The Spirit Guide

to Digital Mixing

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 THE SPIRIT GUIDE TO DIGITAL MIXING - CONTENTS

SECTION 1: SECTION 5: 328 FAQ’s

THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MIXING
Digital 328 FAQs 16
A. Analogue & Digital - 3
What’s the Difference? SECTION 6:
B. Bits and Sample Rates 4 DIGITAL TROUBLESHOOTING
C. The Question of Levels 5
CONTENTS

D. The Future 5 Troubleshooting 18

328 Focus: Audio Quality

SECTION 2: THE BENEFITS

OF DIGITAL MIXING
A. Keep Music Digital 7
B. Take Control Of Your Mix 7
328 Focus: Digital Interfaces, Use with PCI
Cards, Snapshots Versus Dynamic Automation,
E-Strip, Query System, Fader Laws

SECTION 3: WORDCLOCK
A. Choosing a Wordclock Master 10
B. Where Does Timecode Fit In? 10

SECTION 4:
FROM CONCEPT TO CD
A. Connecting to Multitrack Recorders 11
B. Using the 328 with Analogue Recorders 11
C. Using Tape and Group Outputs 12
D. Recording Instruments 12
E. Electric Guitars 12
F. Recording Vocals 12
G. Keyboards and Stereo Recording 13
H. Mixing Down 13
I. Using Effects 14
J. Using Dynamics 14
K. Using Automation 14
L. Stereo Outputs 15
328 Focus: Mixer Maps, Linking Consoles

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 molecules a series of pressure waves are created.
THE BASICS OF As long as the frequency of these vibrations is with-
DIGITAL MIXING in the range of human hearing (roughly 20 to

SECTION 1: The Basics Of Digital Mixing

20,000 cycles per second, depending on your age),
we hear them as sound waves, and when they
Welcome to the Spirit Digital Mixing Handbook – reach our ear drum we hear the cymbal. But if we
the essential guide to the world of digital mixing. want to do anything more with this sound – record
Over the years it has become increasingly easy for it, for example – we need to turn it into something
the solo musician, producer or small band to that we can manipulate more easily than pressure
assemble a small studio, and with the advent of waves in air.
affordable digital technology, many of us now have
access to our own sophisticated recording facilities In analogue audio circuits, sound waves are rep-
capable of producing release-quality material. As resented by continuous electrical signals. At one
the central, and perhaps the most complex, single end of a typical audio chain, a microphone uses
piece of equipment in the studio, the mixer has the vibrations of air against its diaphragm to gener-
always been the most important item to get to ate a varying electrical current, and at the other a
grips with. Hence this guide, which helps you speaker uses a varying electrical current to produce
understand the principles and practice of digital vibrations in the air next to its cone.
mixing. Enjoy! Analogue electronics are always prone to noise –
at the very least because the the random thermal
A. Analogue & Digital – motion of electrons in components will produce
What’s The Difference? some noise – though this can be minimised
through good circuit design, the use of high quality
The move from analogue to digital technology in components, and good construction.
the world of audio is a revolutionary one, not just
a small step. The technology is fundamentally dif- In digital equipment, the audio waveform is rep-
ferent, hence many of the the advantages of digital resented by a series of numbers. An analogue sig-
over analogue. Although most practical aspects of nal can be turned into digital form with an ana-
recording and mixing are unchanged, some are logue-to-digital converter, which measures an ana-
not, and it helps greatly to understand some of logue input voltage at regular intervals and gener-
the principles of digital audio. ates a sample (a number that represents the
instantaneous strength of the signal) each time. A
Whereas analogue electronics deal with contin- converter that runs at a sampling rate of 44.1kHz
uously variable quantities (such as voltages and samples the signal 44,100 times per second, and in
currents), digital electronics deal with discrete val- a well-designed converter the size of the samples
ues - numbers that can take only one of a prede- should be in direct proportion to the input voltage.
fined set of possibilities. Digital circuits do this by A 16-bit converter can resolve 65,536 levels.
dealing with 1s and 0s, represented by the differ- A 20-bit converter can resolve 1,048,576 levels.
ence between a switch being on or off, or a voltage A 24-bit converter can resolve 16,777,216 levels.
being present or not.
Because numbers can be described and copied
This difference means that digital and analogue with absolute precision, digital audio signals can be
systems represent sound in very different ways. passed from one machine to another, or from one
What we perceive as sound is in fact a vibration in part of a digital mixer to another, with no change to
the air. Hit a cymbal and it vibrates, transmitting the sound. An analogue signal, on the other hand,
the movement to the air around it, and as the cannot be passed through any component without
vibrations are passed on to more and more air

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 affecting it slightly. An analogy might be building a
model out of clay or out of Lego™ bricks. You can
B. Bits and Sample Rates
make copies of both, but even with the best cast- The two most important factors determining the
SECTION 1: The Basics Of Digital Mixing

