Hi PJs,
For multiple channel assignment:
On the DL32R you simply click on the patch button at top.
By default, input-1 is patched to channel-1.
Slide across to channel-17 and click and the white ball shows that it too is now sourced from input-1.
I usually repeat for channels 18~32. This essentially gives a 16 channel monitor mixer, and a 16 channel house mixer, with only the gain shared.
Plus, you can still assign other inputs, for instance inputs-18&19, to the Return channels and have stereo playback.
And Input-20 to another Return channel for Talkback, or whatever.
The DL32R can mix 36 channels at once, so if a band needs 24 channels, you could only double assign 12 channels.
On the DL1608 XLR-Y cables can be handy for double-patching a few critical channels.
For the Fiddle:
Ask the musician if they have any particular settings they like.
For instance, one good local Fiddler has an instrument with a 'wolf-tone' that just loves to jump out around 500Hz. So a -3 or -4db filter goes there.
Start with a HPF at 85Hz, high shelving filter at 10KHz, -3db.
A) Are they using a cardioid mic clipped over the instrument? Try rolling off more low end with the HPF, in particular in the monitors.
And you may need a cut around 200~250 if the low end is too growly.
These are also good starting points for a stand mic over the instrument.
B) Omni mic on instrument? You may want a 2db boost around 200~250 for a little growl.
C) Often Fiddlers will say roll off their high end, when in fact it is the E around 1300Hz that is an issue, or the harmonic above there at 2600, or both. This may be a fairly narrow notch filter, or there may be several notes around there that are more prominent than wanted, particularly around 2500~3000, so make that filter fairly broad, with a Q of maybe 1.5.
Sometimes the issue is a G or A or other note.
D) About 95% of the pickups I have heard on Fiddles sounded, well, electric. This may be the sound they are going for.
Pretty common with Louisiana Fiddlers. Just roll with it, you might actually like it.
Some electronic Fiddles sound like Dog droppings, others sound ok.
Play around with the high shelving filter. On a screechy Fiddle/mic combination sometimes it will end up as low as 4000Hz with a 6db cut, or 6000Hz with a 9db cut. But don't kill the high end!
If one person comes up and says I can't hear the Fiddle, followed by someone coming up and saying the Fiddle is too loud, what is usually going on is there are one or two notes that are too loud. If you mix for that note, the Fiddle might not really be heard well in the hall, yet that note is still too much.
Some folks will try to compress this to fix, but this doesn't really work, unless they are using multi-band compression.
Fix EQ issues with all that glorious EQ on the mixer.
Parting note on EQ:
Every time you add an EQ filter, you change the phase response of the signal a bit.
Generally this isn't an issue, but try to use as little EQ as possible.
Well-placed narrow notches often don't need to be very deep to be effective.
A good Fiddler on a decent instrument can sound great on an SM57.
On-board mics allow for more freedom of movement.
I use whatever musicians are carrying, AT ATM35, ATM350, AKG C419, Sennheiser MKE Gold, DPA 4061, 4099, etc.
I have several of the Bartlett mics, including two Fiddle mics.
http://www.bartlettaudio.com/ One more note:
If a Fiddler has a preamp/EQ processing box, start with the channel EQ flat.
Before making changes at the mixer, say to the musician, I see you have that boost around 250Hz. It makes your Fiddle kinda boomy in this hall, do you want it to sound like that?
What you don't want to do is cut where they have boosts or boost where they have cuts.
Work together to make them sound their best!
For more than a decade I have been providing audio for the Swannanoa Gathering, where I get to work with some of the top folk musicians in the world.
swangathering.com
Can you see why a general Fiddle preset is kindof impossible?
Listen, make it sound good, and you are golden.
Hope that helps, Weogo
