Config / Show mode audio interruptions

[amoyer]

I've been through the software and watch a bunch of the webinars to know that some things cannot be done while in Show mode. The manual says that "Some Config mode operations interrupt audio throughput" but is not more specific then that.

What sort of operations in Config mode interrupt audio throughput? If I found that I needed another plugin in the middle of a show (which means I need to switch to Config mode) would this be a noticeable interruption to the audio during the show? Do users find this a restriction of something they must live with once into a show?

Thanks,
Andrew

[Scott Fahy]

If you find you need a new plug in during the show you will lose audio so it's best to instantiate some extra plug ins during your preshow set up. Depending on the type of show your doing try to think ahead about what plug ins may be needed. Learning that you can't add a plug in during a show is not a big deal to me. Just makes me plan my board layout more thoroughly.

Scott

[TwoPort]

Originally Posted by amoyer

Do users find this a restriction of something they must live with once into a show?

I don't think patching inserts is a recommended practice in analog or digital worlds during a performance. Yes sometimes I wish I could just mess with the 30 different compressors available to me in venue during a performance (slurp...) But virtual sound check has made it all work for me. I spend more time in virtual sound check than mixing and absolutely love it!!

Truth is in "VS" I've experimented, tested, and learned things I would never learn in live performance cause no live band would ever have the patience. And then when we get back together they are happy it sounds so much "better." (Are you kidding!? After 3 hours working on the virtual sound check it sounds amazing!)

[Geb]

I won't comment on "best" practices in analog & digital worlds, because I can't. But I can comment on what D-Show can do, in particular when it can do it very well.

D-Show will stop audio when you add or remove a plug-in in the rack. No way around it: to make the best use of DSP resources, it could end up moving every single algorithm from a DSP to an other one...

But once the plug-in has been created, you can safely patch/repatch/unpatch it any way you want without interrupting audio.

So yes, the recommendation is that if you know that you might need an extra <insert your favorite plug-ins here>, add it/them to the rack before the show, if you have enough room for it/them. Once you have it/them in reserve, you can make use of it/them on the fly during the show, during a song. Be careful though, as inserting/removing a plug-in could drop or raise the gain of that signal quite a bit depending on the effect's settings!

Good luck!
-g

[amoyer]

I apologize as I really should have been a little clearer on the situation where this console would be used.

I work in a municipally run multi-use facilty where this console would be used as a FOH console, sometimes with a separate monitor desk, sometimes not. This console would be used for a mixture of plays, musicals, concerts, dance, etc., in a mixture of professional and community based events.

Sometimes the person mixing is with the performer and then yes they would probably have a good idea of what plug-ins would be required, but other times myself, or one of the other techs from our theatre, don't always know the show and sometimes you just don't know. That's one of the reasons we have a couple of multi-effects units.

Thanks for the information. The answers you have provided helped me with the worries I had regarding plug-ins.

One of these days we'll have to get a demo setup so I can finally use the console in a show situation.

Andrew

[sonicboost]

Hi Andrew,
I just did a quick count of how many 'unassigned plug-ins' of the 100 available slots I have. I have 37 slots that are unassigned. Of that 37, there are 12 extra plug-ins instantiated, ready to be assigned if I need them. So there are 25 slots that are not even populated at all on a regular basis.
To give you some perspective, I'm at a church and we're not just supporting a 5 piece band with some singers. I have a 40 piece orchestra, a 7 piece praise band, 4 voice praise team, 85 voice choir, and numerous other wireless channels, etc used in a typical performance. So, my track count on the Venue ends up being a minimum of 40 each week, with as many as 80 for special events, or really busy Sundays! We have 4 mix engines, and I'm getting by just fine with that track count and using about 75 plug-ins (whether assigned or not). If I wanted to add the other 25 plug-ins, I'd pretty much have to buy another mix engine, but I'd still keep a dozen or more plug-ins instantiated at all times to be 'ready' for action. If you have the plug-ins 'instantiated', as was mentioned here earlier, there is no 'interruption' if you assign it.
It is literally like having a dozen extra effects processors sitting in the rack, waiting to be inserted. You might get a gain bump, or hear some other audible difference on THAT track when you assign it, but it won't affect the rest of the program audio.
The audio interruption when instantiating a plug-in in "Config" mode is an interruption of the ENTIRE program. Thats important to note. Thats why we like to keep a good selection of extras instantiated in the rack, just in case.
I just wanted to give you an example of what keeping the plug-ins instantiated looks like. If you have a handful of 'go-to' plug-ins, and you have plenty enough DSP (enough mix engine cards), I can't imagine being in a situation where you weren't able to grab what you need from the plug-in rack. If you don't instantiate some extras, it would be like showing up to the gig without the rack piece you WISHED you had, but didn't bring, or hadn't hooked up yet.
one other note...
There is also an interruption in program audio when you 'swap a fader' to a different spot on the console. On rare occasions I have to do this during rehearsal if there is an added element to the program that wasn't communicated ahead of time, just so I can group faders the way I want to. But I just try to wait for a break in the action so I'm not disturbing the rehearsal, or I wait until everthing is done. But, this is kind of like pulling a channel strip out of the bucket and swapping it with another strip. So, an interruption is to be expected.