ing methods, you won’t be able to make a perfect quality of a digital audio system are sample rates
copy of the clay model. No matter how many and bit resolution. A properly designed digital
times you make copies, or copies of copies of the recording system can reproduce audio frequen-
Lego ™ model, each can be exactly like the origi- cies up to half of its sampling rate. So, in order to
nal. cover the full range of human hearing, a sample
One of the first areas of the audio to benefit rate of 40kHz is required – hence the two most
from the introduction of digital technology was common sample rates of 44.1kHz (the CD stan-
recording and playback equipment, and digital dard) and 48kHz.
recorders have now almost entirely replaced ana- Bit resolution, on the other hand, determines
logue recorders in every application. Apart from the signal-to-noise ratio of the system - that is,
the fact that a well-designed recorder with good how much difference there is between its quietest
converters offers very high audio quality, they offer and loudest output. You may have heard that digi-
two distinct advantages. Firstly, the quality of digi- tal systems can achieve a performance of 6dB of
tal recordings remains unchanged even after signal-to-noise per bit, so a 16-bit system (CD or
repeated playback. Analogue tape recordings, on DAT, for example) manages 96dB. A 20-bit system
the other hand, shows a progressive drop in quali- can in theory manage 120dB, though in higher
ty after repeated passes. Secondly, digital recorders resolution systems it becomes harder and harder
can use random-access rather than linear record- to achieve theoretical performance.
ing media, which allows them to play back record-
ed material in many ways other than simply ‘as 328 FOCUS: USING DITHER
recorded.’ You can repeat sections (for choruses, When you take a 24-bit audio signal down to 16-
for example), perform cut-and -paste editing bit resolution, you inevitably lose quality. Whereas
operations, and so on. the 24-bit signal could have a signal-to-noise ratio
of 144dB, the 16-bit version of it has a signal-to-
328 FOCUS: CONVERTERS
noise ratio of 96dB. The Spirit Digital 328’s stereo
Converting between analogue and digital is one of digital outputs, both AES/EBU amd SPDIF, use a
the most critical stages of an audio signal path. technique called dithering to preserve as much
Once a signal is in digital form, it’s fairly robust, quality as possible when going down to lower-res-
but converting to and from analogue offers a olution media, such as DAT, which have poorer
chance for audio quality to degrade significantly. signal-to-noise performance than the mixer’s
In order to capture input signals as faithfully as internal signal path. Dithering involves adding a
possible, analogue-to-digital converters should small amount of noise to the 24-bit signal at just
offer high bit resolution – 16 or 18-bit converters about the theoretical noise floor of a 16-bit signal.
are looking rather outgunned in these days of 20 Odd though it may sound, this trick means that
and even 24-bit converters. The Spirit Digital 328 you can hear low level sounds (reverb tails, for
has 24-bit 128-oversampling A-to-D and D-to-A example) well down below the noise floor, and the
converters, with considerably greater resolution 16-bit signal actually achieves a dynamic range of
than established media such as CD and DAT (16- around 115dB. This improvement is audible no
bit), and allowing use with 24-bit systems such as matter what DAT player the recording is played on
newer PC-based recording platforms. - it does not require any special decoding.
At the output stage, the 328’s conversion is also
24-bit with 128-times oversampling.
4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 In a digital system, metering is relative to
C. The Question Of Levels 0dBFS, which is the point at which the system has
In the world of digital recording, you have to treat run out of numbers and you cannot go any higher

SECTION 1: The Basics Of Digital Mixing

levels with a little more respect than in analogue without creating distortion. There is no LED on a
systems in order to avoid distortion. This is bargraph meter above this, because there isn’t
because of the very different ways in which ana- anywhere else to go. Because distortion occurs as
logue abd digital systems work. soon as you exceed these levels, whenever you’re
setting levels bear in mind that even peaks should
We know distortion when we hear it, but how not light the red LEDs at the top of the 328’s
does it arise? Put simply, distortion is an unwant- meters, though this might feel right if you’re used
ed change in the audio waveform, usually caused to working with analogue mixers.
by the clipping of the audio waveform. As you
crank up input levels, you reach a point where the
D. The Future
system cannot recreate at the output the extreme
peaks and troughs at the input – and that’s distor- Because digital audio technology rides benefits
tion. In analogue circuits distortion tends to come from progress in the very fast moving area of
on gradually, increasing in severity as input levels computer technology, things are always moving
are increased. Because it can sound good to the ahead. From 16 bits and 44.1kHz, we’ve moved
human ear, some types of analogue distortion on to a point where 20 and 24-bit recorders are in
have long been exploited in the studio – to warm use, some with 96kHz sampling. The need to
up drum sounds by recording ‘hot’ to tape, by move greater amounts of data around means that
using tape saturation characteristics. So, although new interface standards will appear. Firewire
the point at which distortion begins can usually be (IEEE1394) is already establishing itself as a use-
quite well identified, you can generally ‘push’ this ful transfer protocol in digital video, though it may
level a little without ruining your recording. soon also be used in audio. Another trend that is
Digital electronics, on the other hand, deal with is likely to continue is the use of cheap, powerful
a precisely defined range of levels. As you increase consumer or business computers to run increas-
the level going into an analogue-to-digital convert- ingly powerful audio software, software that can
er, the numbers coming out get bigger and bigger take over more functions previously performed by
– until you run out of resolution at the convert- dedicated hardware.
er’s maximum input level, and you have the sud-
den onset of distortion. For reasons which are too
tedious to go into, digital distortion doesn’t sound
at all pleasant, and it’s therefore very important to
avoid exceeding maximum levels.
Metering also works differently. In analogue
mixers and recorders, equipment is designed to
operate at various operating levels, such as
+4dBV (most ‘professional equipment) or -
10dBU, and the relationship between 0dB on
meters and the point at which distortion starts is
not fixed. Also, because distortion comes in gradu-
ally, you can almost always get away with pushing
your meters some way into the red.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 328 FOCUS: AUDIO QUALITY
Spirit has earned a reputation over the years for
very high audio quality at affordable prices, and
SECTION 1: The Basics Of Digital Mixing

the Digital 328 carries on that tradition. As well as

its high-quality converters – see “Using Dither”
on this page – the Digital 328 also offers very high
resolution (56 bits) in its internal processing. This
is important because everything that happens
inside a digital mixer – combining two signals,
changing a level, deriving a feed to an external Aux
or internal FX send – involve making calculations,
and these calculations must be carried out with as
high a degree of precision as possible. Each time a
calculation is performed, you need a longer
wordlength to store the result without ‘rounding
off’ the result, and thereby losing precision that
carries valuable information about the sound. So,
although the Digital 328 starts with 24-bit num-
bers at one end, and ends up with 24-bit numbers
at the other, using 56-bit precision for the pro-
cessing along the way means that repeated pro-
cessing steps can be applied without adding noise
or distortion.

