Walking Up to an LS-9 - How to Not Suck

[Chickentown]

I have a desperation fill-in job this weekend. Walking up to an LS-9 and running a system that will already be set up and tuned for me. Multiple acts with 45 minute change-overs. I'll be keeping it pretty simple for the most part...probably won't get deep into dynamics processing or editing FX Rack patches, etc. My background is StudioLive and MixWiz.

 

I've got Yamaha's quick start guide and might have time to plow through parts of the full manual, but thought I'd ask here...

 

What are the rookie mistakes and gotcha's on this console? Thanks in advance!

[samkokajko]

Remember that any input can be patched to any channel and assigned to any fader (especially if walking into someone else's show file). If you can get a copy of the all data file and open it in studio manager to see where the channels are and everything.

 

If you are walking in to an empty show see if you can reset the console to factory. If they don't need anything off it it takes 3 minutes and is the only way to be sure that it's all normal.

 

The other solution to blank slate is that scene #000 can NOT be saved over, so it is always a scene where each input is patched 1-to-1 to channels and assigned to the mains with no EQ, dynamics, or anything.

 

There is an option to allow "pop-ups on button presses" ACTIVATE IT. Then when you want to open the EQ window for better control you can just push any of the EQ knobs and it pops up. Same with any of the other sections.

 

Sends on Fader mode is a god-send. After you select one of the 16 mixes push the button again and it will start flashing (and all 16 mixes light up) this shows that the faders are now representing that mix send, great for building a mix quickly. Push the mix button again to go back to regular.

 

Press the home button at anytime to get back to the selected channel view (which shows you everything about whatever input/output channel you have selected).

 

By default the L/R are assigned to omni out 15/16 and mixes 1-12 are all 1-to-1 on the omnis. Mix 13-16 are assigned to the 4 FX processors in rack 5-8.

 

By default there are 4 31band EQs in slots 1-4 not patched to anything. If you need more the flex 15 EQ will let you adjust 8 channels.

 

If you need to do anything with naming channels, typing or patching it is WAY faster to do in studio manager however it can be a pain to get your computer going the first time. Dont spend too much time on it, trust me it can eat up whatver you have available if it doesnt want to work. Building a file offline and then loading it up can be a good solution because it lets you play around before hand and lets you patch and name and label everything quickly and have it ready to go for the show.

 

Let me know if you have any questions, the M7CL and LS9 are my main consoles and I've been working a ton with both of them for the past few years.

[Scodiddly]

If it's already patched and labelled, DON'T reset the thing! Hopefully it's all set up and you just need to tweak and mix.

 

Let's see... some good advice otherwise from samkokakjo. That "popup button" thing is very handy, and just get into the habit of smacking the Home key whenever you're lost.

 

When you go into a channel to tweak something, make sure that something is turned on (EQ, dynamics).

[samkokajko]

 

When you go into a channel to tweak something, make sure that something is turned on (EQ, dynamics).

 

 

Good "gotcha", I've had that get me a little before.

 

I don't know why the pop-up feature isn't a default, it really kills me when I work with various user keys.

 

I also should have been more specific on the reseting thing. If this is a one-off gig with a rental board starting from scratch then check with the company because that's the best way of knowing nothing will be "recall safe'd" so it doesn't set up right when you recall scene #000.

 

If it is a gig where they already have been using the board then by all means USE WHAT IS THERE and don't reset it.

 

Actually that is another tip that you might find handy. If you plan on using scene #000 to recall it to default (because you are starting from scratch) then press the "channel job" button on the left side (where all the menu buttons are) and go to "recall safe" and make sure that NOTHING is set to recall safe. If it is (including the global parameters like the rack) then when you recall scene #000 it won't change them from whatever they are set to.

 

Also don't overlook the fact that each of the menu buttons (if you need them) have several pages that you navigate by hitting them more than once. (it cycles through).

 

They are laid out pretty well into categories. User login (if needed) and save/load are on the setup page. Bus setup is also on one of the setup pages. Mute groups, recall safe and the like are on the channel job page.

 

Oh and another tip that I overlooked for quite awhile when I first started on the console. To change the configuration of the rack (what is loaded where) press both the rack buttons (1-4, 5-8) at the same time. That's where you can change to flex 15 EQs.

[Dookietwo]

Just a thought on resetting the board. I wouldn't do it only because some of the default settings may not be right for the rig. I don't know about the LS-9 but with an 01v96 default has Auxs 1-4 assigned to the 1-4 omni outs as well as the 4 internal effects processors. If your mixing monitors from the board it would be a problem with running effects as well. Also if the monitors are run from the the board the boards eqs may be set for the monitors. Are you going to readjust / eq the monitors on the fly? Same for FOH. The system could be setup for AUX send subs. A default send level/eq may be all setup for the drum and bass guitar channels etc. Same with gates/compressors/ settings.

 

As far as the effects there is some good ones and some not so good in my 01v96. The better ones may already be set to go.

 

I would do the same as if you were walking up to an analog setup with multi effects/gates/compressor/eqs etc in the setup. Start with everything as is (after a quick look over) and get things going durning the sound check.

 

Go to yamaha and download StudioManager for LS-9 and get a look the desk. Maybe the venue/owner can send you his/her files and you can see ahead of time how the board is setup.

