Panasonic Mixing Automation Expansion Software Users Guide

							25
Custom View
GETTINGINFOABOUT ACONTROL
It is sometimes helpful to find out specific information about a control
displayed in the Custom View. 
For example, you may wish to know a control’s exact value.
In addition, if you have designed or edited the module yourself using the
module editor, you may wish to confirm that the control is assigned to the
intended mixer function.
To get info about a control, position the pointer over the control. Hold down
the Macintosh Control key while clicking on the control.
A small pop-up window will display the control’s function, channel, and
current value.
The pop-up window will also show if the control is not connected to the
mixer.
Hint:
• Infinity (°) on the window may be displayed different, depending on
the Operating  System being used. 
						

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Chapter  5
INTRODUCTION TOAUTOMATED
MIXING INREALTIME
This section introduces important concepts relating to writing and editing
fader moves, channel on/offs, and other automated mix events in Real Time
(that is, while the program material is playing, and time code is being
received.) This is the most natural way to mix, because you are mixing while
actually listening to the program material (that is, the music or dialogue).
Later sections of this manual discuss mixing and editing “Off Line”. The term
Off Line is used, as opposed to Real Time, because neither program material
nor time code has to be present in order to mix.
Real Time mixing is primarily done using the Custom Views.
Off Line mixing is primarily done using either the Cue List or the Graphic
View.
BUILDING AMIX INMANY“PASSES”
This brief section is for those who are not that familiar with how mix
automation is generally used.
Those familiar with mix automation can simply skip this section and proceed
to the section entitled, “Preparing to Write an Automated Mix”.
The first immediate need for an automated mixing system becomes apparent
as soon as a mix becomes complicated from a technical standpoint.
For example, suppose you need to bring up two faders, and at the same time
rotate a pan pot located several feet from the faders.
Those who are familiar with automated mixing know that this is very easy to
do.
You simply play the program material. (That is, whatever you are mixing;
tape, disk, song, soundtrack, etc.) 
Move the mixer’s faders, and the automation system records the fact that the
faders were moved. Rewind the program material. Play the program material
again, and turn the pan pot.  
						

							The automation system records the fact that the knob was turned. Rewind the
program material. The next time you play the program material, the fader
levels and pan position change together. You performed the mix, but the
computer helped you do more than you could by yourself. 
The important concept to be aware of is that the mix is built in several
“passes”: 
Rewinding, playing, mixing and editing the mix, rewinding, etc., until you
have perefcted your mix.
By the time you are finishing the mix, the computer is able to change more
things on the mixer simultaneously and more accurately than you could do by
yourself.
(In addition, automated mixing provides the obvious advantage of using a
computer to save the mix data to disk, edit the mixes, and more.)
Note:
When using MAX, certain functions of the DA7 become redundant or not
applicable.  Therefore, MAX mix data will not be affected if you perform any
of the following operations.
• MAX will not save changes made using the Multi-Channel View function
on the DA7 mixer.
• Recalling a Scene memory or a Library on the DA7 mixer
• Using the UNDO key on the DA7 mixer 
To match the relationship between the DA7 mixer and the MAX screen,
execute Update Configuration in the Real Time menu of the MAX. Unmatched
status may occur after the following operations.
•  Any of Surround Mode, the function of Dynamics or the filter type of
Equalizer is changed.
• UNDO is operated on the DA7.
• Data settings are copied from one channel to another while displaying
Multi Channel View on the DA7. 
• A Scene memory or a Library is recalled on the DA7.
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Introduction to Automated mixing in Real Time 
						