FIG 1.1
Waveforms as represented in analogue and digital
systems

FIG 1.2
Distortion in analogue and digital systems.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 audio component in the signal path. When you
THE BENEFITS OF move an EQ knob, you’re tweaking a variable pot
that is part of a channel strip’s EQ circuitry. With
DIGITAL MIXING

SECTION 2: The Benefits Of Digital Mixing

a digital mixer things work completely differently.
The audio processing takes place in chips that are
Although on the inside the way that a digital mixer not directly linked to any controls, which presents
works is quite different to the way that an ana- a great opportunity for designers to create new
logue mixer works, they do the same job – com- interfaces for their products, freed from the slav-
bining your various audio sources, mixing and ery of one-control-per-function. Because the
controlling them on their way to whatever outputs audio handling and control aspects of the desks
you need. In some applications, the advantages of are now separate, each can be made to work as
a digital mixer are directly connected with the way well as possible, rather than there being any com-
that it works inside, in other applications the promise. And contrary to popular belief, there’s
advantages are less obviously connected to its digi- no need for a digital mixer to behave like a com-
tal nature. puter, relying on menu-driven interfaces rather
than intuitive controls.
A. Keep Music Digital
Although it would be possible to create a digital
In a typical audio chain, the sound of an instru- mixer with a control for every parameter, such a
ment or voice may pass through a mixer several design would be much more expensive than one
times before it makes it way to a pair of speakers in which fewer assignable controls are used. The
or headphones – once on its way to a digital Spirit Digital 328, for example, uses clearly laid-
recorder, then back through the mixer again dur- out assignable controls, and behaves like a tradi-
ing mixing, out and back in via an effects loop, tional mixer rather than a computer. All major
and so on. Now that so much of the equipment desk operations can be achieved with a few simple
around the mixer is digital, if the mixer offers only and intuitive control inputs, and you hardly ever
an analogue signal path then the audio may go need to refer to the LCD screen. Nonetheless, you
through many steps of conversion between ana- have the flexibility that comes with controls that
logue and digital, losing a little quality each time. can change at the touch of a button – one minute
With a digital mixer, however, you can transfer you’re adjusting levels, the next you're sending
audio to and from your digital multitrack, and to out MIDI controller messages. And if you want to
and from digital effects units, entirely in the digi- go beyond the 328’s own control surface, you can
tal domain. Many synths and samplers now offer use any major sequencer program running on
digital outputs, and a digital mixer can also add any computer platform to map the Spirit 328 con-
effects, and perform dynamic processing, all with- trols to on-screen graphic controls.
in going back out to analogue. By cutting out Because a layer of software sits between the
unnecesary conversion steps, your recordings can physical controls and the audio processing of a
stay in the digital domain from the moment they digital mixer, it is relatively easy to add advanced
come into the desk to the moment they come out features such as automation and remote MIDI
of a CD player, ensuring the best possible quality. operation, all of which gives you more mixing
control. The two types of automation that you find
B. Take Control Of Your Mix on digital mixers are ‘snapshots’ – which store all
One of the basic features of analogue mixer con- the desk’s audio settings and can be recalled at
struction is that all of the hardware controls are the touch of a button or against timecode – and
also audio components. When you move a chan- dynamic automation, in which you can record
nel fader, you’re changing the resistance in an and playback any and all of the fader and other
control changes that you make.
7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 328 FOCUS: DIGITAL INTERFACES more than eight tracks of playback, the internal
pre-mixing abilities of Cubase Audio can be used
The Spirit Digital 328 has both stereo and multi-
to pre-mix several tracks to each of the eight avail-
SECTION 2: The Benefits Of Digital Mixing

channel digital interfaces, enabling you to connect

able output busses).
a wide range of digital equipment to its inputs and
outputs. There are two sets of 8-channel ins and 328 FOCUS - SNAPSHOTS VERSUS
outs, using on-board ADAT optical and TDIF DYNAMIC AUTOMATION
(Tascam) format interfaces, for group/tape out- Depending on the nature of a project, either the
puts and tape returns. Both AES/EBU and SPDIF 328’s snapshot or dynamic automation, or a mix-
interfaces are also supported, allowing FX sends ture of both, may be most appropriate. For exam-
and returns, the stereo mix output, and 2-track ple, you might use snapshots to store basic mixer
returns (for DAT machines or other stereo mas- setups for several different songs that you are
tering media) to be carried by digital as well as working in, or for sessions for different artists,
analogue connections. and then use dynamic automation for mixdown. If
you’re working to picture, snapshots can be par-
328 FOCUS: USE WITH PCI CARDS
ticularly useful. By recalling snapshots against
More and more studios, especially small personal timecode, changes in the mix can be easily made
facilities, exploit the power of PCI cards installed to happen in precise sync with picture edits, and if
in personal computers to provide cost-effective yet the picture is re-cut, you simply need to change
high quality and sophisticated recording and pro- the timecode values for the audio cues rather
duction. A fairly standard PC or Mac, equipped than rebuild a whole dynamic mix.
with a suitable £500 card, could offer multi-track
random access digital recording and playback, 328 FOCUS: E-STRIP
replacing a studio multitrack tape recorder. With The key to the Spirit Digital 328’s user interface is
the right card and software, you could add sample the E-strip, a row of 16 rotary encoders above the
playback and sophisticated effects, putting many 16 motorised channel faders. Its primary function
of a studio’s electronic instruments inside the is to operate exactly like a regular analogue mixer
computer. This technology has become very cheap channel, only rotated through 90 degrees, with the
because of the falling price and easy availability of familiar 3-band EQ controls, four aux sends, two
chips and other components. Also, the adoption of effects sends (to the two internal processors), and
multi-channel digital interfaces like the ADAT opti- pan control. As well as being familiar, it’s easy to
cal system means that the ability to handle multi- use: just hit the select button for the channel you
ple channels of audio input and output can be want, and the E-strip’s continuous rotary con-
easily included on these cards, but a good mixer trollers put all the channel EQ, aux and pan facili-
front end is essential to exploit this kind of tech- ties at your fingertips. A ring of LEDs around each
nology to the full. The Digital 328 interfaces easily controller shows you the current setting for each
and effectively with these cards and the systems parameter. Channel features that are used less
that they are intended to support. A typical setup often, such as bus routing and phase reverse, are
might involve a Mac or PC with a Korg 1212 card, controlled via the master section, while the chan-
running Steinberg’s Cubase Audio VST software. nel’s analogue controls (100Hz high-pass filter
Using the ADAT optical connections, the 328’s and channel input gain) are found at the top of
eight group outputs feed the Korg 1212’s eight the front panel. The second function of the E-strip
ADAT inputs, and the ‘tape’ returns go from com- is to give simultaneous control of a set of 16 Level,
puter to the 328 also via an ADAT optical inter- Pan, or send controls for FX1 or 2, or Aux 1 to 4,
face. (If the computer is fast enough to allow for channels 1-16 or 17-32.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 FIG 2.1
E-Strip

