Wayne Hill first practicum - Posted on 2015-02-21 by Wayne Hill

Friday, February 20. 2015

Learned some new Pro Tools shortcuts to improve workflow.  Set Levels and ran a practice Pro Tools Record Test of a Live Drum Set today @ my mentor's studio (Mark E. Sinko, Salmon Peak) for this Saturday session.  We walkthrough the microphone placements and selected direct box inputs/outs for a few instruments (drum kit, horns, and bass guitar) and acknowledging their basic settings; checked their routings from their placement area to their selected high end preamps to the DAW and to the Mixing console via several patch panels.  By ensuring these interconnections were solid and getting the desired sound from the Mixing console was our goal! We had identified some basic hot signal levels from Pro Tools' "edit window view display" and quickly made our adjustments to the assigned preamp's input. (example: Drum's Tom and Hi-Hat had clipped in some areas, so we turned back the input gain slightly).

We accomplished our practicum goal for today! After the session with my mentor, Mark Sinko,  I went home and reviewed what I had learned for the day.  Here are some of them: 1.  Have a clear documented assignment sheet, but know it forward and backward; this will help to to quickly be about to identifly an issue. . 2.  Studio etiquette:  learn to effectively communicate with fellow engineer as you perform difference studio setups. Note: You will get better as you continue to work on these tasks.  My mentor is a great encourager!.  3.  Learn the gear, period!  4.  Learn DAW's shortcuts and how the daw relates and functions with the other gear around it!  5.  Keep growing; ask Mentor questions: search for info on the web and practice at home, if it's possible!

I'm a Studio Rat.....

Wayne Hill,  Recording Connection Audio Recording Engineer appreciate,  San Antonio, Texas