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Page 22 of 29
Set the inputs of the Tascam to LINE LEVEL. The MAIN out as well as the DIRECT OUT of the mixer are
almost always line level out. If for some reason your mixer is NOT line level out, then set the Tascam
inputs accordingly to MIC or MIC ATTENUATED.
Connect one output from your mixer's main output (either L or R) to Channel 1 of the Tascam input.
Most soundmixers only take one (monaural) feed from their board; although you could opt to take a 2-
track (stereo) feed and go into Channels 1 and 2, but that would mean giving up one less iso track.
Next, take feeds from the DIRECT OUT connections from your mixer of mics 1 thru 6, and plug them into
the Tascam inputs 2 thru 7. The direct outs from your mixer need to be post trim/gain and pre-fader.
In other words, you should be able to set the initial microphone volume going into your board from the
small trim or gain knob of each module, while the faders of each module are completely closed. Opening
the faders should only control how much sound makes it to the main L/R output of the board, but
should NOT have any effect on the direct outs. If moving the sliders does effect the direct out levels,
then all of your iso tracks will share whatever good or bad mixing decisions are made during a take, and
might not be suitable for rebuilding the soundtrack during editing.
Determine if your mixing board is suitable for accessing the direct outs. You may need to step up to a
higher caliber board.
You also need to check whether or not your Direct Outs are pre or post EQ. If the directs are pre-EQ,
then it is okay to use your mixer's settings to match up the tone of your mics. But if the EQ adjustments
show up in the Direct Outs, then be very cautious about using the EQ on the board, as that will affect
your ISO's.
On a major production, it doesn't take much to exceed 7 microphones total in a scene. Typically, there
will be one or two boom mics, perhaps one or two planted mics, and then lavaliers on all of the main
characters.
So if the Tascam only has 8 inputs, and one of those is already being used for our Production Mixdown,
how do we "iso" all of the other mics?
That is why we only plugged direct outs into Channels 2 thru 7, or even 2 thru 6. Utilize Channel 8 (or
Channels 7 and 8) for feeds from the Aux Out from the mixer.
Not every character wearing a lavalier needs their own iso track all the time. As a soundmixer, you
could group a few minor characters together onto a single Aux track; or you could select characters that
never appear in the shot at the same time (example, Actor A has a line in the beginning of the shot, and
Actor B only has a line near the end of the shot) and record them onto the same audio track.
Use the Aux Outs as a means of grouping these "excess" microphones.
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