SECTION 2: The Benefits Of Digital Mixing

328 FOCUS: QUERY SYSTEM
on an analogue console is the fader laws – that is,
Because the Spirit Digital 328 is a very flexible and
exactly how your control inputs translate into an
fully-featured mixer, it’s simply not possible to
audible effect in the signal. For example, on the
show all desk parameters simultaneously in order
channel, master and group faders of most mixers
to let you see how everything is routed or switched
– including the 328 – movements in the top half
– that would produce a very confusing front panel,
of the fader produce less audible change in level
whereas the 328 design approach has been to cre-
than the same movement lower down, which
ate an uncluttered, easy-to-navigate interface. On
means that in the crucial area around 0dB gain,
an analogue desk, you can quite easily check the
where you effectively do most of your mixing, you
desk state “at a glance”, because there’s one con-
have most control.
trol per function – the trade-off is that you can end
up with a huge number of controls on a front On the 328, the response of all controls is care-
panel. The idea behind the query system on the fully tailored to suit the parameter you are chang-
Spirit Digital 328 is that it allows the user to ask a ing. When you adjust the internal FX sends, for
simple question and get a simple answer. The key is example, you find that the first 180° of travel of
that it uses the same intuitive means to check rout- the rotary encoders takes you from -fdB to -18dB,
ing as to make the routing assignments. To route which is quite a jump, whereas the last 180° gives
channels 3 and 4 to the stereo mix bus, for exam- you a much more sensitive control over the tran-
sition from here to 0dB - appropriate to an effect
ple, you do the following: Press the Select button
send, where you almost invariably want to max-
for channel 3, and see if the Route To Mix button is
imise the level going to the effect, to give the best
lit. If not, then press the Route To Mix button to
possible signal-to-noise ratio at the other end.
assign the channel to the mix bus; the button lights
Although rotary encoders, as used on the 328 and
up green to indicate that this has been done. Now
many other digital mixers, are essentially linear
press the select button for Channel 4, and repeat
devices – part of their value as controllers is that
the procedure. If you now want to check which
they have no centre position – part of the secret to
channels are routed to the Mix bus, press and hold
good design in a digital mixer’s user interface is
the Route To Mix button; all channels which are
makng the controllers feel right.
routed to the mix will be shown by their illumiin-
taed Select buttons, while all channels that are not Another respect in which the ‘feel’ of the con-
trols has been carefully looked at is the low and
will remain dimmed. With this one button push,
high EQ bands behave when you turn the Shape
you can check all 32 mono channels and tape
knob to take the EQ from parametric to shelving
returns, both stereo inputs, eight groups and both
mode. When you do this, you’ll find that the
FX returns – and to make routing assignments eas-
sound changes smoothly, and the centre/cutoff
ier still, you can add more channels to those routed
frequency as displayed on the mixer’s LCD, does
to the mix by hitting their dimmed Select buttons
not change – this bends the rules on how the cut-
while you keep the Route To Mix button held down.
off frequency of a shelving filter is defined, but it
328 FOCUS: FADER LAWS feels right. And since you should mix with your
Another aspect of a digital mixer’s user interface ears, not by looking at a display, we think the
that can be more easily modified or controlled than world of audio will forgive us
9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 WORDCLOCK A. Choosing a Wordclock Master
If you are using several digital connections at
Wordclock is the glue at the heart of digital sys- once, you may not be left with much choice as to
tems, and understanding a little about it will avoid which device should be your wordclock master. If,
the frustration of not being able to solve some for example, you are using a sampler with a digi-
basic and simple problems. Symptoms of word- tal output, you may find that it does not have any
SECTION 3: Wordclock

clock-related problems include unwanted pops or facility to slave to an external wordclock input,
clicks, and a metallic edge or other distortion on and must therefore be the wordclock master. On
digital sources. the other hand, any digital recorder in the system
In any situation where several digital audio should be the master, though some recorders are
devices are connected via their digital rather than quite happy to slave to external wordclock. As a
their analogue audio connections, all the devices rule, PCI cards installed in computers behave best
must be wordclock synchronised to avoid data when they are wordclock masters rather than
transfer problems. This means not only that the slave. Trial and error will tell you which
different devices send and receive their data at the master/slave combinations works best.
same sample rate – 48kHz, for example – but
that their internal clocks run precisely in sync. B. Where Does Timecode Fit In?
This ensures that all units send, receive and
process their data streams in a precisely simulta- Timecode synchronisation is different to word-
neous manner, avoiding a major source of distor- clock synchronisation, but equally important in
tion and poor audio quality. To understand how another way. While wordclock enables digital
this distortion arises, consider a simple situation audio to be transferred without problems, by
in which a DAT recorder’s digital output feeds a keeping the various audio inputs and outputs run-
mixer's digital input. They are both using a ning at the same frequency, timecode enables
44.1kHz sampling rate, but their clocks are not recording and playback devices to run in sync
synchronised. The mixer’s input should have with one another, and with sequencers and desk
44,100 ‘slots’ every second that have to be filled automation. Timecode is a signal that carries a
by samples, and the DAT recorder should be send- regular series of absolute time values
ing it 44,100 samples every second. But if there is (hrs:mins:secs:frames). There are different frame
only a slight drift in one of the clocks, some of rates (hinting at timecode’s origins in the need for
those samples will be missed or will ‘jump’ a a means to synchronise film equipment), of 24,
place, and that means distortion. 25, 30 (drop and non-drop) frames per second.
As in wordclock, one device is defined as the mas-
So, in any system that sends digital audio
ter, and its timecode keeps every other recorder
between several different devices, one unit should
running along in synchronisation. The two timing
be the wordclock ‘master’, and the others should
systems are quite independent, and a recorder
be ‘slaves’. Setting this up is usually very easy, as
that is the wordclock master in a system could be
the slaves can generally derive their wordclock
the timecode slave of another device (the 328, for
timing from their digital audio inputs – SPDIF,
example, which can generate all timecode frame
AES/EBU, ADAT or whatever. Wordclock can also
rates).
be carried via a separate connection. In either
case, the wordclock signal is present whether
audio is sent or not.

