Subgroup Mixing; Instrument Groups - PRESONUS StudioLive 16.4.2 User Manual

5 Tutorials

Subgroup Mixing

5.4.
A subgroup allows you to combine multiple channels in a single bus so that the overall level for
the entire group is controlled by a single fader. In addition to level control, the StudioLive allows
you to apply the Fat Channel's noise gate, limiter, compression, and EQ to the group as a whole, in
addition to the processing available for each channel. Subgroups can also be soloed and muted.
You will find many uses for subgroups, nearly all of them make mixing more convenient and provide
better control of your mix. In this section, we will explore two different ways in which subgroups can
help you to create a more efficient mixing environment and a more successful live mix.

Instrument groups

5.4. 1
Grouping individual instruments that create a section in your mix has obvious advantages: the
entire group can be muted or soloed, brought up or down in a mix, and faded in or out for a more
polished intro or outro. Some of the most common submix groups are drums, backing vocals, horn
sections, and string sections. Drums are a classic application for subgroup mixing. We will be using
a drum group in this particular example but these principles can be applied to group any type of
instrument section in a live mix.
A drum group is especially useful when every piece in the drum kit has a microphone on it. In this
example, our drums will be connected to the StudioLive as follows:
• Channel 1: Kick
• Channel 2: Snare Top
• Channel 3: Share Bottom
• Channel 4: Floor Tom
• Channel 5: Tom 1
• Channel 6: Tom 2
• Channel 7: Overhead Left
• Channel 8: Overhead Right
• Channel 9: Hi-Hat
We will create a stereo subgroup by linking Subgroups 1 and 2.
The first step in creating a subgroup is to get a
good mix of the instruments you are grouping
together, in this case, the drums. With the
drummer's assistance, set the input trim, EQ, and
dynamics for each drum separately. As you select and solo each channel, assign each channel to
be routed to Subgroup 1.
After you have gone through the entire kit and
are satisfied with each channel's level, EQ, and
dynamics, unsolo your final channel. Have the
drummer play the entire kit and set the relative
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