Getting to Work with the Avid S6: An Introduction and Learning Guide

Description

This complete guide to the Avid S6 console offers the best techniques and practices from a seasoned industry veteran, Curt Schulkey, for utilizing its unique features and functions. The Avid S6 was created to be the industry standard virtual mixing console; however, it is so feature-packed that it can be difficult for new users to navigate. This book provides the ultimate guide to breaking down these amazing features and demonstrating how to use them effectively in your next project, with easy to follow instructions, rich illustrations, and general real-world advice from the author. This book takes students from neophyte to high-level intermediate. Readers should begin with a functional knowledge of Pro Tools and general understanding of mixing for cinema, but previous knowledge of mixing surfaces is not necessary as this book provides guidance through rudimentary, basic, and intermediary level workflows. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Preface Part I – Fundamental Knowledge Welcome to the S6 Introduction How to Learn Chapter 1 – Beginning Work on the Avid S6 Starting from Scratch Special Terms or Word Usage Settings in General Types of Settings You Should Control the Settings Settings for Beginners Three Quick Tips Outboard Keyboard A Most Important Setting LEDs Point the Way An Overview of the S6 Surface Track Modules Surface Configurations A Closer Look at the Master Modules Master Module – Upper Section Navigating Around in the Touchscreen Navigating to the Home Screen Master Module – Lower Section Automation Module Locate Section Important Note on Button Name Changes Chapter 2 – Starting the S6 Systems Cut to the Chase: Startup Summary Shutting-Down the S6 Systems Monitor Levels, Room Mute, and Dim. What’s Happening To Me? ! ? ! Using Cut Using Dim Level Chapter 3 – Mixing with Mouse and Keyboard How To Mix Without Knowing How To Use the Surface How to Not Use the Surface A Need for Metering Session Design Quckie Meters (This is my pet name, not an official name.) Using the Transport Controls Chapter 4 – Setting Up the Settings Getting Set System Settings User Preferences Title Files The Relationship of Title Settings to User Preferences Saving and Loading Preferences To manually save or load a title to or from a file: Automatically Using Preference Files Changing Settings Find the Settings Type That You Need Chapter 5 – The Channel Strip Mixing Like an Old-School Mixer What Are All Those Buttons? Modifier Keys The Fader Section The Fader Fader Meters Input Meter OLED Select Button M, S, LG LEDs The Knob Section The Process Section The Display Section Part II – Basic Tools for Mixing Chapter 6 – Basic Tools and Modes Transport Controls Navigating in the Timeline Surface Modes Get into Banking Auto-Banking “Scroll to Track” Banking Locking A Strip Setting Automation Modes with the Channel Strip Using The F Button (Automation Mode Button) F Button Limitations Setting Automation Modes with the Soft Key Pads Preview Using Do To All or Do To Selected in Soft Key Pad Latching Do To All/Selected Matching Out of Automation The Purpose of the Process Section Multiple Plug-Ins The In Buttons Bypassing Functions The Assignable Knob Using the Assignable Knob in Place of the Knob Section Using the Knob Section Bringing a Parameter to the Surface in the Knob Section Using the Knob Section Navigation Buttons Knob Cluster Behavior Using the Display Section Changing the Display Layout Waveform Display Showing Automation on Track Display: Bonus Techniques Trim Mode Behavior Chapter 7 – Meters! Meter Needs Set the Standard (Of Your Meters) Meter Strategies Quick and Dirty Meters Spill Zone Meters Metering That’s Too Cool (Complicated) for School Fader Meters – What’s All That Flashing About? Input Meter Gain Reduction Meter Underlying Automation Meter Trim Meter Chapter 8 – Three Ways to Approach Mixing VCA’s and How They Started Spilling VCA Masters Using VCA Master Spilling Automatic VCA Spilling Expanding VCA GMs to Knobs Sending VCA GMs to Attention Track Knobs VCA Master Mixing: What Is It Good For? Tips on Organizing for VCA masters A Tale of Two Methods Attention Mode or Strip Expand Knobs? Which One Is For You? Strip Expand Knobs Mode – In a Nutshell Attention Mode – In a Nutshell Expand Knobs Mode – The Simpler Way Attention Mode – The More Complicated Mode Chapter 9 – Ready for Mixing at a Basic Level How Do You Mix on the Surface? How I Mix on the Surface Part III – Intermediate Tools Chapter 10 – More Advanced Features Do to All, Do to Selected Using Modifiers Using the All Button on the Master Module PEC/Direct – Monitoring After and Before the