10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 nections are made, hit the Menu button, scroll
FROM CONCEPT TO CD down to Tape Machine Setup, and select ‘Tascam
DA88/38’. You will now be asked to choose a time-
The small studio probably benefits more than any code source. Choose LTC, unless there’s some
other area from the advent of digital mixing. This reason why you need to use MIDI timecode. Now

SECTION 4: From Concept To CD

section takes a look at typical small studio setups, go the Clock Source Select menu, and choose
and how to set about recording a typical track on ‘Intenal 48kHz’. Now you’re ready to roll
your 328-based studio. In another setup, based around a computer
rather than tape machines, you might use a
A. Connecting to Multitrack
Digidesign ProTools system with its ADAT Bridge
Recorders I/O, making a 16-channel connection using two
Before you can record anything, you need to get sets of ADAT optical connections. With a system
connected to your multitrack recorder. Straight like ProTools, the 328’s powerful mixing front end
out of the box, the Spirit Digital 328 is ready to is a perfect complement to advanced and very
connect directly to a wide range of digital high-quality digital recording and editing facilities.
recorders – 16 channels of multitrack outputs
and returns are available, in two 8-channel blocks B. Using The 328 With Analogue
corresponding to channels 17-24 and 25-32. Each Recorders
block has both TDIF and ADAT optical interfaces. You can connect an analogue multitrack recorder
See below for a typical setup, in which two Tascam to the 328 with optional breakout boxes connect-
DA88 recorders provide 16 channels of record and ed to the TDIF ports. Each breakout box gives you
playback. Audio connections are made via TDIF, 8 analogue inputs and outputs, so with two break-
and the recorders are slaved to the desk’s word- out boxes you can connect a 16-track analogue
clock. The tape transports are remote controlled recorder, such as a Fostex G16, to the 328. In this
from the 328 via MIDI – once the physical con- case, you could remote control the recorder from
the 328, and use snapshot automation slave to
timecode from the recorder.

FIG 4.1
Connection Diagram

11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 samples into your sampler, or selecting the right
C. Using Tape & Group Outputs keyboard sounds.
There are two approaches to using outputs to
tape. The first is to use your mixer’s group facili- E. Electric Guitars
ties to combine several channels together for
You should’nt plug electric guitars or bass guitars
SECTION 4: From Concept To CD

recording – the outputs for the eight groups

straight into a mixer. If you want to record a clean
appear at the 8 TRK A outputs on TDIF and ADAT
guitar sound, then use a DI box to get a good level
optical outputs. The second is to route channels
into the desk. Some DI boxes require phantom
directly to tape. (In an analogue mixer, this has
power, and should be connected to the channel’s
the advantage of a cleaner signal path, though in a
XLR inputs (make sure the 328’s +48V phantom
digital mixer like the 328, you can route through
power is switched on). If it’s a distorted guitar
groups without adding any noise or distortion.)
sound you’re after, you can either mic up the gui-
The first approach is suitable for recording sev- tar cabinet, pointing a mic right at the speaker
eral instruments together onto one or two tracks cone, or use a multi-effects processor. If you have
– a multi-miked drum kit, for example. This enough tracks to take advantage of it, you can
makes sense when you don’t have enough tracks record the multi-effects in stereo – the processors
to record every instrument to its own track. The almost invariably have stereo outputs, and flang-
second approach is suitable where you need to ing, chorus and delay efects sound better in
record more than eight tracks at once, perhaps in stereo. See below for tips on using stereo chan-
a live situation, and is simpler. Channel 1 always nels.
feeds track 1, channel 2 feeds track 2, and so on
Try applying compression while recording gui-
up to 16.
tar tracks to keep levels under control. Using the
When you play back your recorded tracks, they compressor/gate algorithm on the 328 will allow
come in on channels 17-32. Although they’re you to gate out the unwanted buzz and hum that
called Tape Return channels, they have exactly the tends to come with distorted guitar settings, and
same facilities as channels 1-16. which you’ll only have to remove before mixing
anyway.
D. Recording Instruments
F. Recording Vocals
Let’s assume that you want to put together a track
that uses live vocals and guitar with programmed The Spirit Digital 328 has high-quality mic pre-
keyboards and drums. You’ve programmed the amps on channels 1-16, which are vital to record-
basic song structure on your sequencer, and ing good vocals. A good condensor mic will gener-
you’re using two DA88s as above for your record- ally give the best results, as they are more sensi-
ing medium. tive and revealing than dynamic mics. Condensors
require +48V phantom power, which the 328 can
The first thing you’ll need is a guide for every-
provide via the XLR channel input sockets. If you
one to play along to. As you already have drums
have the luxury of a choice of mics, be open
and keyboards programmed, you could run your
minded about what to use – try them all before
sequencer in sync with the tape transports as you
deciding what to use.
record vocals, guitar and percussion. Alternatively,
you could record a rough stereo mix of keyboards Set your mic up around 9 inches from your
and drums to two tape tracks, which means that singer, with a pop shield (nothing really works
in future sessions you can get your guide tracks better than the old stocking-and-coathanger trick)
up without having to worry about loading the right between singer and mic to avoid problems with

12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 ‘plosive’ sounds. Remember that making your to get the benefit of all those stereo samples and
singer as comfortable as possible will help to get a stereo outputs. There are two stereo input chan-
better vocal performance, so be sensitive to their nels on the 328, with all the the EQ, Aux and FX
needs. You may find that the 100Hz high-pass fil- facilities of the mono channels. You can go direct-
ter is useful to cut out rumble, though this is gen- ly into these via stereo digital interfaces – either

