ARMORY SOUND ENGINEER'S HANDBOOK

ARMORY SOUND ENGINEER'S HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction II. Quick Studio Layout Guide III. Start Up IV. Tracking V. Mixing VI. EMT 140 Operating Instructions VII. Shut Down VIII. Parking IX. Guidelines

INTRODUCTION ARMORY SOUND LLC 191 HIGHLAND AVENUE B1 SOMERVILLE, MA 02143 617-684-5814 armorysound@gmail.com armorysoundrecording.com Armory Sound is a hybrid recording studio equipped with an Universal Audio APOLLO 16 a NEVE 5059 Summing Mixer: a Slate Raven Touchscreen Control Surface: and at the heart; a NEVE 5060 Mixing Console:

The Live Room Snake is equipped with 16 Microphone inputs, and 6 Headphone outputs. The 16 Microphone inputs are halfnormalled on the patchbay to the first 16 preamplifier inputs in the control room, labeled with numbers 1-16 and located on both the desk, and to your left in the control room racks. The first 16 preamplifier outputs are half-normalled on the patchbay to inputs 1-16 on the APOLLO 16. The Rolls Headphone amplifier 1-6 outputs are normalled to the Live Room Snake 6 headphone outs. The APOLLO 16 is controlled with the CONSOLE application located on the computer toolbar. The CONSOLE application is used for input leveling while recording, cue and aux assignments,and zero latency processing of UAD plugins while monitoring/recording. The UA Console Application controls monitoring levels, and can be used to make multiple cue mixes etc. Please refer to the UA Apollo manual for more information. The studio patchbay setup is simple. With mic lines normalled to preamplifiers, and preamplifier outs normalled to AD/DA Converter ins. APOLLO 16's outputs are normalled to NEVE 5059 Summing Mixer's inputs on the patchbay. NEVE 5059 Summing mixer dual stereo outputs are half-normalled

to channel inputs 5-6 and 7-8 on NEVE 5060 Mixing Console. The NEVE 5060 Mixing Console has 24 stereo inputs. The first 1-8 Channels can be set as stereo or as mono inputs with the Left input (for instance Channel 1 (Left), for Channels 1+2(R) in mono mode on the console) carrying the signal in mono mode. *The MONO/STEREO switch is found on the back of the NEVE 5060 Console. Standard setting is set for STEREO. Please return to STEREO at the end of your session. With a hybrid setup, there are many options for the engineer while both tracking and mixing. This handbook addresses some of the common ways the setup is used at the studio.

START UP Turn on the power conditioner on the Console desk labeled DESK POWER. - This will supply power to: - Preamplifiers - Computer - NEVE 5059 - NEVE 5060 - APOLLO 16-500 Series Power ON Computer Power ON the Speakers LAST by using power conditioner labeled SPEAKER POWER. -Powering monitors on last prevents popping, or powerful current spikes that can affect montors while powering on the computer, and console etc. DUAL BOOT The computer will start automatically in Moutain Lion which the studio uses Pro Tools 10 with, and is the most stable recording rig. To switch to Mavericks, to use Pro Tools 11 and Logic Pro X, open the program titled OS X Mavericks and enter admin and password. Make sure all programs are closed before switching between operating systems HUE LIGHTS Control Room lights are controlled by two seperate HUE system light switches, with dim control. One on the entrance to the control room and another switch on the desk. Pressing ON will cycle through 5 lighting presets at the Studio. The ipad to your left has a more refined Hue system control application.

TRACKING NEVE 5060 Stereo Input Channels 1-8 pre-fader sends are always active. EXAMPLE 1 Patch the APOLLO Monitor L+R OUT into NEVE 5060 Console channel 1+2 or 3+4 IN. With NEVE 5060 console in mix mode, assign the talkback to console Channel 1+2 or 3+4. Then patch NEVE 5060 Channel 1+2 or 3+4 SEND to ROLLS Headphone Amplifier Main L+R IN. EXAMPLE 2 With NEVE 5060 console monitoring source EXT 1 selected, the engineer is hearing a direct digital output of the APOLLO Monitor L+R signal. To apply talkback, patch Control Room Talkback mic into a microphone preamplifier and set desired level. The talkback microphone will use one of APOLLO 16 inputs. For headphone mixes, patch APOLLO Monitor L+R Out to ROLLS Headphone Amp Main L+R IN.

