06_04_Recording_to_a_sound_clip
AW1600 Owner's Manual Chapter 4 Recording to a sound clip The AW1600 has a Sound Clip function that lets you record and play back independently of the recorder section. You can use a sound clip to quickly record and play back your performances on an audio source connected to the AW1600 or on the pads. This is an ideal way to capture ideas for a song or arrangement, or to record a simple accompaniment for practicing a part. This chapter explains how an instrument or mic connected to an input jack can be recorded as a sound clip. Connecting your instrument or mic First, the instrument or mic that you want to record must be connected to a MIC/LINE INPUT jack. The various types of jack are compatible with the following sources. MIC/LINE INPUT (XLR) jacks 1 to 8 These are XLR-type balanced input jacks. Use a male XLR <-> female XLR cable to connect your mic, direct box, or a guitar/bass preamp that has a balanced output jack. (Figure) Balanced cable(male XLR <-> female XLR) Mic Preamp or effect processor with balanced output Direct box MIC/LINE INPUT (XLR) jacks 1 to 8 Electric guitar/bass MIC/LINE INPUT (TRS phone) jacks 1 to 8 These are TRS-type balanced input jacks. Use a 1/4" TRS phone <-> female XLR cable to connect your mic, direct box, or a guitar/bass preamp that has a balanced output jack. (Figure) 1/4" TRS phone <-> female XLR cable Mic Preamp or effect processor with balanced output Direct box MIC/LINE INPUT (TRS phone) jacks 1 to 8 Electric guitar/bass Alternatively, you can use a 1/4" phone <-> 1/4" phone cable to connect an instrument with unbalanced output, such as a synthesizer or rhythm machine. (Figure) 1/4" phone <-> phone cable Synthesizer/rhythm machine MIC/LINE INPUT (TRS phone) jacks 1 to 8 MIC/LINE INPUT jack 8 (Hi-Z) Use a 1/4" phone <-> phone cable to directly connect an electric guitar/bass that has passive pickups. (Figure) 1/4" phone <-> phone cable MIC/LINE INPUT (HI-Z) jacks 8 Electric guitar/bass with passive pickups Adjusting the input level The signals that are input from MIC/LINE INPUT jacks 1 to 8 are sent to input channels 1 to 8 respectively. Here's how to adjust the input level of the input channel, and make settings so that you can hear the sound from your monitor system via the stereo bus. 1 Lower the [STEREO] fader to the - infinity position. Also turn down the [GAIN] knob for the MIC/LINE INPUT jack to which your instrument/mic is connected. 2 Press and hold the [INPUT SEL] key for the jack to which your instrument/mic is connected. When you press and hold an [INPUT SEL] key, the INPUT SETTING popup window will appear, allowing you to make settings for the corresponding input channel. The following diagram is an example of the screen that will appear if you press and hold [INPUT SEL] key 1. 1 INPUT LEVEL knob Move the cursor to this knob and turn the [DATA/JOG] dial to adjust the level of the input channel. Normally you will leave this at the default setting of 0 dB. The current level is shown by the value (dB units) above the knob. 2 Stereo bus assign switch When you move the cursor to this knob and press the [ENTER] key, the signal that is sent from the corresponding input channel to the stereo bus will be switched on/off. 3 Level meter This indicates the input level of the input channel. The point symbol in the window indicates the location at which the level is detected. 4 EXIT button Move the cursor to this button and press the [ENTER] key to close the popup window and return to the previous screen. 3 While you watch the level meter in the popup window, produce sound on your instrument, and turn the [GAIN] knob to adjust the input level. As you turn the [GAIN] knob toward the right, the level meter in the popup window will move more widely. (However, you will not yet hear anything from your monitor system.) For the best audio quality, adjust the level as high as possible without allowing the meter to clip when the loudest volume occurs. 4 While you play your instrument, raise the [STEREO] fader to the 0 dB position. The LR meters at the right of the screen will now move. As you turn the [MONITOR/PHONES] knob toward the right, you should begin to hear sound from your monitor system. NOTE If you still do not hear sound after raising the [STEREO] fader, check the INPUT SETTING popup window to make sure that the stereo bus assign switch is turned on, and that the INPUT LEVEL knob value has not been set below 0.0 dB. 5 To exit the INPUT SETTING popup window, move the cursor to the EXIT button and press the [ENTER] key. You will return to the previous screen. HINT The level settings described above are the basic settings for any type of recording - not just for a sound clip. By using the [GAIN] knob to raise the level as far as possible without allowing distortion to occur, you can ensure that the input signal is converted into digital form with the highest possible quality before it is input to the mixer section. If the [GAIN] knob is not raised sufficiently, you may not be taking full advantage of the available dynamic range of the mixer section and recorder section. When the input LEVEL knob and [STEREO] fader are set to the 0 dB position, the input level will be output without change to the recorder and monitor. Recording/playing a sound clip Now that preparations are complete, let's record to a sound clip. The post-fader signal of the stereo output channel can be recorded directly on a sound clip. For playback, the signal will be sent immediately before the stereo output channel fader. (EQ and dynamics cannot be applied to the playback of a sound clip.) Signal flow when using a sound clip (Figure) MIC/LINE INPUT jacks Input channels Metronome Sound clip Stereo output channel Stereo bus Mixer section Recording a sound clip 1 In the Locate section, press the [SOUND CLIP] key. The CLIP screen will appear, where you can record and play sound clips. 