SECTION 4: From Concept To CD

erally more of a problem live than in the studio. SPDIF or AES/EBU – or use analogue inputs as on
Avoid EQ’ing vocals when recording, as it will tend the mono channels. Remember that if you use the
to make them sound artificial, and you’ll regret it digital inputs you should take care with word-
later. clock, as an unsynced audio source will show dis-
tortion of some kind, which will negate the bene-
Set up a vocal monitor mix on headphones
fits of using the digital inputs. If you have more
using one of the Aux sends – a quick way to do
than two stereo sources, you can link adjacent
this for, say, Aux 1, is to hit the Aux 1 button above
mono channels to behave as another stereo chan-
the E-strip, so that the 16 rotary controls let you
nel, with all EQ and Aux settings shared between
set Aux 1 send levels for channels 1-16, then hit
channels.
Aux 1 again to set the send levels for channels 17-
32.
H. Mixing Down
Because vocal levels tend to vary widely, it’s
advisable to use compression to level things out. When you’ve recorded everything you need for
Try using one of the internal dynamics processors, your track, it’s time to mix everything down to a
using the compressor algorithm (with a 10ms stereo master recording prior to CD mastering, or
attack, around half a second release, and ratio of playback on any other stereo medium. Whether
4:1 and 8:1). Alternatively you could use a you’re using a sequencer or not, the 328’s
favourite outboard compressor, plugged into the automation features make this much easier than
channel insert point. with a non-automated desk.
The first step when preparing your mix is to set
G. Keyboards and Stereo the desk in a neutral state. For all tape returns,
Recording check that EQ is off, and all sends are set to 0. If
Although one of the advantages of using MIDI is you are working in a MIDI-based studio, you may
that you can record keyboards and samplers on a have used EQ and effects quite heavily on some of
sequencer, and play them ‘as live’ into the mix the synths and samplers, and now is the time to
without ever going down to tape or disk, you may rethink what is essential to the sound, and what is
instead want to record keyboard parts to multi- cluttering up the mix and should be removed
track. One reason is that it forces you to commit before proceeding. Mute all inputs that aren’t
to a certain sound or version, rather than leave being used, and for any analogue inputs, set the
everything in a half-finished state. Also, it means gain as high as possible without clipping – use the
that if you plan to take your project from your stu- channel metering to check this. You can now start
dio into a larger room for final mixing, you can working up a mix.
take ADAT or DA88 tapes, or a computer with all Begin with the basics of the track – probably
your tracks recorded on HD, rather than a rack of bass and drums. Set their relative levels so that
keyboards. neither dominates the other, and keep them in
But whether you do this, or leave the electronic the centre of the stereo image. Use the eight inter-
instruments to be played via MIDI at mixdown, nal groups to group together instruments that you
you’ll want to use stereo inputs on the Digital 328 will want to fade up and down together, such as

13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 backing vocal parts, drum and percussion parts, nels whose levels are changed), you can get cre-
string arrangements and so on. ative with the dynamics section. Try using a gate,
keyed from a rhythmic sound such as a hi-hat, to
Try using EQ to boost each instrument in a
modulate the volume of a continuous sound such
slightly different band, preferably the frequency
as a keyboard pad.
range that carries most of the character of that
SECTION 4: From Concept To CD

instrument. This will help to distinguish them

from one another, and make them sit apart in the K. Using Automation
mix. Using a little reverb on each channel tends to Once you have set up a basic mix – instruments
bring everything back together, creating the sitting in the right place in the mix, the right
impression that the various sounds are all playing effects balance – think about where you want to
in the same acoustic space. change this through the mix. By using snapshot
automation, running against timecode, you can
I. Using Effects change fader levels, effects and aux sends, EQ and
bus routing, wherever you need. Store the varia-
With two Lexicon effects processors inside the
tions on the basic mix in different snapshot loca-
328, it’s easy to add a wide range of high quality
tions, and give them names if you like. Now give
studio effects. As well as a full selection of classic
the snapshots timecode locations that correspond
studio reverb and delay-based algorithms, each
to the point in the song where you want the
processor has more distinctive off-the-wall effects
change to happen. (Stop the song at whatever
such as Resonant that are worth trying out. When
point the change needs to happen, such as when
setting up your effects mix, remember that you’ll
a solo starts, or an instrument drops out and you
get the best signal-to-noise ratio, and therefore the
want to mute its track, and give the snapshot this
most professional sounding mix, by keeping the
timecode value.) If you’re anticipating a solo, set
send levels high and the return levels low.
the snapshot to change just a little ahead of the
You can also use external processors, using one first note that it will affect, in order that you don’t
of the Aux sends to take a signal to the processor, cut off the start of anything – and if you’re muting
and bring the effect back on stereo inputs or after an instrument has finished playing, be care-
linked stereo channels. If your processor has digi- ful not to mute before the last note has died away
tal inputs and outputs, by assigning an Aux send completely.
and stereo return to the 328’s stereo digital inputs
If you’re using a MIDI sequencer, then you can
and outputs, you can keep the whole effect
use dynamic automation and moving faders to
send/return loop in the digital domain.
mix in a different way. If you are using MIDI to
play instruments as well, and you have a multi-
J. Using Dynamics port MIDI inteface, it’s good practice to dedicate
As well as the two internal Lexicons, the 328 also one MIDI port to the automation data rather than
has two internal digital dynamics processors. mix note and automation data. By recording pro-
These let you apply compression and limiting gressive fader and other changes, you can set up
while track-laying, to avoid clipping and distorton perfect fades at the end of your song, or to take
and get a good level down to your recording medi- instrument parts up and down. Remember that
um. Gating any mic’d sources will keep unwanted you can also automate EQ and other changes – in
background noise out of your mix. Because you fact, almost every parameter on the desk, apart
can select the source for each dynamics processor from the analogue controls, such as control room
(the source that determines gain change) inde- levels, can be automated and therefore used to
pendently of the destination (the channel or chan- creative effect in a mix.