							PREPARING TOWRITE ANAUTOMATEDMIX
When preparing to write an automated mix, (that is to say, perform a mix
“pass”), you first need to decide three things:
(1) What kind of mix parameters do you wish to be written
during this pass?
For example, you might decide to write and edit only faders, or channel
on/offs only, or EQ only. 
Or you might decide you want every change you make to the mix to be
written.
(2) What kind of edit are you going to perform? 
For example, suppose you have already written some fader “moves”. On the
next pass, you may want to edit those fader moves. 
You can edit them in “Write Mode”. This means that the new fader moves will
erase and replace the previously written fader moves. 
Or you can edit them in “Trim Mode”. This means that the new fader moves
will not erase but rather modify the previously written fader moves. While
much more will be explained in a following section about the various edit
modes, including Write and Trim, suffice it to say for now that you can chose
for each pass what kind of edit to perform.
(3) Which audio channels do you wish to be written during
this pass?
For example, you might decide to write only faders 1 and 12 on one pass. On
another pass, you might want to be able to write all the faders.
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Introduction to Automated mixing in Real Time 
						

							SETTINGWHICHPARAMETERS AREOVERWRITEENABLED
In a given pass, you may decide to edit some parameters and not others. 
The mixer allows automation of Faders, Channel On/Off, EQ, Aux, Pan,
Dynamics On/Off, and Routing.
These parameters must be individually Overwrite Enabled prior to writing an
automated mix.
Click on the Overwrite button in the Control Bar.
Or, select Overwrite... from the Real Time menu.
This opens the Overwrite dialogue box.
Enable each parameter that you intend to edit in the next pass.
Parameter that are not enabled will be “read only” in the next pass. That is,
they will play back any previously written moves, but will ignore new moves.
CHOOSING THEEDITMODE
There are four edit modes, Write, Trim, Read and Manual.
The software features a Edit Mode menu in the Control Bar. 
Select the Edit Mode from the menu, or type w, t, r, or m. 
After selecting the Edit Mode, use the individual Select buttons above the
fader on each mixer channel to set the mode on a channel per channel basis.
Always take note of your current Edit Mode Menu choice.
When a channel is selected, it will go into the Edit Mode shown in the Edit
Mode menu.
When not selected, a channel will be in Read mode.
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Introduction to Automated mixing in Real Time 
						

							EDITMODES(READ, WRITE, MANUAL, & TRIM) DEFINED
Generally speaking, getting MAX to remember your automated mix is called
“Writing”an automated mix.
When MAX is playing back the automated mix it is called “Reading”the mix. 
Its possible to play the program material and mix without having the
computer remember your moves. This is called “Manual”mixing. 
After an automated fader or channel on/off has been written, there are two
main ways to edit them while the mix is playing. The fader or channel on/off
can be edited by Writing it again. 
Or, the already written move can be changed or “trimmed”.
Write Mode means you simply write them again, which erases and replaces
any previously written moves on that channel. 
Trim Mode does not erase and replace automation moves, rather it modifies
the moves previously made. For example, a fader in trim will play back
previously written moves, while you are allowed to shift those moves up or
down. 
While more will be said about these modes shortly, the main point of this
discussion is to say that an audio channel can be in one of four different
modes: Write, Trim, Read, or Manual.
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Introduction to Automated mixing in Real Time 
						

							Write Mode
When the Edit Mode menu indicates WRITE, selecting channels puts them
into Write mode.
Channels in Write are “armed” and ready to write automation moves.
Select Write Mode from the Edit Mode menu by typing “w”.
Trim Mode
When the Edit Mode menu indicates TRIM, selecting channels puts them into
Trim mode.
Channels in Trim are “armed” and ready to Trim automation moves.
In Trim mode, fader moves that you have previously written will not replaced. 
The moves will be left intact but the overall level will be relatively “offset”. 
For example, say that you have made some very complicated fader moves
while riding a vocal track, on a fader in Write mode. 
You roll back the program material to hear what you’ve done, and you like
the results, but you just wish that the whole track were a bit softer. 
Trim mode allows you to shift up or down the level by adding or subtracting
from the fader moves already entered, without having to re-write all the
moves. 
Trim mode is also used for editing channel on/offs and other switch events.
When a switch is pressed while the channel is in Trim mode, additional switch
events are only added to the previous events, without replacing previously
written events.
Select Trim Mode from the Edit Mode menu by typing “t”.
Read Mode
When the Edit Mode menu indicates READ, selecting channels puts them into
Read mode.
Channels in Read only play back previously written moves. 
Select Read Mode from the Edit Mode menu by typing “R”.
This also de-selects all channels as if you drag down the Disable All in the Real
Time Menu. For more information see page 203, Enable All/ Disable All. 
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Introduction to Automated mixing in Real Time 
						

