GLD80 Discussion

Re: emergency mutes

Since mute groups on the GLD are via DCAs, I wonder (and will investigate when I can) if I could use a DCA that isn't actually assigned a fader but set a UDK (or what the GLD calls em) to mute it?

I suspect I may need to put in on the surface to assign all the inputs to it. Perhaps I can remove it then?


Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Rob Spence said:
Re: emergency mutes

Since mute groups on the GLD are via DCAs, I wonder (and will investigate when I can) if I could use a DCA that isn't actually assigned a fader but set a UDK (or what the GLD calls em) to mute it?

I suspect I may need to put in on the surface to assign all the inputs to it. Perhaps I can remove it then?
Click to expand...
Yes, that will work. Strictly speaking, you could even assign each input to the DCA from the "routing" tab on each input channel menu but it's much quicker to pull the DCA up on-screen and do it there.

If you're ever using a DCA for a mute group, make sure to select the option to keep the fader held to 0 dB. If you don't, and the fader is left down, it will still be down when you unassign the DCA from the surface... and then you'll be wondering why none of the channels in that mute group are passing audio to your post-fade sends.
 
Jeff Carter said:
Yes, that will work. Strictly speaking, you could even assign each input to the DCA from the "routing" tab on each input channel menu but it's much quicker to pull the DCA up on-screen and do it there.

If you're ever using a DCA for a mute group, make sure to select the option to keep the fader held to 0 dB. If you don't, and the fader is left down, it will still be down when you unassign the DCA from the surface... and then you'll be wondering why none of the channels in that mute group are passing audio to your post-fade sends.
Click to expand...

I tried it and it works. I found the 0dB button. I put DCA16 on the surface, assigned all the stage box inputs to it, and assigned the soft key 8 to mute it. I then removed it from the surface and it still worked.

I had the desk out for the first time tonight (I chickened out on using it on a festival last week - I figured that the fast and furious pace was not the right time. Also, the possible weather). It was easier to get around on than I anticipated which was a relief. I got compliments on the sound and was pleased to fall over neat things I would discover.

I struggled with FX mostly because of the room and mix position I suspect. I couldn't tell if I had enough or too much verb on the vocals and sax. I made a custom meter screen and could see signal on the sends and returns.

I liked the GEQ on faders (I used it for the wedges). The scribble strips made it easy.

The remote on the iPad is no way near as responsive as Stagemix. They need to work on that.

I set the scribble strip color to black for all the channels I wasn't using. That made it much easier.

I used the USB to play a test tune after power up of the rig before enabling any other inputs. During the band break I could solo (pafl?) the USB and listen to tunes on the cans.

Anyway, a most enjoyable first outing.


Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Hi, new to this forum.

Just got a GLD80, first time on a digital board. Can someone explain the difference between DCA groups and Mute Groups. I don't get it...

I'm learning by pulling up the first template, Template1 LR. It has 6 DCAs and 2 Groups, along with 6 Aux and 4 Matrix. Again, what is the purpose of the Matrix?

I know most people say the learning curve isn't too bad for digital boards, but it seems kind of steep at least in the beginning.
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Ryan Schultz said:
Hi, new to this forum.

Just got a GLD80, first time on a digital board. Can someone explain the difference between DCA groups and Mute Groups. I don't get it...

I'm learning by pulling up the first template, Template1 LR. It has 6 DCAs and 2 Groups, along with 6 Aux and 4 Matrix. Again, what is the purpose of the Matrix?

I know most people say the learning curve isn't too bad for digital boards, but it seems kind of steep at least in the beginning.
Click to expand...

This isn't a learning curve for digital boards. This is a learning curve for mixing in general. DCAs are the same as what used to be VCAs. They basically act as a volume control for whatever is assigned to them. Mute groups mute whatever channels are assigned to them when engaged.

A Matrix is a mixer for your subgroups/busses. They vary depending on the board and routing… RTFM- it should be in there. I don't use them much so I couldn't explain it too well.
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Ryan Schultz said:
Hi, new to this forum.

Just got a GLD80, first time on a digital board. Can someone explain the difference between DCA groups and Mute Groups. I don't get it...

I'm learning by pulling up the first template, Template1 LR. It has 6 DCAs and 2 Groups, along with 6 Aux and 4 Matrix. Again, what is the purpose of the Matrix?

I know most people say the learning curve isn't too bad for digital boards, but it seems kind of steep at least in the beginning.
Click to expand...

Hi Ryan - welcome to the forum. Generally speaking, a VCA/DCA is like a remote control hand that turns the channel faders for channels assigned to the VCA/DCA up or down. The difference between a VCA/DCA and a subgroup is that a VCA/DCA will also control post-fade sends, which is a benefit in some situations. Conversely, audio doesn't flow through a VCA/DCA, so if you want to do things like group equalization or dynamics processing, you need to use a group.

Specifically as implemented on the GLD, there is no such thing as a mute group - that function is implemented by DCAs. If you wish to disable the volume adjustment function and use a DCA simply to mute a group of channels, there is a function called I believe "set fader to 0" which locks the fader so that volume control is disabled.

As Max indicated, matrices are basically a mixer where the input channels are busses. An application example would be front fills, where you may want to send your group (would need to be a group and not a DCA in this scenario) of vocals to the fills, but not drums or guitars, due to there already being too much stage volume.