14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 Use automation to give your track the dynamics
that it needs. Try having some instruments that sit
back in the mix for much of the time, then sit up
– higher volume, less effect – at key moments.
But remember above all that it’s your track, and

SECTION 4: From Concept To CD

you’re the best judge of how it should sound. A
digital mixer such as the 328 gives you an amaz-
ing degree of production power, and it’s up to you
to decide how to use it.

L. Stereo Outputs
When you master your recording, you can record
to both digital and analogue media – balanced
analogue outputs are available alongside unbal-
anced phonos. If you’re using the digital outputs
to DAT, MD or an MO recorder, use the highest
resolution avaialble to you. If your media allows it,
make your recording at 20 or 24 bits rather than
16 – both the SPDIF and AES/EBU outputs can be
set to run at any of these wordlengths.

328 FOCUS: MIXER MAPS

In a studio based around a computer and PCI
card, you can extend the integration between
sequencer and the 328 beyond audio. Cubase
Audio VST, Emagic Logic, and Cakewalk all allow
custom mixer maps (on-screen MIDI faders) to
control and be controlled by the 328’s dynamic
automation. By integrating sequencing and mixing
to this degree, you have still more flexibility in
your writing and mixing techniques. Mixer maps
can be downloaded free of charge from the Spirit
web site.

328 FOCUS: LINKING CONSOLES

If you’re working on a project that grows and
grows, you can cascade two 328s via a special digi-
tal link, to create what is in effect a single auto-
mated digital mixer with 32 moving faders and 84
inputs on mixdown.

15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 HOW MANY EXTERNAL DIGITAL
DIGITAL 328 FAQS RECORDERS CAN BE USED AT ONCE?
Two. The Spirit Digital 328 has two Alesis Optical
How does the reliability of the Digital 328 com-
and two Tascam TDIF interfaces located on the
pare to an analogue console? Traditionally, ana- back panel, one of each for each set of eight tape
logue consoles have been constructed using a sin- inputs (17-24, 25-32). The front panel includes
SECTION 5: Digital 328 FAQs

gle printed circuit board for each channel, plus transport controls, with locator points, and the
one board for each function in the master section. ability to arm (and indicate arming) any of the 16
Each circuit board uses conventional electronic tracks for recording. If two 328s are linked via
components, and the boards are linked together the cascade facility, up to four recorders (with 32
by ribbon cables. The Spirit Digital 328, on the tape channels) can be used.
other hand, uses 'surface mount' technology and
high density printed circuit boards. Surface- ARE THERE ANY DIGITAL AUX SENDS?
mount technology has been widely used in the Yes. A third Alesis ADAT format Optical output
computer industry, improving reliability and (labelled Aux) is located on the back panel. The
speed. source for the eight channels of this Aux Optical
IS THE OPERATING SYSTEM Output can be set to come from the AUX bus, FX
UPGRADEABLE? bus, MIX output or Group buses. Companies such
Yes: newer versions of the 328 Operating System as Alesis and TC Electronics are already designing
will be made available through the Digital 328 web effects units with Optical In/Out, as well as stan-
site (www.digital328.com), or as an upgrade kit dard quarter-inch jacks.
from Spirit distributors. These updates will be CAN A CD OR DAT MACHINE BE CON-
accessible as soon as new versions are released, NECTED DIGITALLY?
and (internet updates only) available at any time
Yes. Most professional, and some consumer, audio
of the day. All software upgrades are provided free
DAT and CD-R machines include stereo digital
of charge by Spirit.
input ports. Simply assign the MIX Outputs to the
WHAT DIGITAL INPUTS AND OUTPUTS digital AES/EBU or SPDIF outputs, and send that
ARE FITTED AS STANDARD? signal in the digital domain to the Input of the
* 2x8 track inputs Alesis ADAT optical format DAT or CD-R recorder.
* 2x8 track outputs Alesis ADAT optical format WHAT TYPE OF MIC PREAMPS DOES
* 2x8 track inputs TDIF format THE DIGITAL 328 HAVE?
* 2x8 track outputs TDIF format
The Digital 328 incorporates Spirit's own UK-
* 1x8 track variable outputs Alesis ADAT optical
designed-and-built UltraMic Plus mic preamps
+

format
on channels 1-16. This acclaimed preamp design
* 1 AES input on XLR
has the ability to handle a wide range of signals,
* 1 AES output on XLR
with a massive 66dB of gain range and +28dBu
* 1 S/PDIF input on RCA
maximum input level. This caters for virtually all
* 1 S/PDIF output on RCA
high level outputs that are likely to be passed
* 1 MIDI In 1 MIDI Out 1 MIDI Thru
through the preamp.
* Wordclock input on BNC
* Wordclock output on BNC (TTL level) HOW DO GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
* 1 SMPTE input on quarter-inch jack WORK?
* Sony 9 pin for Machine Control ( RS-422 ) Simply select the channel you wish to assign, then
* Cascade Port on 26 way HD D-type connector choose the group(s) to which you wish to assign

16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 them by pressing the button corresponding to HOW DO I SET THE AUXES TO BE PRE-
that group in the Select panel on the right side of /POST- FADER?
the console. Alternatively, you can press and hold Hold down the Aux/FX Pre switch located on the
any one of the Group assign buttons and select right hand side of the console, and select which of
the channel(s) you wish to assign to that Group the Aux and FX sends you want to be globally
Out. You can also query which channels are Pre/Post fader by using the Aux Select switches