MIXING Figure 1 NEVE 5060 MIX MODE to monitor the NEVE 5060 MIX L+R OUTPUT APOLLO 16 Outputs 1-16 are half-normalled to NEVE 5059 Summing Mixer 1-16 Inputs on the patchbay. On the NEVE 5059 Summing Mixer, each channel can be assigned to seperate mix buses, Stereo 1 and Stereo 2. Figure 2 NEVE 5059 STEREO 1 AND 2 OUTS Each stereo bus can have two diffferent levels of transformer texture applied with the red/blue silk settings. NEVE 5059 Summing Mixer Stereo 1 OUTPUT is half-normalled to NEVE 5060 Mixer channels 5-6 on the patchbay. NEVE 5059 Summing Mixer Stereo 2 Output is half-normalled to NEVE 5060 Mixer Channel Inputs 7-8 on the patchbay.

EXAMPLE 1 To record the mix output of the NEVE 5060 mixing console, locate patchpoint 5060 L+R MIX OUT, and patch into a APOLLO 16 input to record into a track in Pro Tools*.(For example: APOLLO IN 1-2) *Pro Tools 10, Pro Tools 11 and Logic Pro X. EXAMPLE 2 With NEVE 5060 Console monitoring source EXT 1 selected, the engineer is hearing a direct digital output of the APOLLO Monitor L+R MIX OUTPUT signal. To monitor at low levels, set your desired dim level, and press the dim button to active. TALKBACK MICROPHONES NOTE: A permanent Live Room talkback microphone is located on the live floor and appears on the patchbay next to the Control Room Talkback. This microphone is located to the right of the television unit on hanging on the wall. The Small Diaphram Condenser microphone needs 48V power. The SDC can also be used as a room mic.

EMT 140 Operating Instructions Turn on EMT 140 Plate Reverb. Set desired damping level by using the lever located on top of the plate reverb. (2 is standard level) EMT 140 Left and Right inputs and outputs are located on the patchbay When finished with EMT 140 Plate Reverb: Turn off Plate Reverb Set the dampening lever to back to 2.!!DO NOT MOVE EMT 140 PLATE REVERB!! RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY

SHUT DOWN ZERO out all preamplifiers and turn off any 48 Volt power, mute, or phase switches. Power down the preamplifiers. Power down the computer by selecting shut down. After the computer is shut down, Power down the Speakers FIRST using the power conditioner labeled SPEAKER POWER. Lastly, Power down the power conditioner labeled DESK POWER. - This will turn off power to: - Preamplifiers - Computer - NEVE 5059 - NEVE 5060 - APOLLO 16-500 Series

PARKING A free 44-space parking lot is located behind the Armory Building. OVERFLOW LOTS 112 Central St, Somerville, MA 02143 75 Belmont St, Somerville, MA 02143 available after 6:00 pm

ARMORY SOUND GUIDELINES COIL AND SECURE ALL CABLES and hang them back up where you got them. Use velcro to secure cables, or tie a loose cable knot. Return all used items to their location. DO NOT bring alcohol through the main door of the Armory building or have open containers in the Armory building common spaces. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Remove all trash and empty drink containters from the studio at the end of your session. Clean the coffee maker, microwave and etc. of any messes made during your session. Shut down the system, turn off all the lights, and lock up the studio at the end of the session. Turn off the air heating/cooling system at the end of the session. Report any broken items during your session. Leave a check for the session under the keyboard in the control room. Checks can be made out to Armory Sound LLC. Session day rates are in 8 hour blocks. After 8 hours, an hourly rate is in effect. Try to allow 1 hour between sessions for crossover. THIS STUDIO IS NOT A CLUBHOUSE