I generally agree with Max that learning how to mix on a digital board is roughly the same amount of work as learning to mix on an analog board. It's the difference between taking high school French and high school Spanish. Once you learn it though, you'll never go back to an analog board - particularly since you're using one of the most flexible, feature-packed boards out there. :)

Edit: One more clarification - there are actually 3 different functions that you may be confusing:
- Mute group - on an analog board, this is a button that will mute all channels assigned to that mute group. As mentioned above, the GLD does not have a direct replacement for this function.
- Sub group - on an analog board, this is an intermediate grouping of the audio of channels assigned, for purposes of processing a group of things similarly - EQ, compression, etc. Audio flows through this. Changes to the sub group fader will affect the main channel output, however turning down the group fader or muting the sub group have no effect on post-fade auxes.
- DCA - on an analog board this is called a VCA. As described above, the DCA actually acts as a remote control for the faders of the assigned channels, and does affect post-fade auxes. On the GLD, this function replaces Mute Groups.
 
Last edited:
Re: GLD80 Discussion

TJ Cornish said:
Specifically as implemented on the GLD, there is no such thing as a mute group - that function is implemented by DCAs. If you wish to disable the volume adjustment function and use a DCA simply to mute a group of channels, there is a function called I believe "set fader to 0" which locks the fader so that volume control is disabled.
Click to expand...

And if all you want to do with a DCA is use it for a mute group, it doesn't even need to be assigned to a fader slot--you can assign it to a softkey to mute/unmute.
 
Last edited:
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Jeff Carter said:
And if all you want to do with a DCA is use it for a mute group, it doesn't even need to be assigned to a fader slot--you can assign it to a softkey to mute/unmute.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I use DCA 15-16 for some mutes. I assigned all my band channels to 16 and all my monitor aux masters to 15. Assigned them to soft keys then removed the fader from the layers. Push the soft key for 16 and the band is muted without the MC or playback being affected. The key for 15 kills the monitors.


Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Yep, everything works as normal but you have some more options. I liked the multiband compressor on a keyboard playing organ sounds. When she leans in with the left hand the lower midrange can get a bit much, but cutting it makes it too thin the rest of the time. The compressor kept the level of low mid more consistent so that there wasn't too much sometimes and not enough at other times.

This is copy-and-pasted from what I said on the A&H forums.

Used it tonight. The “Keys help” multiband comp preset does do a good job on keyboards, who’d have thought? =D
I had a mini crash though. I plugged in one of those flash drives that slides out from the front and the sliding mechanism caused it to be inserted and then immediately removed. For a couple of seconds after that the screen buttons were unresponsive, then they caught up and the screen flashed through all the things I’d pressed. My fault though, and not that bad an issue.

Chris
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Chris Nixon said:
Yep, everything works as normal but you have some more options. I liked the multiband compressor on a keyboard playing organ sounds. When she leans in with the left hand the lower midrange can get a bit much, but cutting it makes it too thin the rest of the time. The compressor kept the level of low mid more consistent so that there wasn't too much sometimes and not enough at other times.

This is copy-and-pasted from what I said on the A&H forums.

Used it tonight. The “Keys help” multiband comp preset does do a good job on keyboards, who’d have thought? =D
I had a mini crash though. I plugged in one of those flash drives that slides out from the front and the sliding mechanism caused it to be inserted and then immediately removed. For a couple of seconds after that the screen buttons were unresponsive, then they caught up and the screen flashed through all the things I’d pressed. My fault though, and not that bad an issue.

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks. The upgrade went well. Out for show tonight with 1.4.

Any other examples of using the new bits?



Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Rob Spence said:
Thanks. The upgrade went well. Out for show tonight with 1.4.

Any other examples of using the new bits?
Click to expand...

We used 1.4 this morning at church without any issue. I wasn't mixing today so I can't say for sure if today's FOH tech used any 1.4-specific bits or not. He walks the room a lot with his iPad and was pretty happy with the UI tweaks on the iPad app.

I am looking forward to trying dynamic EQ on a vocal bus just to bring the 2-5 kHz down a dB or two at high volume--not sure if it's our mics, PA, or just my hearing but we have a few vocals who get a little ice-pick-ish to my ears during the louder stuff.

Oh, and I am REALLY looking forward to some steeper HPF options...
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

I just encountered what seems to be a bug.

I am running V1.4 everywhere.

I want to insert a compressor at FOH mix position to use as a ducker. I have a AR84 at FOH as the local expander. I have the AR2412 on the stage.

On the GLD80
I configured a stereo group
I set an insert on it from the local expander (AR84)
Output to the first (leftmost) pair on the ar84 - ch17/18
Input from the last pair (rightmost) ch39/40

I do an Apply and it sets to inputs & outputs on the Dsnake AR2412
It will not let me configure a group insert from either the surface or the local expander.

This is a major problem for me given there is no built in ducker. This is a show stopper for me on one of my most high profile gigs each year.





Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

Update:
I have verified that inserts can be done from the D-snake, the AR2412 but not from the surface I/o or the local AR84.

I suspect that it also works from anAR84 expander plugged into the AR2412 as if I try and set the output to ch17/18 (which is the local AR84) it changes to 15/16 when I APPLY it.

I have opened a ticket with A&H.


Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: GLD80 Discussion

I got a reply from A&H

They said the patching actually happens even though the display doesn't show it.
They said to look at the I/O page to verify. A fix for the UI is in the next update.

I followed their directions (as I understood them) and could not get it to work.
I sent a reply back to tech support.

They said the ports to be inserted had to be "available" so I was careful to set them to unassigned in the I/O page first.

More when I learn more.

Sent from my iPad HD
 
Top Bottom