Alesis 1622 Reference Manual page 15

channels 1-8 will defeat the XLR jack for that channel). The signal is then boosted by the Input
Trim to a level that the board can deal with easily. Now, you can adjust the tone of the singer's
voice with the EQ Section, perhaps boosting the presence range a bit, or rolling off the low end
to compensate for close miking. After you've done this, you can grab the signal via Aux Sends
1 - 2 and send it out of the first two Send jacks. Since these are Pre-Fader sends, the level of the
signal going out of these jacks will not be affected when the input fader's level is adjusted.
Because of this, they're perfect for setting up a cue mix, allowing the singer to hear the optimum
blend of vocals, instruments, and effects.
Next comes the Channel Insert. This is a combination Send/Return accessed via the stereo
Insert jack. Since the jack contains both the send and return, a special cable must be used, with
the tip being used as the Send and the ring as the Return. Using the Channel Insert, we can
smooth out the level of the vocal with a MICRO LIMITER before it goes to tape.
After the signal passes through the Input Fader, it can be sent out the other Send jacks via Aux
Sends 3 - 6. Since these sends are taken from a point after the Input Fader, the level of the
signal going out of them will be affected when you adjust the Input Fader. These sends are more
suited to outboard effects like reverb, flanging, or delay. Later, when we mix down, we'll use
these sends to set up a cool blend of QUADRAVERB and MICROVERB II to accentuate the
performance.
Channels 1-8 each feature a Direct Out, which is generally used to feed a multitrack tape
machine. The signal that is sent out of this jack is taken from the same point as the Post-Fader
Sends. The vocal will then be sent through a Left/Right Pan Control, which determines its
position in the stereo field relative to all of the other instruments and effects. We'll use this to set
the vocal just a little off to the left of dead center in the mix, with the vocal effects panned a little
right to make the vocal sound big and spacious. Then, depending on how the Submaster and
Master Assign Switches are set, the vocal channel's signal is grouped with signal from other
channels and sent to the submaster buss, the master buss, or both.
First off, let's say the Submaster Assign Switch is enabled. Before the vocal and the other
instrument signals get to the faders that will determine their overall level, you have a chance to
send them out of the board, effect them as a group, and return them back into the SubMaster
buss using either of the Sub Inserts. We could use these to run all of the instruments through a
single reverb for overall ambience. These inserts work along the same lines as the Channel
Inserts. The only difference is that an effect inserted at this point will effect all of the channels
that have been assigned to SubMaster 1 or 2 (depending on which insert you are using). Next,
you'll set the overall level of the combined (and effected) signals with Sub Faders 1 - 2, and the
signal will then be sent out of the jacks marked Sub Outs 1-2.
Depending on how you're using the SubMaster busses, you may or may not want the grouped
Sub signals to be routed into the Master buss. You can determine whether or not this will happen
by enabling or disabling the SubMaster to Master Assign Switch.
Backing up a bit, let's say that our vocal channel's Master Assign Switch (just after the Pan
Control) is enabled. These grouped signals will be sent through an insert/fader/output jack
system similar to the one found on the SubMaster, but first they will be mixed with the aux
returns. Aux Returns 1-4 are mono returns pannable to any point in the stereo field. This is
where we'll control the level and panning of the QUADRAVERB/MICROVERB II effects blend on
the vocal during mixdown. You can use one as a mono return, or you can group together two as
a stereo return by panning them hard left and right. Aux Returns 5-8 are hardwired left and right
as shown, providing two more pairs of stereo returns.
Next on the flow chart are the Master Inserts. These work the same as the Sub Inserts, but
since the SubMasters feed into a point before the Master Inserts, any effect that is inserted into
the Master Inserts will also effect the signal coming from the SubMasters (as long as the
SubMaster to Master Assign switch is enabled).
Next are the Master Faders and Master Outs. The Faders set the overall level of the grouped
signals in the Master buss, which are then sent to the Master Out jacks. This is where we'll do the
12