Vancouver Adapted Music Society Volunteer support page
Welcome to the Vancouver Adapted Music Society Volunteer support page. This resource has been designed to assist volunteers using the VAMS studio at the G.F. Strong Facility. If further help is needed, please contact Joey at [email protected] or by calling or texting at 604-781-3599. Please note that texting is optimal and will produce a quicker response.
Resources will be added periodically and as required.
The VAMS Studio Workshop series have been developed as an educational resource for volunteers. Click the button below to explore and learn more.
Resources will be added periodically and as required.
The VAMS Studio Workshop series have been developed as an educational resource for volunteers. Click the button below to explore and learn more.
General Notes regarding the studio
1. Please do not save any of your projects directly to the desktop as it will be deleted. Instead, save all projects to the external hard drive. As well, it is good practice to create a personal folder for all of your projects to be saved to. This will ensure a safe area for your client's work.
2. Any files left in the downloads folder or on the desktop on the computer may be deleted without your prior knowledge. If a file is important to keep, make a copy to an external USB stick.
2. Please do not leave the studio unattended. If you need to leave for whatever reason, ensure that the door is locked.
3. Remove all garbage and leave the studio in a clean, organized fashion.
4. For Troubleshooting tips, please click here
5. To view Logic tutorials, click here
2. Any files left in the downloads folder or on the desktop on the computer may be deleted without your prior knowledge. If a file is important to keep, make a copy to an external USB stick.
2. Please do not leave the studio unattended. If you need to leave for whatever reason, ensure that the door is locked.
3. Remove all garbage and leave the studio in a clean, organized fashion.
4. For Troubleshooting tips, please click here
5. To view Logic tutorials, click here
How to use the Mackie Mixer
Here is a brief guide on how to use the new Mackie mixer. Of course, if you have any problems when using it or have any questions. Please feel free to call me on my cell at 604-781-3599.
1. Powering on the Mackie Mixer
To power on the Mackie mixer, use the power bar located directly underneath the mixer. * Note: Do not power off the unit directly from the mixer itself.
2. Getting volume on the mixer
Volume is controlled using the Control Room volume knob located on the right of the mixer. The large knob to control volume is no longer in the chain. As well you must make sure that the main mix fader (located on the bottom right of the mixer) is set at unity gain (fader is up and aligned with the “U” on the fader level marks) as this will also affect overall volume of the mixer. On channels 15 and 16 is where the DAW (digital audio workstation) volume is located. I have labeled this stereo fader channel as “DAW Playback). This fader will control the volume of Logic as well as other sound sources (i.e. iTunes) coming from the computer. Usually you want to set this at unity gain as well. There are times, however, when you will want to lower the volume of the computer playback.
3. Channels 1 & 2
Channels 1 & 2 are dedicated to recording electric guitars and basses. At the very top of the mixer, you will notice a 1/4” input where you would plug a guitar into. As well, there is also a button with a guitar symbol on it. This button changes the line input into a Hi-Z guitar input. This button must always be pushed down in order these channels to be working in the correct manner for recording electric guitars and basses. Since these two channels are dedicated for recording electric guitars and basses, please leave the Hi-Z button pushed in.
Remember, in Logic, the inputs correspond to the mixer inputs. If you plug a guitar into input 1, you will need to set the input on your audio track in Logic to input 1.
Hint: If you are recording an electric guitar and you want to use a plugin inside Logic to create your guitar amp tone, after you have set your levels for your guitar, you can push the MUTE button on your guitar channel so that you will only hear your guitar amp tone coming through the Logic Playback channel (15 & 16).
4. Channel 3
Channel 3 right now is dedicated to the condenser microphone. To record the input from this microphone, you must make sure that your track’s input inside Logic is set to input 3.
5. Firewire Sends
At the top of the mixer for each channel, you will see a small button (SENDS) with a firewire symbol on it. This button is pressed down for each channel and should stay that way. When this button is pushed down, the equalizer settings will be recorded into Logic. If the button is not pushed down, the EQ settings will be monitored but will not be recorded.
6. Headphones
The headphone matrix is now connected to the mixers Auxiliary sends 1 & 2 (left and right for stereo). In order to hear different channels from the mixer in the headphone matrix, you will need to turn the aux send knobs 1 & 2 (found on the mixer) to the right. How much to the right depends on how much of the signal you want to hear. At the moment, channels 15 & 16 (DAW Playback channels) are being sent to the headphone matrix in stereo (both aux 1 & 2 are both turned up on the DAW channel).
e.g. If you want to hear the playback of a Logic song or iTunes in the headphones, you would make sure Aux sends 1 & 2 are turned up (Note: This should always be turned up and these aux knobs should not be touched).
e.g. If you want to send the Octa Pad 1 to the headphones, turn up Aux 1 and 2 sends (on the octa pad channels 9 & 10) until you get the desired volume in your headphones.
Aux 3 send is designated to send signal to the wedge speaker next to the V-Drums. For example, if you want to hear the V-Drums through the wedge speaker, simply turn up the Aux 3 knob on the V-Drum channel until you get the desired volume (on channel 13 & 14 where the V-Drums are plugged in).
