Control Surface Mixing Techniques

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benlindell

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Messages
631
Location
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I've always been a draw the automation with a mouse kind of guy and every time I've tried using a control surface for mixing I feel like I spend longer tweaking the hundreds of automation points it makes for every small move rather than just drawing in 3 or 4 points to bring something out.

Just wanted to start a discussion between everyone about ways to use control surfaces that make life easier.
 
Interested in technique here too.

I use a MCU/Extender @ home and D-Control at work. I really like the D-Control. It has lots of knobs for send levels which is very convenient. Center section is also very useful for EQ/DYN control of the selected channel. MCU not so much but I do use the faders quite extensively as I tweak the mix into place..

Using faders is great on either system. I really like mixing that way over too much mousing around but also find that any automation fine tuning works best for me by drawing on the screen.

D-Control is much higher quality. For the home system I would probably go with a euphonix controller when it's time to replace what I have.

Too many steps involved for plugin control in PT on the MCU for me. Any shortcuts are welcome!

Cheers,
jb
 
I've always been really OCD about the little capture points myself, so I just ignore them now...  if it sounded good when I did it, then don't look back!!! I could spend all day programming automation by mouse, but that's not why I got a control surface now, is it?
 
I tend to agree with automation, often it's just easier to draw in the points (I have a Mackie control). But for getting the overall vibe and levels of the mix happening I find the control to be way easier to set levels with the faders as opposed to a mouse.
 
In Pro Tools, you can change the automation thinning settings if you're getting too many individual points. Also, I like to hold the fader I am adjusting with the tip of my index finger on top, and thumb on bottom, so that there is better fine control from the get-go, less overshoot.
 
I find that because it is a daw and control surface I am more likely to want to correct/edit that automation move I did on the surface. This is because I can see the automation with the audio waveform. on a console with say flying faders, I just go with it. As for techniques, I really don't do anything different then normal other then correct it....
 
riggler said:
In Pro Tools, you can change the automation thinning settings if you're getting too many individual points.

I didn't realize you could adjust this. Interesting.

As others have stated I also use the faders for general balance/panning/solo/mute and leave the automation to my mouse. I've had mixes that would always stop in the same place due to errors and I finally figured out it was the 40 points of automation nodes that were overloading the cpu.
 
Personally like touch mode and punch to start / end.

Being able to move the fader and get settled into a level for the vocal etc and then hit punch to start/end/next node and write the current fader value to the point when I touched it is ace.

Great for getting sectional changes in. Things like syllables in words etc I usually do before channel compression etc... including breaths or esses. So Tools 10 clip gain makes that faster for me but would draw them if need to post compression.

Sectional rides, near the end with automation fills etc and then dump all faders to trim and deal with the hot/cold spots works great. Kinda like an SSL.

Pro Tools for the win here. Really like our C24 or the D-Command. Can do most of this on my Tango too. Just not quite as well in PT.

-T
 
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