Recorder Knob Control Displays Chapter 11 – Soft Keys – Shortcuts to Commands Intro to Soft Keys Using Soft Key Pads Appsets What Page Is It On? Navigating to Soft Key Pages Manually Soft Key Pad Navigation Buttons Alternate Soft Key Page Choices QuickJump to Soft Key Pages Page Menu Some Soft Key Page Suggestions Mode-Specific Pages Chapter 12 – Spill Zones – What, Why, and Where Are They? What Are Spill Zones? Cut to the Chase: Spill Zones How Do Spill Zones Work? Configuring Spill Zones Using Spill Zones Spill Button Actions Hobo Signs – Deciphering Cryptic Messages Spill Button LED Rules Bank and Nudge Button LED Rules Element Colors Spill Zone Examples Chapter 13 – Track Layouts and the Tracks Screen Track Layout Rules What Is the Difference Between Track Layouts and Spill Zones? Two Other Great Features of Track Layouts Cut to the Chase – Track Layouts The Tracks Screen The Parts of the Tracks Screen The Tracks Grid Controls Strip Scrollers What You Can Do on the Tracks Screen Using Layout Mode Layout Sets and the Layout Grid Preparing to Create Layouts Layout Width Clearing Unwanted Layouts Creating Track Layouts The Strip Scroller Explained Selecting Tracks in the Track Grid Saving or Loading the Layout Set Recalling Track Layouts Editing Track Layouts More Uses of the Tracks Screen Part IV – Options and Extras Chapter 14 – Master Meter Modules Cut to the Chase: To Use a Master Meter Module Designating a Display Module as Master Meter Module Creating Master Meter Layouts Un-Designating a Master Meter Module Chapter 15 – The Master Post Module Why use the Master Post Module? The Mixing Process (A Little Background) The Mixer Deliverable Elements Using Post Layouts for the Master Post Module Creating Post Layouts Recalling Post Layouts Using the Master Post Module Track Record Controls Linking Strips Using Basic Link Using Link Master Using Ready Lights Using Master Record Banking Strips Banking and Locking MPM strips Spilling Strips VCA Spilling – An Alternative to Banking the Post Strips Chapter 16 – The Joystick Module Introducing the Joystick Module Assigning Tracks to the Joystick Module Locking Joystick Assignments Writing Automation With the Joysticks Using Pickup Mode Other MJM Controls Controlling Other Panning Parameters Constraining Joysticks to Horizontal or Vertical Linking Stereo Pairs Chapter 17 – Snapshots Navigating to Shapshot Soft Key Pages Capturing and Saving Snapshots Recalling Snapshots Applying Snapshots Chapter 18 – Expand Faders Using Expand Faders Create an Expand Fader Map Recall an Expand Fader Map Chapter 19 – Making Selections in the Pro Tools Timeline What are Selections? In and Out vs. Start and End? Creating Selections with Mark In and Mark Out Changing a Selection Chapter 20 – Colors and Lights Signals Channel Strips Function Colors Soft Key Page Headers Flashing Lights Module Status on Startup Chapter 21 – What is Next? Editing on the Surface Using Attention Expand Zones Using Multiple Workstations Using Multiple Post Modules Customize Soft Key Pages Customize Post Module Buttons Customizing Jog Wheel Buttons ATMOS Panning with the Joystick Module and the Touchscreen Function Editor Assigning Unconventional Parameters to the Joysticks. Appendix 1 – A Collection of Disconnected Facts and Features A Bit More on the Monitoring Screen and XMon Speaker Output Selection Audio Sources Cue Paths (Monitor A, B, C, D) Talkback and Listenback Useful Soft Key Pages Showing Hidden Tracks Without Un-Hiding Them Copying All Automation from One Track to Another Changing OLED Display Options Assigning an Assignable Knob Focusing an Application or Workstation Locking Transport Controls to an Application or Workstation Jog Wheel LEDs Momentary Group Suspend VCA Masters vs Aux Tracks vs Grouped Tracks What’s So Bad About Auto Insert? Console Keystroke Oddities Automation Mode Status LEDs What Good Are Automation Mode Status LEDs? Cascading Outputs Reconfiguring Transport Keys Troubleshooting Settings to Drive You Crazy Details of Example in Chapter 9 Default Location of Settings Files Appendix 2 – System Settings – User Preferences Listing of System Settings System – General System – Surface System – Workstation User – Surface User – Layouts User – Knobs User – Soft Keys User – 3-D Panner User – Workstation User – Display Module Surface Local Options ( ) Home Screen – Local Options Tracks Screen - Local Options Monitoring Screen - Local Options Surface Config Screen - Local Options Appendix 3 – Button Names Lookup Button Functions of the Master Modules (by Button Name) Appendix 4 – Soft Key Quick-Jump Shortcuts Avid S6 Soft Key Page – Pro Tools App Set v2018.3 Avid S6 Soft Key Page - Pro Tools App Set v2019.5 Index Image Index