The BEST and WORST of my STUDIO CONSOLE

Follow me

I get all my music here:

Affiliate links from Sweetwater + Amazon
(support the channel by using them)

Studio desk / Racks:

Drums and Equipment:

Guitars, Amps and Pedals:

Studio Monitors:

Audio Interfaces:

Headphones:

Microphones:

Content Creator Gear:

Mic Pres & Ouboard gear:

Keyboards and Controllers:

Studio Equipment and Accessories:

Side tables on wheels:

Cameras:

Lighting:

#recording #musicproduction #studiosetup #producer #audioengineer #recordingstudio #studiotour #console #mixer #mixing

[PreludeStudiosMBD]

that is why we are planning to by either ssl origin 16 channel or audient 16 channel. That would solve the direct out and return problem. cheers.

[Luke]

There's a few ways to get around not being about to simply use the monitor knob as a direct out send level. The first option I know of is to set the direct out to pre fader by changing an internal shunt (SHUNT2 as seen in the top of the Input-Module-Flow-Diagram). The easier option is to use the insert point to break the signal path. Connect the insert send to your interface input and then connect the insert return to your interface output. This allows you to record with EQ and still use pre fader sends on the analog signal path but use the large faders to mix your pro tools outputs. Hope this helps!

[Archer_Hubart]

Hey Mr. Masters I’ve got soundcraft signature 22 multitrack, it’s a analog mixer and interface. I am using it mostly for tracking, but because it’s an interface as well I can send everything back to the console, that’s what I did to mix my first album, I know it’s not the high level console but it does the job, I do techno and electronic music though, so I needed the it to jam live with it. Watching your channel for about 3 years, since I build my home studio, your studio build was insanely helpful! Thank you!

[donthompson]

So one of the biggest benefits for me is zero latency monitoring. No worries with big projects and lots of running plugins.

[librasky]

This is my favorite studio so far !!!
All the big recording studios just seem sooo overwhelming to me .
This fits me, i feel like i could focus there

[funkypigfriday]

We have a big-arsed old live desk in the studio that doesn't sport any short faders, but we only use it like a "split" desk whilst tracking. The rest of the time it functions as a normal desktop under a sheet of clear acrylic/perspex just for aesthetics. Useful for scoring/scripting etc

Also, as it's at a slight angle in desk mode, it's "self cleaning" as all the clutter and crap just slides off 🤭

[ryancrawford]

You can move an internal jumper to get your direct outs pre-fader. I’m not sure if that solves everything, but it would make your fader mix separate from your input levels. Alternatively, you could mult your insert sends to your converters for additional flexibility (you’ll need a patchbay or two for this).

Alternatively AGAIN 😆, you can leverage your bus outputs for additional level control that is somewhat independent of the channel faders.

For automation and recall, I use WesAudio ngLEVELERs for automation on my console. 2 units gives me enough for my channel strips, 8 buses, and fx sends. Makes automation a lot more fun. I just leave my faders at unity and use an xtouch for automation/fader moves. I’m also mixing OTB a lot so it made sense for my workflow. There’s also built in saturation on each channel, which is a nice little plus.

[evoltap]

I love working on a console, and I use tape maybe 1/3 of the time. Consoles like that trident that aren’t really “inline” would be horrible for tape. While you are tracking, you have to mix on those red monitor knobs. I settled on an Otari Status 18R…a hidden gem! Full inline modular channel strips with small and large faders (can be “flipped” like ssl), 4 band EQ that can be split between paths, 1 stereo and 6 mono aux sends, full recall of all knobs, switches and faders, as well as VCA fader and switch automation. Oh yeah, and dynamics on channels 1-24….and a full tt patchbay. I had to do some work to get it fully functioning, but it’s great now. All the features of an SSL for about $6000. Sonically it is very hifi and neutral.

[p]

1 suggestion, since you are mixing in the box, wouldn't make sense to switch places with the mixing station? PROS: Then you are not mixing with 1 ear, and the console get's a bit out of the way.