Some other notes:
On the top right of the mixer (CTRL Room/Phones Source) – Please do not touch any of these buttons. The main mix should be pressed down. Tape b, FW 1-2, ALT 3-4 and Assign to main mix should all be left un-pressed.
Aux Master Section – right beneath CTRL Room/Phones Source – Please leave all of these knobs and buttons as is.
Main mix fader should always be set to unity gain (where the U is) – Volume for speakers is from the control room knob.
What if the mixer isn't working properly?
Sometimes if the computer and mixer have not been turned off for a long period of time, the mixer will lose its connection to the computer resulting in Logic, iTunes and other audio programs not functioning properly (warbled sound, no sound at all, Logic reverting to the built in Mac audio system). The easiest way to fix this problem is to turn both the computer and mixer off and then on again. * Turn the computer on first and then the Mackie Mixer. Please see the troubleshooting page for more info.
1. Powering on the Mackie Mixer
To power on the Mackie mixer, use the power bar located directly underneath the mixer. * Note: Do not power off the unit directly from the mixer itself.
2. Getting volume on the mixer
Volume is controlled using the Control Room volume knob located on the right of the mixer. The large knob to control volume is no longer in the chain. As well you must make sure that the main mix fader (located on the bottom right of the mixer) is set at unity gain (fader is up and aligned with the “U” on the fader level marks) as this will also affect overall volume of the mixer. On channels 15 and 16 is where the DAW (digital audio workstation) volume is located. I have labeled this stereo fader channel as “DAW Playback). This fader will control the volume of Logic as well as other sound sources (i.e. iTunes) coming from the computer. Usually you want to set this at unity gain as well. There are times, however, when you will want to lower the volume of the computer playback.
3. Channels 1 & 2
Channels 1 & 2 are dedicated to recording electric guitars and basses. At the very top of the mixer, you will notice a 1/4” input where you would plug a guitar into. As well, there is also a button with a guitar symbol on it. This button changes the line input into a Hi-Z guitar input. This button must always be pushed down in order these channels to be working in the correct manner for recording electric guitars and basses. Since these two channels are dedicated for recording electric guitars and basses, please leave the Hi-Z button pushed in.
Remember, in Logic, the inputs correspond to the mixer inputs. If you plug a guitar into input 1, you will need to set the input on your audio track in Logic to input 1.
Hint: If you are recording an electric guitar and you want to use a plugin inside Logic to create your guitar amp tone, after you have set your levels for your guitar, you can push the MUTE button on your guitar channel so that you will only hear your guitar amp tone coming through the Logic Playback channel (15 & 16).
4. Channel 3
Channel 3 right now is dedicated to the condenser microphone. To record the input from this microphone, you must make sure that your track’s input inside Logic is set to input 3.
5. Firewire Sends
At the top of the mixer for each channel, you will see a small button (SENDS) with a firewire symbol on it. This button is pressed down for each channel and should stay that way. When this button is pushed down, the equalizer settings will be recorded into Logic. If the button is not pushed down, the EQ settings will be monitored but will not be recorded.
6. Headphones
The headphone matrix is now connected to the mixers Auxiliary sends 1 & 2 (left and right for stereo). In order to hear different channels from the mixer in the headphone matrix, you will need to turn the aux send knobs 1 & 2 (found on the mixer) to the right. How much to the right depends on how much of the signal you want to hear. At the moment, channels 15 & 16 (DAW Playback channels) are being sent to the headphone matrix in stereo (both aux 1 & 2 are both turned up on the DAW channel).
e.g. If you want to hear the playback of a Logic song or iTunes in the headphones, you would make sure Aux sends 1 & 2 are turned up (Note: This should always be turned up and these aux knobs should not be touched).
e.g. If you want to send the Octa Pad 1 to the headphones, turn up Aux 1 and 2 sends (on the octa pad channels 9 & 10) until you get the desired volume in your headphones.
Aux 3 send is designated to send signal to the wedge speaker next to the V-Drums. For example, if you want to hear the V-Drums through the wedge speaker, simply turn up the Aux 3 knob on the V-Drum channel until you get the desired volume (on channel 13 & 14 where the V-Drums are plugged in).
Some other notes:
On the top right of the mixer (CTRL Room/Phones Source) – Please do not touch any of these buttons. The main mix should be pressed down. Tape b, FW 1-2, ALT 3-4 and Assign to main mix should all be left un-pressed.
Aux Master Section – right beneath CTRL Room/Phones Source – Please leave all of these knobs and buttons as is.
Main mix fader should always be set to unity gain (where the U is) – Volume for speakers is from the control room knob.
What if the mixer isn't working properly?
Sometimes if the computer and mixer have not been turned off for a long period of time, the mixer will lose its connection to the computer resulting in Logic, iTunes and other audio programs not functioning properly (warbled sound, no sound at all, Logic reverting to the built in Mac audio system). The easiest way to fix this problem is to turn both the computer and mixer off and then on again. * Turn the computer on first and then the Mackie Mixer. Please see the troubleshooting page for more info.
