B's 24 channel strips
do the work of 48 analog strips. (Actually, they
do more than that. But we'll get to that later.)
To Tape From Tape
Digital
Tape Outs
Multitrack
or Bus Outs
Recorders
Tracks 1-24
TAPE IN
Channels 25-48
MONITORING HALF
Fader Bank 2
DAT Recorder
2-Track
L/R MASTER
Master
OUT
CUE MIX
OUT
Introduction
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