SECTION 5: Digital 328 FAQs

assigned to specific Group Outs. Simply press and located in the Rotary Controls section.
hold one of the Group assign buttons to see
instantly which channel(s) are assigned to a spe- WHICH PARAMETERS CAN BE AUTO-
cific Group at any time. MATED?
Snapshot Automation allows every function and
WHERE DO THE GROUP OUTPUTS
ROUTE TO? parameter on the desk to be instantly recalled,
except those associated with analogue controls eg.
You can assign the Group Outputs the ADAT opti- TRIM, HP Filters, C/Rm + phones output level
cal outputs or the TDIF connectors, or to the addi- controls. Dynamic Automation allows for individ-
tional optical output (this is the how the Groups ual control of each function and parameter
are routed on power-up). The groups can also be through MIDI. All non-analogue functions of the
routed to the Mix by holding down the Route to console - including level, pan, EQ, and dynamics,
Mix button and selecting the Group Select buttons aux level, and effects
ARE ROUTING AND BUS ASSIGNMENTS parameters - have been assigned MIDI messages
STORED IN SNAPSHOTS? which allow software control through almost any
Yes; every digital function within a channel, such MIDI sequencing package.
as EQ, Pan and Group Output assignments can be HOW DO THE UNDO AND REDO FUNC-
stored internally using the Snapshot function. TIONS WORK?
WHAT ARE THE EQ FREQUENCY Spirit Digital 328 offers non-destructive editing by
RANGES? using the Undo/Redo function. This is useful for
40Hz to 800Hz for the low frequency band, 200Hz comparing new EQ settings or FX settings.
to 8kHz for the mid band, and 1kHz to 20kHz for Whenever functions have been updated, you can
the high frequency band. press the Undo button to return to the original
settings. To return to the new settings, press Redo.
HOW DOES THE SOLO/PFL SYSTEM There is only one level of Undo/Redo to avoid con-
WORK? fusion. Snapshots can be used if multiple levels of
Each channel has its own Solo button - press once comparisons are required.
to solo the channel, and again to clear it. In the
Solo Control panel you can switch globally
between PFL (Pre Fade Listen) and AFL (After
Fade Listen), and select SIP (Solo-In-Place). There
is a Clear Solo function which will clear the solo
from all 16 channels. There is also also a trim
adjust for the Solo system, which is the final fader
on the masters bank.

17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 that wordclock is being properly distributed, and
TROUBLESHOOTING where appropriate that all devices are set to slave
to timecode from the appropriate inputs. Try
making a different device the master - some DAT
recorders, for example, must be the wordclock
I CAN'T HEAR ONE OR MORE INPUT
master when or changing the clock frequency of
CHANNELS AT THE MIX OUTPUT, EVEN
SECTION 6: Troubleshooting

the wordclock master. Try turning everything off,

THOUGH THE FADER IS UP AND THE
CHANNEL IS NOT MUTED... and turning them on again in the order they are
connected in the wordclock chain, starting with
Check that the channel is routed to the mix bus, the master.
either directly or via the groups. Hit the select but-
ton(s) for the channel in question, and see I CAN'T WORK OUT HOW TO ROUTE
whether the Route To Mix button or any of the CHANNELS IN STEREO THROUGH
Route To Group buttons are lit. If it's routed to a GROUPS TO THE MIX.
group but you still can't hear it, check the In order to use groups in stereo, you must first
group's level, and that it isn't muted. To do this, link adjacent pairs - 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, or 7&8. If
select the Master Fader bank, and check fader groups are not linked in this way, they are auto-
positions and mute buttons for the eight faders on matically routed in mono to the Mix. (Note that
the far left. this applies to 328 software V1.1 and later). To
link two groups, press and hold the Group Link
ONE OR MORE CHANNELS SOUND
button in the bottom right hand corner of the
VERY ODD - I KNOW THE INSTRUMENT
SHOULDN'T SOUND LIKE THAT. front panel, and press the select button for the
odd-numbered Group. All channel pan settings
First check whether you've applied radical EQ to are now preserved when you route channels
the channel - press and hold the EQ In button in through linked groups to the Mix. To route the
the Select panel, and see whether the select but- groups to the Mix, press and hold the Route To
tons on the channels in question are lit. If you're Mix button, and press either of the select buttons
using two mono channels to record a stereo for the paired Groups.
instrument, check that both channels are in
phase, and that the channels are panned left and MY SEQUENCER ISN'T RECORDING MY
right. (If you have copied settings from one chan- FADER MOVES AND OTHER CONTROL
nel to the other, to give them the same EQ and MOVES.
FX/Aux settings, then you may have copied the Check how the sequencer is set up - it is probably
pan settings as well. In the Chan Copy Setup not recording MIDI controller data, which is used
menu you can disable the copying of pan settings for the 328's dynamic automation. Change your
between channels.) recording preferences to allow this to be recorded.
Make sure MIDI Automation is switched on in the
I'M HEARING UNEXPECTED POPS AND
328 Automation Setup menu.
CLICKS, OR DISTORTION, ON DIGITAL
INPUTS.
WHEN I USE DYNAMIC AUTOMATION,
This is almost certainly a wordclock problem. If THE FADERS ARE JUMPING AROUND
you are using an ADAT with INSTEAD OF MOVING SMOOTHLY.
your 328, and using the optical interface, check This is caused by a MIDI loop via your sequencer.
that the ADAT is set to receive wordclock. Ensure Turn off MIDI Thru so that data from the 328 is
not re-sent to its MIDI input.

18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information please contact us at the

details overleaf, or alternatively visit our website:

www.digital328.com

You will find information on the brochure, user guide,

interface options, mixer maps, latest software and
much more.

All contents © 1999 Spirit by Soundcraft. No part of

this publication may be copied, transmitted or stored
electronically or otherwise for commercial gain,
although the copyright holder will allow copying and
distribution for personal or non-profit use.

This guide has been written and compiled by Paul

Ireson, Shoot That Camel Inc., ex-editor Sound on
Sound magazine.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

 t

Spirit by Soundcraft TM,

Harman International
Industries Ltd.,
Cranborne House,
Cranborne Industrial Estate,
Cranborne Road, Potters Bar,
Herts EN6 3JN, England.
Tel: +44 (0)1707 665000
Fax: +44 (0)1707 665461

USA Distributors:
Spirit by Soundcraft TM Inc.,
4130 Citrus Avenue #9,
Rocklin, California 95677,
USA.
Tel: (916) 630 3960
www.spirit-by-soundcraft.co.uk
Fax: (916) 630 3950 www.digital328.com
Part # ZL0502 E&OE.Spirit by Soundcraft reserves the right to alter specifications without prior notice.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine