Video Transcript
How to set up a mix for broadcasting: Part 2
11m 44s
00:16
Hey there and welcome to part 2!
00:19
In this video we are going to look at three different ways you can operate your broadcast mix.
00:25
These options include running your broadcast mix post fader,
00:30
running it in Pre fader,
00:32
or running entirely from a DAW and not on the console itself.
00:38
Let’s begin with option number one:
00:41
Running your broadcast mix in post fader.
00:44
If you’re one person managing FOH and the broadcast mix at the same time,
00:49
then this option is best for you.
00:52
On my TouchMix, if I access the set up menu for my broadcast mix,
00:57
there are 4 choices in the middle of the screen; pre fader, post fader, pre dynamics and pre all.
01:05
If you’d like more information on what these options mean, I recommend watching our Aux mix application videos.
01:12
You’ll find a link to those in the description.
01:14
Right now, we’re going to Choose post fader.
01:18
Post fader means that at any time you make a change to a channel fader in your main mix,
01:23
that channel in your dedicated broadcast mix will reflect the change as well.
01:28
For example, in the main mix of my praise band scene right here.
01:33
If I move this guitar fader up in the main mix, the volume will go up in the broadcast mix as well.
01:40
Now, you’ll need to have your broadcast mix cued and ready to listen to in your headphones.
01:45
You will find yourself constantly referring to your broadcast mix through your headphones to make sure that the mix stays intact throughout the service.
01:54
Just keep em around your neck and ready to go.
01:57
This next part is important.
01:59
Before you start working with your broadcast mix, you’ll want to set your house mix.
02:04
Why? Well, your post fader broadcast mix is going to be set based on what your house mix is.
02:11
When you’re running your broadcast mix in post fader like this,
02:15
you’ll also need to implement something I call broadcast compensation.
02:20
Broadcast compensation is compensating in your broadcast mix for the lack of level that is being sent to you from your main mix.
02:29
Take the snare drum for example. My main fader level is quite low because that snare is already putting out enough volume acoustically,
02:37
so this is all the level I needed to make it sit properly in my house mix.
02:41
But when I listen in my headphones to my broadcast mix, I hardly hear any snare at all.
02:48
So, I need to compensate for the lack of level by bringing that snare up in my broadcast mix until it’s sitting properly in that mix.
02:57
You may find yourself applying broadcast compensation to most instruments that use loud amps,
03:03
like electric guitars, bass or even keys if they’re using amps.
03:07
What if you are in a situation where you can’t reinforce the drums in the house mix at all?
03:13
Here’s the solution for that. We are going to un-assign drums from the house mix.
03:18
This means that we will not reinforce drums at all in the house.
03:24
This way, we can leave the main faders for drums up in the main mix in order to feed level to our broadcast mix,
03:31
because remember, we’re running our broadcast mix in post fader
03:36
so we need to have channel faders up in the main mix.
03:40
To un-assign channels from my main mix select the grey space where my snare channel is.
03:46
Then select set up.
03:49
This is where I can un-assign that channel from the house.
03:53
While we’re on this subject, let’s also un-assign our audience mics from the main mix.
03:59
You never want those to be heard in the House PA.
04:04
Then, since we’re running our broadcast in post fader,
04:07
I will make sure I have level in my main mix to feed those audience mics to my broadcast mix.
04:14
Alright, let’s look at Option 2 for setting up a broadcast mix:
04:19
Running your broadcast mix in pre-fader.
04:23
This option is perfect if you have an additional person dedicated to mixing the broadcast production.
04:29
Pre-fader means any changes you make to the main faders will NOT affect the broadcast mix.
04:37
Because of this you will NOT have to compensate for anything going on in the main mix.
04:42
The volume levels in your broadcast mix are running totally free from the main house mix.
04:48
On my TouchMix, if I access the set up menu for my broadcast mix,
04:53
remember those 4 choices I showed you, in the middle of the screen;
04:57
choose pre fader.
04:59
In the pre fader broadcast scenario, the person mixing can be in an isolated space with studio monitors to reference the service.
05:06
This gives a truer sense of what the online listener is experiencing.
05:11
The person mixing is now able to make some fine adjustments to the levels in the mix
05:16
since they are now free from hearing bleed from the main service meeting space.
05:21
By connecting multiple tablets or iPads to your FOH console via Wi-Fi,
05:25
you can create a whole virtual broadcast console.
05:29
In my example here with the TouchMix 30 Pro,
05:32
I will use the monitor outputs to hook up my studio monitors.
05:36
On my mixer, I need to verify that I am in cue mode. So, I will press the monitor button. Then select cue.
05:44
This fader here will control the volume level of your studio monitors.
05:48
When you’re finished, press close. Now, make sure the cue for your broadcast mix is lit green.
05:55
Ok. Let’s look at Option 3 for setting up a broadcast mix:
06:00
Running your broadcast mix from a DAW which stands for digital audio work station, on a computer,
06:08
Using Garage Band, Logic, Pro Tools or Reaper. There’s a bunch of them out there.
06:15
This is fast becoming a popular way to produce a broadcast mix.
06:20
Unlike mixing broadcast from the same FOH mixer, where channel EQs and dynamics are shared between the main mix and the broadcast mix,
06:29
mixing from a DAW gives you complete control over every aspect of the broadcast production.
06:36
It’s the equivalent of having a completely dedicated console just for your broadcast mix.
06:42
Many DAW’s are very affordable as well which is super helpful.
06:47
However, with such great flexibility and control comes complexity.
06:53
Not everyone has the chops to create their own great sounding session in their DAW.
06:58
So, there are companies that have created some really excellent DAW templates for church use in broadcast mixing.
07:05
One such company is called WorshipTech.live.
07:09
They’ve created some wonderful worship templates for Ableton, Audition, Cubase, GarageBand, Logic, Pro Tools, Reaper and Studio One.
07:20
I’m going to use their Logic template to demonstrate interfacing my mixer to my DAW.
07:25
Here is what the WorshipTech.live Logic broadcast template looks like.
07:30
The beautiful thing about these templates is, much of what I’ve already talked about as far as best practices for broadcast mixing,
07:37
are already built into this template.
07:40
All we have to do is connect our mixer channels to these DAW channels.
07:44
Most consumer digital consoles will hook up to the DAW via a simple USB connection like the one on the back of my TouchMix 30 Pro right here.
07:53
Pro level consoles will use an audio networking protocol like Dante.
07:57
Either way the concept of assigning the audio from the channels on your mixer to the channels in the DAW is similar.
08:04
The TouchMix 30 Pro has the capability to multi track record straight to a hard drive and connect to a DAW.
08:12
So, I need to set it up to connect to my DAW by pressing the Rec/Play button.
08:17
Then choose "Record mode", and then I will choose multi track DAW.
08:23
Now let’s set up the DAW.
08:26
We’re working in logic for this example.
08:29
Depending on which DAW you are using, some of the parameters and workflows may be slightly different, but the principles are all the same.
08:36
In Logic there are a few preferences we need to check on.
08:40
Up here in the upper left, click Logic Pro X, choose preferences, then choose audio.
08:48
Make sure the output and input device is the mixer that you’re using or a Dante Virtual Sound Card if you’re using that.
08:56
In my case it says QSC TM30 Pro and that’s correct.
09:02
FYI. Your Mac is core audio compatible. This means it will automatically see your audio interface when plugged in.
09:10
If you’re using a PC, you will need to download and install an ASIO driver first.
09:15
Ok, Next in our Logic set up, click General.
09:19
Right here where it says software monitoring we need to un-check “input monitoring for the focused track.”
09:27
Why? Well, we don’t want to monitor a single track.
09:30
We want to monitor our whole worship band mix.
09:33
Right here under Group, your DAW template will have one group called “Go Live.” Choose this option.
09:42
Now if you click one of these input monitoring buttons down here,
09:45
it will turn on all the DAW channels for input monitoring your entire mix.
09:51
Now, let’s assign our mixer channels to this DAW.
09:54
Channel 1 in our DAW is the kick drum. Channel 1 is also the kick on my mixer.
10:00
Right here where it says “input” is where I assign my mixer channels
10:06
and I can see that it is indeed assigned to channel 1.
10:09
Channel 2 is my snare top on both the DAW and the mixer, so that’s correct.
10:15
Channel 3 on my DAW is snare bottom. I don’t have a snare bottom mic on my mixer session,
10:22
so I’m just going to choose “no input” on this channel.
10:27
Any DAW channels that you are not using on this template,
10:30
you’ll want to make sure that you assign those as “no input.”
10:35
Channel 4 on my DAW is Hi-hat.
10:38
On my mixer, hi-hat is actually channel 3 so I will assign that to 3.
10:44
Let’s jump over to DAW channels 15 and 16 which are my stereo keyboard channels.
10:50
On my mixer those are actually channels 11 and 12,
10:54
so I will assign those to 11 and 12 in my DAW.
10:58
So you get the idea on how to assign the channels from your mixer to your DAW template.
11:03
You can find more information and view tutorials on the worshiptech.live DAW templates on their website.
11:11
Are there other ways to set up a broadcast mix? Absolutely, and you may want to explore those other options.
11:19
The option 3 that I’ve given you here is a great place to begin especially if your church is just starting out in broadcast mixing
11:27
or, you just want to explore options with resources you may already have.
11:34
Now, go outside your church walls and reach the world with your stellar broadcast stream.
Lesson Description
How to set up a mix for broadcasting: Part 2
11m 44s
In part 2 we go over three ways to operate your broadcast mix during the service.
Downloads and Links
How to set up a mix for broadcasting: Part 2
11m 44s