Message 7/19
Date: 07-Jul-01 @ 12:37 PM -
RE: Control Room vs. Main Out
ok, here goes the newbie guide to solo modes:
there are 3 major solo modes you can encounter on a mixer: PFL, AFL, and SIP.
-PFL (Pre Fader Listening) will route the selected signal to the monitors, BEFORE fader, pan, and eq, so you can hear the signal as it is when it comes into your mixer. it is normally used for setting the gain on channels.
-AFL (After Fader Listening) routes the selected signal to the monitors AFTER the channel fader, pan pot, and eq. this mode is usefull when mixing your tracks and want to hear how the individual tracks on a mixer sound.
Both of these modes are non-destructive, meaning that they only affect what you hear on the MONITORS, while the signal flow within the mixer, from the channel inputs to the group outs to the master outs, remains unchanged. you can use any of these solo modes during tracking / mixing / whatever, and your signal will still get where it was sent, without anything being cut or muted.
on the other hand, if hook up your monitors to the main outs, you wont be able to use these modes at all. geddit?
that is, unless your mixer has a...
-SIP (Solo In Place), a destructive solo mode which actually mutes all the signals, except the solo-ed one(s). this feature has the advantage of leting you hear your signal exactly as it will sit within the mix, because the signal will be post eq, post pan, post fader, post master fader, AND with all the FX on it, because the aux sends do not get cut when you use the SIP mode.
this can be a very usefull feature when mixing. Solo In Place is usually found only on big, upper class, studio mixers. you won´t find it on a mackie 8-bus for example...although i did see it on a soundcraft from ´87 or so...
happy soloing, M.