That is interesting because almost all the designers I work with have
channel 1 as DSL.
Also, I think that this thread needs clarification as many are confused, and I think that the OP is as well.
The common usage definition of a 1-to-1 patch is as follows:
Channel 1 controls
dimmer 1,
channel 2 controls
dimmer 2,
etc. This is also known on some consoles as "Default Patch."
Since most newer installs have
dimmer per
circuit systems, the lack of a hard
patch panel has made softpatching infinitely more important. Even on touring shows that carry their own dimmers and can choose which instruments go into which dimmers sometimes you still need to
softpatch as there are many reasons why you may not be able to
plug units into dimmers in a logical order or you may not have your racks addressed where you want the fixtures to have channels.
It should also be noted that there has been discussion of only having one
dimmer patched into each
channel. This is often something that is relatively impossible. Consider some of the following situations. A designer wants to have a pair of 2kW fresnels on the same
channel, all you have are 2.4kW dimmers, so you can't put them both oh the same
dimmer, so you have to
softpatch the two dimmers into the same
channel. Or, the LD wants two lights on booms opposite sides of the
stage to be on the same
channel, what do you do, run cable across the
stage to
twofer them, or just
plug them into different dimmers and patch them together?
In terms of boards that have as many handles as dimmers. In the land of memory consoles, say the
ETC Express, you can still
softpatch and have a handle for every
channel. Just think, you can have faders 1-5 be the frontlights for the 5
downstage areas even if those units are not connected to dimmers 1-5. Doesn't that make more sense than looking for channels 8, 12, 15, 16, and 20 to bring up those 5 lights?
I think that once again (as in the thread about the death of
Express) we are seeing a real resistance to change. I am not saying that anyone need change what they are doing, if you have a
system that works for you, fine. Just realize that unless you are running some old analog
system you have the ability on all of today's modern consoles, to
lay your channels out in a logical order. You can have all the channels for every
system you use sit next to eachother, be it on the
screen or on physical faders.