Mastering toolkit explained
Importing projects
Simultaneous effects with VS8F-2 cards
Connecting multiple VS units
Tips on using the Vocoder

QUESTION:
I have a VS-1880, with one VS8F-2 Effects Card, which as you know includes the Mastering Tool Kits. I do production and engineering for a number of clients and have recently been asked to do some mastering work on a Hip-Hop project. I know a little bit about mastering, have a good ear, and have a good idea where my clients want me to take their tracks. I am curious if you can give me any pointers on how to utilize the MTKs and get a professional end product that can be pressed and sold.

S. Brunsvold

ANSWER:
The easiest, fastest, and best way to get instantly good results during Mastering for R&B and Hop Hop? Simply use the MTK preset called "LoBoost". This one is perfect for Hip Hop. No need to even tweak it at all - just make sure the Input side is hot enough (make sure the white Track Faders are up at a healthy level) and then set the Red Master Fader at the 0 dB mark for starters... then as the track plays, reposition the Red Master fader so the "Output" levels are just nearly touching the very top of the scale. You may need to play with it / mess with it a few times to figure out how high you can set the Red Master fader for the hottest level. Goal: Make the level as hot and high as possible without any audible distortion. Listen to the mix very carefully - all the way through.

QUESTION:
Is there another way to import projects to my 2400cd from my vs880 besides via CD? (The only CD burners I have are in the 2400CD and a notebook computer.)

P. Pacino

ANSWER:
No. You will need to get your hands on a Roland CD burner so you can back up your VS-880 songs to CDR in order to load them into the VS-2400. There is really no other way to do this. Find someone with a Roland CD Burner.

QUESTION:
I have four VS8F-2 cards installed in my VS-2480 and I am working on a project which requires a number of effects. If I end up using all eight effects, (two from each effects card) does that mean I can no longer use any effects on other tracks?

N.Sharma

ANSWER:
Think of your "fully-loaded" VS-2480 EFFECTS page as an Effects Rack.
You've got 8 different stereo effects that you can pick and choose what each of those effects is (i.e. Reverb, Delay, Guitar Effect, etc.) Then, you can *connect* those effects on some or ALL of your tracks.

If you INSERT the effect (like you'd insert a Compressor, EQ, Limiter, or other effect), then you can only insert it on one or two tracks as a max.

However if you use an AUX SEND knob to SEND a track to the effect (like in the case the effect is a reverb, delay, chorus, or similar time-based effect), then you can SEND some or ALL of your tracks to the same effect. Each track can have its own SEND level.

Example - if you have Effect 2 set up as a REVERB, you'd go to the CH EDIT page for each track, and turn the AUX2 knob up to the desired level.

Don't forget to set the EFFECT RETURN faders to "Unity Gain":

Press TR 17-24 (above the main red fader).

Bring the last 8 faders (labeled FX1 RTN, FX2 RTN, etc.) up to the 0 line. These faders control how loud the output of each of the 8 effects is in the overall stereo mix. But this setting does not apply if you have the effect INSERTED... only if you use an Effect SEND/RETURN path.

QUESTION:
I own a VS-2400, and I recently added the VS-2480DVD to my studio. Is there a way I can hook these two V-Studios up to get 24 tracks of simultaneous recording?

B. Talbot
Leesburg, VA

ANSWER:
It's very easy to sync a VS-2400 and a VS-2480 to get more tracks. Or really any two V-Studios, whether a VS-1680, VS-1880, or any other. You can sync any two V-Studios together to double the track count and mixing capabilities. The best way to do this is with a combination of MIDI Machine Control (a.k.a. MMC) and Digital Clock. MIDI Machine Control handles all the transport functions between the two machines, while Digital Clock provides the timing reference to make sure the drum tracks playing from one machine stay in sync with the bass part on the other. Plus, you can transfer audio from the slave unit to the master without leaving the digital domain.

Here's how to set it up:
Choose one VS as the MASTER. The other becomes the SLAVE. It doesn't matter which VS is the master and which one is the slave, it's totally up to you.

Cabling:
1) Connect a MIDI cable from the MIDI OUT jack of the MASTER to the MIDI IN jack of the SLAVE.
2) Connect a COAX Cable from the DIGITAL COAX OUT jack of the SLAVE to the DIGITAL COAX IN jack on the MASTER.

