Channel Labeling

[Eboy87]

I was having a discussion with someone about this when he remarked on how I marked up the console. Where do you put the label tape on your boards? This is of course discounting digital with scribble strips.

 

[HillJonathan]

It all depends on what console I'm using on where there is space and the few times it comes from the shop pre labeled.

 

[len]

I voted below, but realized that I put the label based on where there is room to apply board tape. In most cases, it's actually above, but I have some boards that it's below.

 

[hsaunier]

If board design allows, I go above so my hands don't cover anything up.

 

[metti]

For small shows I put it below since I find it awkward to hold my hand so that I can write over the faders. On big shows I put tape above and below and put les important stuff above and the leads and other important stuff in red ink on the tape below. I also need all the tape space I can get since I am usually mixing with a digital board with two layers.

 

[MisterTim]

Above if I have the space, which I usually don't. My main board in the theater is a tt24, so I have space for lots of tape above and below.

 

[philhaney]

I voted below, as we have an Allen & Heath GL3300. The board has no room above, and comes with a laminate strip below the faders for grease pencil or white board marker labeling. Not wanting the residue of either anywhere near the faders, we covered the strip with board tape.

 

[GreyWyvern]

I voted below, as we have an Allen & Heath GL3300. The board has no room above, and comes with a laminate strip below the faders for grease pencil or white board marker labeling. Not wanting the residue of either anywhere near the faders, we covered the strip with board tape.

Same here.

 

[Morpheus]

voted below, but i've been know to label every inch of a board in the recording studio.....

 

[HSSBO94]

I keep mine below and that's how I voted, but also if its for a show I make a list of the more important faders and list them on a piece of paper next to the board in my line of sight towards the stage.

also, once i put really small pieces of spike tape on the faders and used a color coded system.

 

[Cameron]

Above, especially with VCAs. My wrists are usually are in the way of below-the-fader labels. And with a script-dolly those few degrees of head tilt, can mean a made pick-up or a drop.

 

[MarshallPope]

Like several people have said, it depends on the board. For example, my school's Soundcraft has a space for tape above the faders. My church's Mackie has space below.Do I prefer one to the other? Not particularly. I suppose above-the-faders is easier to read when your hands are riding the faders, but it is not awkward to me to have to look below.

 

[masterelectrician2112]

Is there an after-market solution for having temporary labeling without using tape or labels?

 

[sdauditorium]

Our Mackie mixer really only has room below the faders, so we use the standard board tape right below to label.

 

[GreyWyvern]

Is there an after-market solution for having temporary labeling without using tape or labels?

I have used pre-made printed magnets before. Works great if there is enough metal space for them. Haven't seen them for a long time and wouldn't know where to get them, but that is what google is for.

 

[NickVon]

If board design allows, I go above so my hands don't cover anything up.

This, thought with our new LS9, I have seome secondary lables below as well.

 

[hsaunier]

Another fader trick I use. Pull the odd color (often red) fader knob from the master fader and place it on the critical (star vocal i.e.) channel. Only have to look for the odd color knob that way.

 

[3dB]

I have used pre-made printed magnets before. Works great if there is enough metal space for them. Haven't seen them for a long time and wouldn't know where to get them, but that is what google is for.

I have used these in the past also. They are called Mag-Tags and are still manufactured by Markertek. These pre-printed tags can make for a very clean labeling method. You can also use blank mag-labels to make your own temporary labels. An advantage is that they are easily moveable. A disadvantage is that they are easily moveable! They do tend to get bumped around a bit by the palm of your hand while mixing and the temporary blank labels that you mark yourself can smear depending on what type of marker is used. For them to work, the mixer surface where you wish to place them must be metal. On mixers that do not have a metal strip or housing below the faders (or wherever) you can easily fabricate and lay down a thin metal strip for the mag-tags to adhere to. I was raised on mixer tape and still use it more than anything else, but Mag-Tags can work quite well also. For "permanent" sources that are always kept on the same channels, P-Touch labels can work well also.

On another note -and I'm sure others do this - I will, on occasion, lay a strip of tape at the top of the mixer above the gain knobs which helps locate a particular source quickly if I need to adjust gain or any control near the top of a channel strip.

Regards,
Mark

 

[MLHooper]

all depends on the board and where there is room.

i prefer above so i can still see the labels if my fingers are dancing on the faders.

some boards don't have room above and some digital boards have so many layers that it is nearly impossible to label with board tape and sharpie.

 

[HornsOverIthaca]

For musicals I used to put the characters name above the fader and the actors name below the fader. Trying to tell who was who from FOH in the dark was a challenge.