Mixers/Consoles Microphone Mixer Label
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jkowtko
Well-Known Member
I'm sure there will be some differing opinions, but IMHO the best way to mix a musical is by line-by-line fading.
Run a piece of console tape across the bottom of the fader bank, and label each fader clearly with its number.
Then, for every line of dialog or singing in the script, note in the margin the number(s) of the faders for the actors who will be speaking or singing that line.
Then, when you run the show, read the script. You generally well spend much more time watching the script than the show.
Run a piece of console tape across the bottom of the fader bank, and label each fader clearly with its number.
Then, for every line of dialog or singing in the script, note in the margin the number(s) of the faders for the actors who will be speaking or singing that line.
Then, when you run the show, read the script. You generally well spend much more time watching the script than the show.
Max Warasila
Member
I run my console with leads closer to the center, excess mikage to the edges of the surface. I mark my surface with console tape (actually, I prefer to use fluorescent spike tape for better visibility, especially under blue run lights), with the number and character name. Actors change more often than the roles in musical theater.
sdauditorium
Active Member
I go the opposite; I keep leads to the left, those with lesser lines in the middle and "sporadic" lines on the right. We have the LS9, so I'll program scenes with major changes (start/end of scenes and other large changes mid-scene as needed). That gives me a good starting point, and I'll ride the faders - especially when it comes to musical numbers. I'll label the board tape with character names as that's easy to reference with the script for me.
themuzicman
Well-Known Member
I mark my console tape with character names and body pack number (body packs are labeled the same) because 1) it is already in the script that way (character name) and 2) I know what they look like in character.
I also tend to put my main characters towards the right and lesser characters fall off the left side. If I'm mixing digital I program scenes, but even still I typically mix using 'mute' instead of pulling a fader all the way down. (I do this because I try to mix at unity and that's a long fade!)
As someone else mentioned I also mix line by line, paying much more attention to the script than the performance. That said after a few runs I normally have the show memorized and can mix while watching the show and just periodically checking the script.
I also tend to put my main characters towards the right and lesser characters fall off the left side. If I'm mixing digital I program scenes, but even still I typically mix using 'mute' instead of pulling a fader all the way down. (I do this because I try to mix at unity and that's a long fade!)
As someone else mentioned I also mix line by line, paying much more attention to the script than the performance. That said after a few runs I normally have the show memorized and can mix while watching the show and just periodically checking the script.
Moose Hatrack
Active Member
My "console" is an Audia 12x4 that is controlled by RS232 from a VB6 app, so I watch the script and press F5 for each passing cue. The RS232 string mutes and opens channels as required for each cue. I keep the level at unity and use the audia compressors and EQ to make it sound perty. Lights are controlled from the same app, and so are sound files. I get a lot of mileage out of each F5 press. The script is simply marked with a "GO" at each dialog cue. I put a little more detail in writing if it's a visual... "On Aunt Bo's UR entry GO". Of course there's always "On SM cue GO" at the beginning of most scenes. A series of light and sound cues often go by on a single F5 press...
Start Playback: Overture wave file
wait X milliseconds
Fade house 1/2 (at an appropriate spot in the overture)
wait x milliseconds
fade house to zero (at another sweet spot in the overture)
wait x milliseconds
flash 100 watt lamp back stage for ASM to open curtain (timed to happen house arrives at zero)
wait x milliseconds
Lights up (Timed to the end of the overture)
Malcolm mic unmute
Shaler mic unmute
Makes us look and sound much bigger than we really are.
Start Playback: Overture wave file
wait X milliseconds
Fade house 1/2 (at an appropriate spot in the overture)
wait x milliseconds
fade house to zero (at another sweet spot in the overture)
wait x milliseconds
flash 100 watt lamp back stage for ASM to open curtain (timed to happen house arrives at zero)
wait x milliseconds
Lights up (Timed to the end of the overture)
Malcolm mic unmute
Shaler mic unmute
Makes us look and sound much bigger than we really are.
Ric
Active Member
I find a mic plot & following the script is the only way to do this.
Names on a fader are fine, until you have mic swaps, which often happend in a school/community musical.
Numbering the mic, and having it as the corresponding fader on your desk is an easy way to keep track of whats happening.
I usually go across the desk 1-16, ( more faders / other pages if you have a digital desk).
If your desk is digital then you can use scene store & recall to mute & fade in mics.
For a major scene change I have a global mic mute that I turn on, then recall my mic scene with mics on/off, and un-mute the group when the scene is ready to start. This saves having to turn on/off multiple mics at once.
attached is an example mic plot to use & edit.
Names on a fader are fine, until you have mic swaps, which often happend in a school/community musical.
Numbering the mic, and having it as the corresponding fader on your desk is an easy way to keep track of whats happening.
I usually go across the desk 1-16, ( more faders / other pages if you have a digital desk).
If your desk is digital then you can use scene store & recall to mute & fade in mics.
For a major scene change I have a global mic mute that I turn on, then recall my mic scene with mics on/off, and un-mute the group when the scene is ready to start. This saves having to turn on/off multiple mics at once.
attached is an example mic plot to use & edit.
Max Warasila
Member
I mix on a bigger analog board. I tend to put the more important things towards the center section simply because they are easier to find. It really depends, though. Sometimes, I mix the other way around, when the edges of the console are where I rest my hands.
