Fostex 450 - Mixdown Process

The AUX 2 Buss is a natural monitor mix buss for overdubs.
You have separate control over pan and gain for eah channel;
that is, these controls have no effect on the signal(s) being
sent to the recorder (see Block Diagram, Pg. 13 ).
The 450 is particularly well-designed for punch-ins.
Unlike most other mixing consoles, the 450 has "in-line
monitoring." This enables you to use only one input channel to
do punch-ins/outs. Most other 8x4x2 boards require you to use
one channel for monitoring the old track and another channel
for monitoring the punch-in.
To use the 450 for punching-in, first set the input, select switch
to "input." Second, set the channel assign selector to any
desired position (except off). Third, select the same 4 channel
buss on the monitor section. This will enable you to monitor
your new track. To simultaneously monitor the old track, switch
Aux 2 to "tape,” and (if you want to monitor in stereo) set the pan
control to the center. Then punch up both L and R of AUX 2 on
the monitor switch panel. Press "play" on the recorder and then
adjust the Aux 2 gain and monitor level to hear the original track.
Then adjust the channel “trim” & “fader" controls to get the
proper balance between the old and new tracks through the
monitor mix. Make sure the gain and input fader controls are
also adjusted to give you the correct level on the recorder.
Once the reference levels have been set, you’ll be able to
punch-in and out (monitoring must be for AUX 2 only), fixing
small mistakes, faster and more easily than you ever have.
M1XDOWN
When all the required tracks have been recorded, they must be
finally mixed together, adding effects, to a mono or stereo
master tape. The Model 450 offers facilities to do this with no
need to repatch the system.
For mixdown, switch the appropriate “input selectors" (2) tothe
"tape” position. Mixdown the four channel buss out to STEREO
MASTER by using PAN pot (15). Tape out signals are then
selected and grouped as desired by the four channel buss out
selector (7). In this format, the four channel buss master
fader (22) wil be the GROUP MASTER FADER.
Monitoring of STEREO MASTER is achieved by routing the 2
channel master recorder tape out to AUX 2 BUSS IN and
depressing the AUX 2 L and R buttons of the Monitor Select
switch. Apply equalization if required and, if you want to use
an echo or other effects system, refer to section 4 of this
manual.
For information on where to find out more about the art of
multitrack recording, look to the list at the back of this manual.
Figure 6-4, Record final mix.
PLAYBACK ALL 6 TRACKS, SET TWO TRACKS TO RECORD,
SPARE CHANNELS 7 AND 8 MAY BE USE FOR ECHO
RETURN OR USE “BUSS IN” 1 AND 2
♦ USE THIS SECTION FOR EFFECTOR SEND.
Connecting the Model 80 to the 450
There are 2 ways to connect the 80 and the 450:
1) Using the 4 channel buss outputs.
Connect these outputs from the 450 to inputs 1 -4 on the
Model 80, to record on tracks 5-8.
You need not repatch as input jacks 5 through 8 are of the
normalled type phono jacks paralled, respectively, with
input jack 1 through 4.
2) Using the direct outputs.
Connect the direct outputs from each input channel to
each of the 8 inputs of the Model 80 recorder.
There are pros and cons to both methods. 1) makes it possible
to sub-group without re-patching, but it's impossible to record
on all 8 tracks at once (for live recording). 2) lets you record all 8
tracks at once and frees up the 4 channel buss for use as an
extra effects send or monitor mix, but you’ll need to repatch for
subgroups. 2) also bypasses the 4 channel buss summing
amp, giving you a slightly cleaner signal (this is true of all
mixers).
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