 

Dookietwo

 

http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/downloads/firm_soft/

[davidss1]

navigation on the screen is sometimes counter intuitive,,,to get from some functions eg: on the left side of the display to one on the right,,,u might need to go up ,across and down to get there,,,reminds me of pacman a bit .

i would suggest searching on youtube for a few video examples of how to navigate this console,and setup tips.

[agedhorse]

Beware of inconsistencies that sometimes happen.

 

Last night, somebody I worked with tried to load a stored show configuration from his memory stick but it came up blank. Minor panic ensued, removed his stick, tried a different stick and those shows were present. Reinserted his stick and his show was then visible. We all looked at each other and decided that was definately uncool. It was an M7. The opening act's engineer (also a nationally known A circuit) and I were talking at dinner break about how uncomfortable he was on digital consoles and we both agreed that it's not the digital part that was a problem, it was the navigating between different brands, the ability to easily get unintended routing or configurations, the inability to quickly check and verify routings and especially something goofy on a console you walk up to, the surprises when things work differently than expected or differently when doing something exactly the same either because of software or hardware issues, and that he's also seeing more engineers {censored}ing with the software and navigation rather than really listening and mixing the show.

[TimmyP]

 

Beware of inconsistencies that sometimes happen. Last night, somebody I worked with tried to load a stored show configuration from his memory stick but it came up blank. Minor panic ensued, removed his stick, tried a different stick and those shows were present. Reinserted his stick and his show was then visible. We all looked at each other and decided that was definately uncool. It was an M7. The opening act's engineer (also a nationally known A circuit) and I were talking at dinner break about how uncomfortable he was on digital consoles and we both agreed that it's not the digital part that was a problem, it was the navigating between different brands, the ability to easily get unintended routing or configurations, the inability to quickly check and verify routings and especially something goofy on a console you walk up to, the surprises when things work differently than expected or differently when doing something exactly the same either because of software or hardware issues, and that he's also seeing more engineers {censored}ing with the software and navigation rather than really listening and mixing the show.

 

 

I'll bet the shows on one stick were done on a console that had a later OS version than on the console you were using.

[TimmyP]

Watch out for the selected send control: Having the cursor (box) on a "knob" does not mean that it is selected - you have to hit enter! If you don't hit enter, you'll be adjusting whatever send was last selected. (I consider this to be an oversight in the firmware design - it should show you that another send is selected.)

[Chickentown]

Thanks for all the advice here. I read them once again, loaded up Studio Manager + Drivers + LS9 software and headed out.

 

The software is very, very nice. Most of my channel EQ and dynamics adjustments were done on the laptop. It was pretty quick to move around that way. I liked the PEQ's on all the sends. Gig was in a big tin shed beer garden and a couple freq's just needed to be dumped wholesale. The way dynamics processing is displayed on that master channel screen is cool - what a great snapshot that screen is!

 

Then I got into the Sends on Faders thing and love it. Forgot where I was three or four times and was adjusting on the wrong layer as you warned, but nothing catastrophic.

 

"Master" layer is called "Mix" layer in the software - that took a few minutes to unravel.

 

I got decent mixes for everything except the band that showed up an hour into their set time, give me terrible indications of their *real* levels when setting up gains, needed to ask us for instrument cables and basics, and their singer had a crappy wireless going into a foot-stomp processor with patches that were all set at different levels.

 

Anyway - great experience. Exhausting to have all the normal challenges of multiple bands and that extra level of brain work to operate the new console. I wouldn't do it again without the laptop (thanks for that tip!). Workflow on the console didn't impress me necessarily for that application. I'd have to give it another show or two, but at this point I'd be more than willing to give up the moving faders and layers for the single-surface of a StudioLive 24. Of course, this show only used 24 channels...that said, I like Yamaha's style and look forward to using some of their other digital stuff down the road.

[agedhorse]

 

I'll bet the shows on one stick were done on a console that had a later OS version that on the console you were using.

 

 

Same OS, same version. Double-checked.

[Dark Ice]

I dont really class USB sticks as reliable for the most part. I certainly never rely on them as a sole method of keeping data, only to copy between computers. You never know if someones taken it out while datas being written to the device, if somethings crashed while writing data, heck, I've witnessed them register on a PC as a USB device but not even do a directory listing due to a poor electrical connection! Simply unplugging and plugging in again solves the problem. Some devices due to the physical size of the device only plug halfway in :/

USB 'sticks' - not a professional solution, but cheap enough to buy plenty backups

[samkokajko]

I was doing a show on an LS9 (a HS production of brigadoon with 28 wireless mics) and made the mistake of pulling the flash drive too early.

 

It gives a progress bar but when that is done it IS NOT DONE. Wait until the "Access" stops flashing at the top the the screen.

 

It wiped my file and I came in the next day to a completely blank file other then some incorrect file names from before I started. It was really a mess trying to get caught up.

 

I learned my lesson on that one and now take backups of all my show files religiously.

[NUSound]

Treat it just like an analog board. Hopefully everything is patched 1:1 (Mic Pre 1 >> Fader 1, etc.). Don't play with scenes, don't play with routing, just set it all and leave it be, just like an analog board works. The only thing I would change (if it isn't done already) is assign mute groups to the user-defined-keys. Don't try anything fancy on your first outing away from analog.