I'm a religious muter because of cross talk, which increases when you bring a fader down on some consoles. Just a fact of life.
I'm a religious muter because of cross talk, which increases when you bring a fader down on some consoles. Just a fact of life.
Dionysus
Well-Known Member
I typically label the console on the top of the strips with the pack/mic number, then at the bottom with character name(s). Then this depends a lot on number of inputs and what console I am using. I also typically put principles where I can grab them easier and the rest a little further off (depends on console a lot).
I generally do the bulk of the actual mixing with VCAs/DCAs/Groups depending on the console. Often grouping Males together and Females together, or other such depending on the show.
Playback I always put in the least accessible far side of the console since I never need to adjust it (typically). If there is a live band reinforced those channels will be together one side or the other depending on the console. I learnt to mix musicals on a Midas Legend so band typically to the right (other side of masters), vocals in the centre, and playback furthest left with effects. Cues would Mute/Unmute and assign VCAs depending on the scene requirements and most of the mixing done with the VCAs to eliminate "flailing".
IE You should lay out your console depending on the console you are using and what inputs you have and how you will have to mix them. Mixing style and personal preference also applies.
With Digital you might want to put the stuff you won't need to adjust on another page (again depending on the console) and keep the stuff you need to constantly adjust where you can get at it "soonest".
And yes I like to mark all my usual moves in my script.
I generally do the bulk of the actual mixing with VCAs/DCAs/Groups depending on the console. Often grouping Males together and Females together, or other such depending on the show.
Playback I always put in the least accessible far side of the console since I never need to adjust it (typically). If there is a live band reinforced those channels will be together one side or the other depending on the console. I learnt to mix musicals on a Midas Legend so band typically to the right (other side of masters), vocals in the centre, and playback furthest left with effects. Cues would Mute/Unmute and assign VCAs depending on the scene requirements and most of the mixing done with the VCAs to eliminate "flailing".
IE You should lay out your console depending on the console you are using and what inputs you have and how you will have to mix them. Mixing style and personal preference also applies.
With Digital you might want to put the stuff you won't need to adjust on another page (again depending on the console) and keep the stuff you need to constantly adjust where you can get at it "soonest".
And yes I like to mark all my usual moves in my script.
Silicon_Knight
Active Member
I am still relatively new to musical theater mixing, and I was very excited to see that my home brewed mic plot that I've slowly (and painfully) developed over the last few years looks a lot like the example posted by Ric. I'm posting mine only as an additional example for the OP as to how this might be done (and because my labels for my mixer essentially directly match the first few rows of this spreadsheet). We are also very constrained on the number/types of mics/transmitters that are available, so I've left the first page of my plot which is where I combed through the script line by line to determine who is speaking when, how many mics will be required in which scenes and when mics should be handed off (yes...we have to handoff mics mid-scene in some of our shows).
To directly address the OP's question, I label the mixer with fader# and Character name (s) (on both my portable analog console when we're on tour, and the digital console when we're "at home").
jkowtko
Well-Known Member
Silicon Knight, your mic plots look good to me. As far as I can tell there is no magic to this -- just good distribution of pac usage. You will probably also find yourself at times not giving an actor a mic and having them speak strategically towards a neighbor on stage ... you can pick up a lot that way.
My only other suggestion is to number those lines in the script. It's a lot harder for the sound op to remember where Frank, Betty and Doris are on the board, than it is to remember where 3, 4, and 12 are. The sound op will quickly associate the numbers with the character names ... but it's a lot easier on the learning curve when you are following the script with fader numbers written on it.
It's also a lot easier to leave notations on the script by using number rather than names. For example, noting in the bottom right corner which faders are going up as soon as you turn the page.
-- John
My only other suggestion is to number those lines in the script. It's a lot harder for the sound op to remember where Frank, Betty and Doris are on the board, than it is to remember where 3, 4, and 12 are. The sound op will quickly associate the numbers with the character names ... but it's a lot easier on the learning curve when you are following the script with fader numbers written on it.
It's also a lot easier to leave notations on the script by using number rather than names. For example, noting in the bottom right corner which faders are going up as soon as you turn the page.
-- John
Silicon_Knight
Active Member
I haven't tried this yet...though it could be politically challenging with the director/MD, I'm willing to give it a shot (especially for the parts where the actor only has one line).
I just started labeling scripts with the fader number this year...it does make running the board so much easier (often, I'm the mixer operator as well). The only hassle I find is when we do a "fruit basket upset" with the mic plot after I've gotten it all setup and labeled everywhere (on the mic packs/headset boxes, on the mixer, in the script, etc.)...and someone wants to inject a change such as an actor needing a different type of mic, the splitting of a part, the injection of another random character (e.g. "Man 1"). Maybe I'm creating my mic plot too soon...
Dionysus
Well-Known Member
Perhaps so, but perhaps they are making changes too late? Generally I don't bother with the mic plot until shortly before tech week, I find that changes are bound to happen (and it doesn't take that long to do, especially after watching a rehearsal). Then again it does depend. You should have a 'rough' plan of course much earlier (or else how do you know how many mics etc you need?) However this does not need to polished and finished.
It all depends lol
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