1 Metronome button Switches the metronome on/off. 2 Metronome knob Adjusts the volume level of the metronome. The value shown above the knob shows the current setting in dB units. 3 START button Specifies the current location as the start point of the sound clip (the location at which playback will begin). The current location is shown in minutes/seconds/milliseconds at the left. 4 END button Specifies the current location as the end point of the sound clip (the location at which playback will end). The current location is shown in minutes/seconds/milliseconds at the left. 5 CLIP button When you turn this button on, the START button (3) and END button (4) settings will be enabled. NOTE Recording and playback in the Recorder section cannot be performed while the CLIP screen is displayed. 2 If you want to use the metronome, move the cursor to the metronome button and press the [ENTER] key. The time signature and tempo used by the metronome are displayed above the metronome button. 3 To change the tempo of the metronome, move the cursor to the tempo value and turn the [DATA/JOG] dial. NOTE The time signature of the metronome is determined by the tempo map setting immediately prior to accessing the CLIP screen. Please be aware that the setting cannot be edited from this screen. (For details on tempo map settings -> p. 149) 4 In the Transport section, hold down the REC key and press the PLAY key. The metronome will begin sounding, and the counter display will advance. The counter in the CLIP screen always starts from 0, and indicates the current time in minutes/seconds/milliseconds. This counter is separate from the counter of a conventional song. 5 Play your instrument in time with the metronome. HINT The metronome sound will not be recorded in the sound clip. If necessary, you can move the cursor to the metronome knob and turn the [DATA/JOG] dial to adjust the volume level of the metronome sound. In addition to an instrument connected to the MIC/LINE INPUT jacks, your performance on the quick loop sampler pads can also be recorded. The knobs/keys of the selected channel are active even while the CLIP screen is displayed. If necessary, you can record the signal processed by EQ and dynamics (-> p. 50). 6 To stop recording, press the STOP key. The display will show S and E symbols to indicate the start point and end point. HINT With the default settings of the AW1600, a maximum of 30 seconds can be recorded in a sound clip. If you continue recording for longer than 30 seconds, the last 30 seconds of your playing before you stopped recording will be recorded. (However, the counter display during recording will continue to advance.) In the UTILITY screen PREFER page, you can specify up to 180 seconds as the maximum length that can be recorded in a sound clip. You are free to make this setting before creating a new song, but this cannot be changed once the song has been created. (-> p. 169) Playing a sound clip 1 To hear the content that you recorded in the sound clip, press the PLAY key. The region from where you began recording to where you stopped recording will play repeatedly. To stop, press the STOPkey. If you record again, the previous data will be overwritten. In the CLIP screen, the keys of the Transport section will have the following functions. (Table) Key Function RTZ key Returns to the location at which you began recording. If the CLIP button is on, this returns to the Start point. REW key Rewinds the current location toward the beginning. You will stop when you reach the location at which you began recording or the Start point. FF key Fast-forwards the current location. You will stop when you reach the location at which you stopped recording or the End point. STOP key Stops playback, recording, rewind, or fast-forward. PLAY key Starts playback. Pressing this key during playback does nothing. REC key If you hold down this key while stopped and press the PLAY key, recording will begin. Pressing this key during playback does nothing. (Table End) HINT You will not hear the metronome and pads 1 to 4 while a sound clip is playing. However, you can still monitor the signals of input channels 1 to 8. 2 If you want to change the playback region of the sound clip, stop at the location that you want to specify as the Start point, move the cursor to the START button, and press the [ENTER] key. The current location will be registered as the Start point. 3 In the same way, stop at the location that you want to specify as the End point, move the cursor to the END button, and press the [ENTER] key. 4 Stop playback, move the cursor to the CLIP button, and press the [ENTER] key. The CLIP button will turn on, and the specified Start point and End point will be enabled. NOTE The START button, END button, and CLIP button are disabled while the sound clip is playing. HINT The region of data between the specified Start point and End point can be copied to an audio track of the Recorder section by using the EDIT screen COPY command (-> p. 132). 5 To exit the CLIP screen, press the [SOUND CLIP] key. A popup window will ask you for confirmation. Move the cursor to the OK button to exit the CLIP screen or to the CANCEL button to cancel, and press the [ENTER] key. When you exit the CLIP screen, you will return to the TRACK screen VIEW page. However you can press the [SOUND CLIP] key at any time to play back the previously recorded content or record a new performance. NOTE When you record a sound clip, the previous recording will be lost. Please be aware that the Undo function cannot be used to recover a deleted sound clip. Even if you save the song immediately prior to recording a new sound clip, the previous sound clip will not be restored if you recall the song data. HINT A popup window will also ask you to confirm that you want to exit the CLIP screen if you press a key in the Work Navigate section or Quick Navigate section while playback is stopped in the CLIP screen. The recorded contents of the sound clip are stored for each song. This is the end of the file.