User manual

153
The Mixer
About the Input Gain control
Each audio-related channel and input/output channel fea-
tures an Input Gain knob. It controls the gain for the in-
coming signal, before EQ and effects.
The Input Gain knob is not meant to be used as a volume
control in the Mixer, as it is not suited for continuous level
adjustments during playback. However, it can be used to
cut or boost the gain. This is useful in the following cir
-
cumstances:
• To change the level of a signal before the effects sec-
tion.
The level going into certain effects can change the way the signal is af-
fected. A compressor, for example, can be “driven” harder by raising the
input gain.
• To boost the level of poorly recorded signals.
To change the input gain value, you need to press [Shift]
before you can adjust the control (that way accidental gain
changes are avoided). If you press [Alt]/[Option], you can
adjust the Input Gain using a fader. Alternatively, you can
directly enter a new value in the value field.
About the Input Phase control
Each audio-related channel and input/output channel has
an Input Phase button (to the left of the Input Gain con-
trol). When this button is activated, the phase polarity is
inverted for the signal. Use this to correct for balanced
lines and mics that are wired backwards, or mics that are
“out of phase” due to their positioning.
• Phase polarity is important when mixing together two
similar signals.
If the signals are “out of phase” with respect to one another, there will be
some cancellation in the resulting audio, producing a hollow sound with
less low-frequency content.
Level meters for MIDI channels
The level meters for MIDI channels do not show actual vol-
ume levels. Instead, they indicate the velocity values of the
notes played back on MIDI tracks.
MIDI tracks set to the same MIDI channel and output
If you have several MIDI tracks set to the same MIDI chan-
nel (and routed to the same MIDI output), making volume
and pan settings for one of these MIDI tracks/Mixer chan
-
nels also affects all other Mixer channels set to the same
MIDI channel/output combination.
Using Solo and Mute
You can use the Mute and Solo buttons to silence one or
several channels.
The following applies:
• The Mute button silences the selected channel.
Clicking the Mute button again unmutes the channel. Several channels
can be muted simultaneously. Muting group channels can have two dif
-
ferent results depending on how the Preferences are set (see “Settings
for group channels” on page 165).
A muted channel
in the Mixer.
A lit Global Mute icon on the com-
mon panel shows that one or more
channels are muted.