Using studio 2

Booking studio 2

1. Go to Slack and check the pinned topic on #-news- for studio availability. Then message Paul with the date/time required.

2. 24 hours notice of booking is usually required.

3. If you use Studio 2 before/after your show please check that no one else has booked it as this will take priority.

Using Airmate USB (the studio 2 mixing desk)

It is the responsibility of the person using the studio to ensure that the desk is set up correctly for their own recording. Following these steps will ensure that everything is in the correct position.

1. The two half faders marked Left and Right should be at 10 (about 2/3rds up). This is really important.

2. For channels 1-6 (mics, news, cartwall, playout):

(a) Gain should be set to wherever you feel is necessary to get the right level on Audacity. Mics usually at 2 o'clock, other channels at 12 o'clock, but depends on the volume of your voice/position of your head and quality of music.

(b) The first row of black buttons (Stereo Line or Line USB) should be all UP except for channel 5 (cartwall) which should be DOWN.

(c) The first row of grey buttons (mic) should be DOWN for channels 1-3 and UP for channels 4-6.

(d) High, Mid and Low should be set at 12 o'clock (midway) and AUX at 7 o'clock (zero).

(e) Cue should be up (off), ON should be down (on) and faders should be somewhere between 0 (top) and 6 (2/3rds up) but check levels first.

3. For channel 8 (telephone) - only need to check IF you are recording a call:

(a) Telco send should be about 1 o'clock.

(b) Telph Line should be UP (Telph)

(c) Gain should be about 1 o'clock.

(d) CONN should be up (off) and ON should be down (on).

4. For the cluster of buttons and dials on the right:

(a) BUTTONS - there are 12 small buttons, 3 rows of 3 and then a vertical row of 3 more. They all need to be off except for FOUR:

Self op (top row), BOTH Follow phones (third row) and Ann (last button). You should see a light on next to each button (one or two of the lights are now a bit dim and don't photograph well).

(b) DIALS - the most important one here is Balance which must be set to ZERO. Other dials are either volumes or are used for functions we don't use, so they are not so important.

5. Finally - remember to talk into the front of the mic (the side with the light on it) - devastating consquences if you don't.

Using Audacity and Levelator

1. You should test your music and speech to ensure that you are peaking between 0.5 and 1.0. Lower than 1.0 is OK, higher definitely NOT OK.

2. Unless your levels are PERFECT throughout the WHOLE recording it is recommended that you use Levelator. Save your final recording as a WAV, open Levelator, drag the saved file onto the Levelator box, then save the .output.wav file created back to an mp3.