An open list of console feature requests

[Phil Graham]

Features I would use pretty much every time I was in front of a mix console that wasn't a cold, "one off" mix:

1. Delay panning: I've got a single guitar amp with one mic in front of it, and I'm supposed to make it "sound like the record," where it was double tracked, then reamped, and then all of that hard panned L and R. Give me the option to be able to place an input in both the L and R channels, and have the pan knob give me a range of delay (0 - 15ms would be enough).
2. Faux Double: Give me ability similar to number one, but retain the level panning position, and give me double of the channel with an adjustable delay time. Throw in a little chorus or other delay modulation to make it feel more like a real double. Use liberally on vocals, acoustic instruments etc.
3. Fader level remapping: Once a mix is up and running, with the compression doing its thing, I don't need 20dB fader rides. I need to be able to precisely and quickly make a 1-3dB fader ride. Give me a way to quickly change the range of a fader from "coarse" to "fine." A range of +5 to -10 would probably be enough, as long as the pulling the fader fully down still turned the channel volume to zero. Place fader in coarse mode, get basic mix, then press switch to fine, and the "coarse" level would become the new nominal zero. Fader would then snap to 0dB. Each channel would be hot switchable between modes by a single press.
4. Dynamic high pass / low pass: Allow me to set a high pass or low pass on a channel that would change its corner frequency in response to the level of the input. Both raising or lowering the frequency would be allowed, and there would be peak, envelope following, and RMS detector circuits.
5. Multiband expander: A pretty common studio tool, it would be helpful to have as a counterpart to a multiband compressor. As an example you could aggressively downward expand high frequency cymbal bleed on drums will only slightly downward expanding the body of the drum sound between hits. Upward expansion of parts of a reverb tail is also an effective tool for shaping ambience. You can also use side chain to key pieces of the mix to pop out as necessary.

 

[John Roberts]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

Features I would use pretty much every time I was in front of a mix console that wasn't a cold, "one off" mix:

1. Delay panning: I've got a single guitar amp with one mic in front of it, and I'm supposed to make it "sound like the record," where it was double tracked, then reamped, and then all of that hard panned L and R. Give me the option to be able to place an input in both the L and R channels, and have the pan knob give me a range of delay (0 - 15ms would be enough).
2. Faux Double: Give me ability similar to number one, but retain the level panning position, and give me double of the channel with an adjustable delay time. Throw in a little chorus or other delay modulation to make it feel more like a real double. Use liberally on vocals, acoustic instruments etc.
3. Fader level remapping: Once a mix is up and running, with the compression doing its thing, I don't need 20dB fader rides. I need to be able to precisely and quickly make a 1-3dB fader ride. Give me a way to quickly change the range of a fader from "coarse" to "fine." A range of +5 to -10 would probably be enough, as long as the pulling the fader fully down still turned the channel volume to zero. Place fader in coarse mode, get basic mix, then press switch to fine, and the "coarse" level would become the new nominal zero. Fader would then snap to 0dB. Each channel would be hot switchable between modes by a single press.
4. Dynamic high pass / low pass: Allow me to set a high pass or low pass on a channel that would change its corner frequency in response to the level of the input. Both raising or lowering the frequency would be allowed, and there would be peak, envelope following, and RMS detector circuits.
5. Multiband expander: A pretty common studio tool, it would be helpful to have as a counterpart to a multiband compressor. As an example you could aggressively downward expand high frequency cymbal bleed on drums will only slightly downward expanding the body of the drum sound between hits. Upward expansion of parts of a reverb tail is also an effective tool for shaping ambience. You can also use side chain to key pieces of the mix to pop out as necessary.

I have seen some convergence between studio and live consoles (on the high end, not in the value trenches), so actual studio plug-ins could be used live.

Everything you are asking for is within the capability of modern technology but executing an effective user interface will be a significant accomplishment.

I have been predicting this for years and maybe technology is finally catching up to my old crystal ball. As VR is becoming more mainstream imagine mixing a show with a virtual console control surface displayed in the air in front of you. Not as tactile as real knobs but you could literally facilitate thousands of controls without secret handshake layers to access. Just a few hand gestures (like in the Minority Report movie) to navigate around the virtual console.