NOTE: Make sure that both the MASTER and SLAVE are powered on and that each machine's sample rate is the same. If the sampling rates don't match, you'll need to create a new project on either machine with a sampling rate that matches the other unit.

Next, make the settings on both machines as follows:

MASTER Settings:
UTILITY / PROJECT / MASTER CLOCK - Set to "DIGITAL IN"
UTILITY / MIDI / SysEx Tx. = ON
MMC MODE = MASTER
MMC SOURCE = MIDI

SLAVE Settings:
UTILITY / MIDI / SysEx Rx. = ON
MMC MODE = SLAVE
MMC SOURCE = MIDI

Next, you'll need to go into the MASTER machine's patchbay (EZ ROUTING) to connect the Digital IN coming from the SLAVE unit into the stereo MIX of the MASTER.) Thus the stereo mix of all the tracks coming off the SLAVE unit is mixed along side all the tracks in the MASTER unit, and the stereo mix on the MASTER contains the audio from both machines. Here's how:

On the MASTER, press EZ ROUTING.
Use the mouse or cursor / dial to connect a pair of "cables" from "COAX LR" to any two channels of the INPUT MIXER. (Of course, you'll need to make sure the same faders of the input mixer are set to 0dB). This will feed the stereo mix from the SLAVE into two channels of the MASTER's Input Mixer, where it will be mixed along side of all 24 Tracks that are playing from the Master.

When you use the Mastering Room (on the MASTER), it will automatically mix the digital mix in from the SLAVE along all your tracks. On the SLAVE machine, its red Master Fader will dictate the level / overall balance of its tracks against the tracks playing from the MASTER machine. For best results — keep the SLAVE's red Master fader at 0 dB, and use the SLAVE's individual Track Faders to do your mix.

It's very important that the two machines must start off synched as described above when any recordings are made, and they must stay synced during mix down. You can start playback, recording, and stop both machines from the MASTER's transport controls.

When you press PLAY on the MASTER, both units will start playing. The MASTER's mix output will contain audio from both units. So you only need to hook it up to one set of speakers, and burn audio CDs from its CD burner.

QUESTION:
When I bought the VS-2000CD, the salesman at my music store told me it has a Vocoder built in. Every time I try using the Vocoder, it sounds weird. What am I doing wrong? I really would like to use a vocoder on one of my songs.

Sean R.
Omaha, NB.

ANSWER:
The 19-band Vocoder found in all V-Studios provides quite a stunning "talk box" effect. It can make your synth or guitar track sound like it is talking. It does this by applying the envelope or articulation of a vocal track to the instrumental track. The vocal track that provides the envelope can be either a pre-recorded vocal, or you can even plug in a microphone and use the vocoder in real-time during a performance!

When you use the vocoder —there are always two tracks or channels involved, one is the voice, and one is the instrument track. For the voice, you can either use a vocal already recorded, or a live mic input. For the instrument, use a rich, thick synth pad for the best results. You can also experiment with a strumming acoustic or electric guitar that has a lot of sustain. The key is use an instrument track that has continuous sound that doesn't drop out at all, and has a lot of notes playing a time — something with a big, thick chord — lots of harmonics.

Now, to make the Vocoder sound right when you use it, you need to connect it the right way. And there really is only one right way to connect it. To explain, I'll refer to the two parts as the VOICE and the PAD.

First pick the effect. From the Effects List of your V-Studio, choose "VOC2: 19-band" as the best choice. (Note, when you choose this for Effect 1, Effect 2 can not be used.)

To connect the vocoder, it must be inserted on both the VOICE and the PAD tracks. I use the rhyme "Insert right on the mic" to remind me to insert the right channel of the vocoder on the VOICE track (i.e. "InsR"), and insert the left channel of the vocoder on the PAD track. If you have it inserted on both parts, but it doesn't sound right, chances are you got the Insert Left and Insert Right switched. Simply un-insert it all, and then try it again.

Once you press play, you'll hear the PAD track but only if the VOICE track is "talking". If the voice track isn't talking or singing at that particular part of the song, you won't hear anything. When the VOICE track is making sound, you'll hear just the PAD, but as modulated or articulated by the VOICE.

When you want to use the Vocoder with a live mic as the VOICE, just make sure you insert it on the Input Mixer, and not on the Track Mixer.