							33
Introduction to Automated mixing in Real Time
Manual Mode
When the Edit Mode menu indicates MANUAL, selecting channels puts them
into Manual mode.
Moving the faders will change the sound of the mix, but the changes will not
be written or saved.
De-selected channels go into Read. At the moment they are de-selected, they
will snap to their last automated level, and then play back any previously
written fader moves.
To de-select a channel, press the select button above each individual fader
that you want to return to read.
Select Manual Mode from the Edit Mode menu by typing “m”.
This also selects all channels as if you drag down the Enable All in the Real
Time Menu. For more information see page 203, Enable All/ Disable All.
SELECTING THEMIXERCHANNELSYOUWANT TOEDIT
After choosing the Edit Mode from the software’s Edit Mode menu, there are
three different ways to select a channel.
Press the Select Button above the fader. 
— or —
Use the mouse to click on the Mode indicator in the fader
module within the Custom View. 
— or —
Turn SoftTouch™ on. 
When SoftTouch is on, the fader is automatically selected when
it is moved. 
Hint
• You can select the channels directly on the DA7 mixer, or on MAX
while you are using the Edit Mode.
·  First, press the MMC/CURSOR key so that the DA7 enters the MMC
mode (MMC appears in the lower right hand corner of the screen
located on the DA7). 
·  Then, press the SELECT LED button of the channels you want to
edit, while holding down 0 key of the 10 KeyPad. 
						

							35
Chapter  6
MAX REALTIMEOPERATION
OVERVIEW OFFIRSTAUTOMATIONPASS
These are very basic instructions for starting a new mix session. 
sTurn Receive Time Code Off.
sPlay the program material. Decide how you want the faders and
channel on/offs to be initially set.
sTurn Receive Time Code On.
sEnable Fader and Channel On Overwrite.
sSet Edit Mode menu to Write.
sClear Memory.
sPlay program material.
sSelect the Channels that you wish to Write.
sPerform a mix, then stop the program material.
sSave the mix.
sRewind the program material.
sListen to the mix, determine what additional edits need to be done.
The following pages provide more details. 
						

							FIRSTAUTOMATIONPASSINDETAIL
Preparing to Mix
tTurn Receive Time Code Off.
Receive Time Code is turned on and off by clicking on the T.C. button in the
Control Bar.
This allows you to freely move faders and listen to the mix. The MAX will
neither write nor read moves.
When beginning a new session, turning Receive Time Code Off is easier than
using Manual mode, because it makes the Edit Mode irrelevant. Also, when no
time code is being received, you can more freely explore the software, label
tracks, etc.
tPlay the program material and decide how you want the faders and
channel on/offs to be initially set.
For example, say that the program material begins with a few bars of an all-
percussion intro on tracks 1 through 7. You may want the mix to begin the
remaining tracks off. Move faders 1 through 7 to balance the percussion
tracks. Turn off the remaining tracks using the mixer’s Channel On/Off
buttons. 
As long as Receive Time Code is Off, no moves have been written yet. 
Once you have found a comfortable starting condition for the mix, stop the
program material and rewind it to a point a little before the beginning of the
song or score.
We are rewinding the program material for the sake of making a simple
example.
Actually, MAX lets you start and end an automation pass anywhere in the
song. 
Only the very first pass in a mix should start at the beginning.
You’ll never have to specify start and end times, you may construct the mix in
as many passes as you please, and you are never required to let the song play
all the way through on any pass.
36
MAX Real Time Operation