[downpatmusic]

Nice studio and workflow there. I added mix bus processing to my vintage Trident 80B 32 input console. (Yes, it's a massive console, my main gripe but it's an impression maker for visitors and it's immediate and sounds great with my upgraded power supply.) The mix buss processing makes the mix bus jump off the speakers. I ended up with an API stereo EQ and an SSL Compressor on the mix buss. Sounds great.

[jas_bataille]

OK - I will not do that, but massive respect for the no-screen set-up!!! Btw I cannot believe how brilliant duplicating master faders on the board by sending the master out of the DAW back into channel 1-2 is. Simple. Clean. Brilliant. No need for a summing mixer with complex routing and you can A/B between mixes easily. I am absolutely going to do this in my next studio!!!

[johnsmetzer]

Love my Studiolive 64s . Also as a Drummer, I have many channels / effects to work with in my Home Studio and one button to DAW mode Studio One 6 . Everything links up immediately with faders. Sweetwater is Great !

[ER-yqlc]

That's how I do it on my Soundcraft 1600, the mic/line button is mic in the up position and line return for mixdown in the down position. Basically using Reaper like a 24 track tape machine bouncing the main mix down to 2 track in the same project. Only need to look at the screen to get levels and arm tracks in tracking and add plugins, edit, or automate individual tracks durring mixing.

[zdogg]

This is a great comment section. OK I have the same Trident 68, I'm not tracking a band, I'm more home home production, hybrid mixing, so I use the Line ins for my DAW/Interface returns. I always have mic inputs on the console, and I ave a ton of in and outs from my UFXII, and there you have total mix as well, and I have an other couple of MADI dievice feeding the counsole also RME so the Total Mix feature covers all of the scenarios for me. There is a MIC/Line toggle switch, if Andrew were to use the mic in he could at the same time monitor live mic or switch to monitor the interface or recorded tracks.

[MixedByDotRob]

As for your "do-not-like" point no.1: Theoretically, it should be possible to split the console in half and integrate your DAW-monitor and the UF-8/UC-1 in the middle. The Trident is a modular design, so you should be able to separate the first two channel buckets (channels 1-16). I saw this setup in some studio somewhere, if I remember correctly.

[mattpowell]

I keep old analog live consoles in my home studio for tracking, and I love it! Monitor mixes for the band are easy, monitoring in the control room has more options, you can do fun things like chaining channels to overdrive the pres, and the best part is not having to use the Waves VU meter plugin anymore!

[mhedderl]

Just got a ssl x-desk and routing on it is insane. Each ch has 2 selectable input sources; 1 for daw or 1 for mic input so you can switch between tracking and mixing with 1 button. Range of the line amp on each ch makes gain staging a breeze. It’s great for attenuating hot signals coming in during tracking and for boosting signals going out of the daw during mix down. Being able to crack the gain into analog gear on each individual bus before its summed down to the 2 bus is just so addictive. Best purchase ever. Has me looking at a Wes audio ngleveler to add to the end of my channel inserts to control the overall level of each instrument bus. Andrew have you tried or looked into the NgLeveler?

[TonyThomas]

I think the best use of the console is for tracking in your situation. Trying to mix on it would involve too many compromises. Better to mix in the box.

[ulfdanielsen]

This may just be one of your most important vidoes ever.., - and one of the most beautiful. :)
Question though:
Doesn´t the Trident have some way of choosing a DI-Out on every channel?
Normally you would be able to choose between going DI-out either before, - or after, - the eq, - but still before the signal hits the faders.
If it does, in theory, you should be able to track some channels to the AD/DA converters right after the channel preamp, - on other channels you would use the eq section and send it DI-out on the individual channels -after- the eq section but - before - the faders.
That way you could have a full performance mix of an entire band based on both the eq settings on the various channels without them hitting the DAW and the eq-wet channels alike and level match all channels via the fader settings grouped to 8 or 16 subchannels going to the master stereo bus and still have all individual channels recorded via the DI-outs separately.
Hope this thought makes sense.

[jas_bataille]

You should check Harrison consoles for smaller boards that have some of the features you talk about wanting if I'm not mistaken - really really underrated boards!!!