The console itself could be completely soft, where you assemble all the features you want, where you want...into a personalized custom console, that since it's virtual you can call up from anywhere you are working.

Not here yet but finally getting closer.

JR

 

[Jack Arnott]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

I would combine the first two, for faux panning. I am sick and tired of going to concerts and only hearing half the band, or half the drum kit, or half the lead instruments. Last year I was row ten, four seats off center, and I got none of the cellist, and too much rhythm guitar. The show before that it was too much keys, and not enough guitar. Both shows the back up vocal favored the person on my side of the stage. It is ridiculous for the person mixing to be masturbating at the board, while only 5% of the audience can participate in his fantasy world.

 

[Jack Arnott]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

Features I would use pretty much every time I was in front of a mix console that wasn't a cold, "one off" mix:

1. Fader level remapping
   

Not sure how to feel about this one. In theory yes, but in practice?
I definitely have some problems adapting to digital boards. One has been my practice of always having a finger on the lead vocal fader.
More than once I have switched pages, and kept my finger on the fader, with mildly bad to disastrous results. I am so ingrained at how much I move the fader for the lead vocal, I wonder if I would adapt?

 

[Andrew Broughton]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

More than once I have switched pages, and kept my finger on the fader, with mildly bad to disastrous results.

Which console was that? The Yamahas will force move the fader and cannot be moved manually until it reaches it's stored position. On DiGiCo it's an option to have it work that way or to change values if you're touching the fader. I always disable that 2nd option on the DiGiCo so it works like the Yamaha, as it's a recipe for disaster, as you say.

 

[Phil Graham]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

Not sure how to feel about this one. In theory yes, but in practice?
I definitely have some problems adapting to digital boards. One has been my practice of always having a finger on the lead vocal fader.
More than once I have switched pages, and kept my finger on the fader, with mildly bad to disastrous results. I am so ingrained at how much I move the fader for the lead vocal, I wonder if I would adapt?

Fader locking to a specific layer on the board would be a totally separate concern from what I am proposing. By changing what amounts to the taper rule on the fader, you could smoothly implement small movements, like riding the main vocals, over 80% of the range of the fader, rather than hoping you didn't drink too much caffeine before trying to execute fine movements in the -5dB to +5dB fader range.

And by making it fader specific, inputs that require large fader moves could be left in coarse mode, while things requiring finesse would be set for "fine" during the show.

 

[Jack Arnott]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

Fader locking to a specific layer on the board would be a totally separate concern from what I am proposing. By changing what amounts to the taper rule on the fader, you could smoothly implement small movements, like riding the main vocals, over 80% of the range of the fader, rather than hoping you didn't drink too much caffeine before trying to execute fine movements in the -5dB to +5dB fader range.

And by making it fader specific, inputs that require large fader moves could be left in coarse mode, while things requiring finesse would be set for "fine" during the show.

I got that. I just have been using 100MM faders for so many decades I don't know if I could adapt to a finer mode.

 

[John Chiara]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

Fader locking to a specific layer on the board would be a totally separate concern from what I am proposing. By changing what amounts to the taper rule on the fader, you could smoothly implement small movements, like riding the main vocals, over 80% of the range of the fader, rather than hoping you didn't drink too much caffeine before trying to execute fine movements in the -5dB to +5dB fader range.

And by making it fader specific, inputs that require large fader moves could be left in coarse mode, while things requiring finesse would be set for "fine" during the show.

That's why we have DCA's. Dedicated faders that stay no matter what layer your faders are on.

 

[mackerr]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

That's why we have DCA's. Dedicated faders that stay no matter what layer your faders are on.

Only if you don't change that layer. Even the PM5D has layers on the DCA faders. Every console I use has the DCAs in a position that has layers. It's just another decision you have to make.

Mac

 

[Phil Graham]

Re: An open list of console feature requests

That's why we have DCA's. Dedicated faders that stay no matter what layer your faders are on.

John,

That's not the nature of the feature I'm discussing. I'm agnostic on where or how you keep critical faders viewable.

The feature I am suggesting gives an easy path to changing the fader taper profile to facilitate smooth moves in small dB amounts that reflect the real changes in a mix once you've got the various dynamics processing in play.