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This
document describes how
to power on the Krisp
fm studio, setup the
mixer, start broadcasting,
end broadcasting, and
what to do in between.
It includes details
of how all the studio
machines work and how
to record you show,
as well as some hints
and tips, and some more
detailed notes about
how the studio works.
It
is very important that
you understand about
levels and cueing if
your show is to sound
intelligible to the
listeners. If you understand
how all the equipment
works and operating
it becomes second-nature
with a little practice,
then you show will sound
more professional and
you can concentrate
on the important bit:
the content!
Contents
- Commencing your Show
- Recording your programme
- Levels, Mixing and 'Ducking'
- Cueing and Fading sources
- Ending Your Broadcast
- Editing on MiniDisc
- Digital Copying
Commencing
your show
If
no-one presented a show
before you, follow the
instructions in Studio Startup. Then follow
the Mixing Desk Setup instructions.
If
there is a presenter
on before you, then
you need to swap places
with him/her during
the news. During the
news the SBN fader should
be all the way to the
top and all the other
red, white and green
faders down (N.B. not
the yellow or black
master faders!!!).
Follow the Mixing Desk Setup instructions.
In
either case, once you
have completed setting
up the mixer, you should
have SBN playing through
the desk. Now do the
following:
- The
news bulletin is usually
exactly 2 or 3 minutes
long. After the news,
adverts are broadcast.
you must play
the adverts.
The adverts finish
with a sequence of
three phone-tone beeps.
- As
soon as the adverts
finish, fade out SBN
and fade in your first
track or jingle.
- You
must either use a
jingle or speak to
identify the station
as Krisp FM - this
is a legal requirement.
Please mention this
within the first five
minutes of your broadcast.
If
there was someone in
the studio before you,
make sure they leave
the place tidy for you
to use. Your guests
must be members of Krisp
fm for insurance reasons
- if you wish to invite
someone onto your programme
who isn't a member,
e-mail the Studio Manager: topboy@krispfm.com.
Studio
Startup (after the studio
has been out of use)
If
no-one presented a show
before you, you need
to do the following:
- Check
that the 'studio
monitor',
'studio headphones',
and 'presenter
headphones'
controls are set to
low volume levels
- Ensure
the standby/transmit
switch is in the standby
position
- Push
the 'SBN'
fader all the way
to the top, and all
the other white, red
and green faders all
the way to the bottom
Mixing
Desk Setup
- If
you wish to use your
own headphones, plug
them into the 'presenter
headphones'
socket on the mixing
desk, otherwise use
the in-studio pair.
- If
you have a guest,
plug their headphones
into the 'studio
headphones'
socket on the panel
- these can be either
the in-studio headphones
or your own pair
- Set
the mixing desk control
to your requirements
- The
yellow and black
faders for 'stereo
master'
and 'mono
master'
should always
be fully up (set
to '0')
- Adjust
the 'studio
monitor'
volume control
to a comfortable
listening level.
- Adjust
the 'presenter
headphones'
and 'studio
headphones'
volume controls
for you and your
guests' comfort.
- The
yellow 'balance'
and 'pan'
knobs should all
be centered (set
to '0')
- If
you wish to use
tone controls
on any channel,
the 'EQ'
switch needs to
be depressed and
the grey tone
controls set appropriately.
Otherwise the
switch should
be raised (the
yellow light on
the button extinguished)
- If
you wish to use
the 80Hz filter
on any channel,
the '80Hz'
button should
be depressed (the
yellow light on
the button illuminated)
- The
'line', 'divert',
and 'line 2' switches
at the top of
the mixer should
all be raised
(red light on
switch extinguished)
unless you need
to use any of
the line 2 sources
(ie. Tape, MiniDisc
3, CDs 3 and 4)
- Select
'auto
PFL',
'split
PFL'
and 'meter
follow monitor'
to your preference.
- Adjust
the red 'gain'
knob on the SBN channel
so that the PPM meters
peak at 0.
- Adjust
the presenter microphone
(and guest microphone,
if you're using it)
as follows:
- Position
the angle-poise
microphone arms.
For the presenter,
you need to be
sat in a comfortable
position to do
your show, able
to operate the
mixer, observe
the meters, and
talk to your guest,
all without moving
your mouth too
far away from
the microphone.
- Ideally
a microphone should
be between 5cm
and 15cm away
from your mouth
when speaking.
- Put
on the presenter
headphones and
pre-fade the appropriate
channel (the red
light on the 'PFL'
button will illuminate
- Whilst
speaking into
the microphone
at a normal volume,
adjust the red
'gain'
knob so the PPM
meters peak between
4 and 5
- If
you wish to adjust
the tonal quality
of your voice,
depress the 'EQ'
button (illuminates
yellow) and adjust
the grey tone
control knobs.
- Depressing
the '80Hz'
switch (illuminates
yellow) is useful
for filtering
out breath noises
and preventing
'pee' sounds pushing
levels through
the roof.
- De-select
pre-fade (push
'PFL'
again, the red
light extinguishes
- Thereafter,
whenever speaking,
simply slide the
appropriate microphone
fader to the top
('0'), and check
the meters read
between 3 and
5. Don't forget
to slide the fader
back to the bottom
when you've finished
speaking!!! Also,
remember that
you need to fade
music down to
talk over it.
Recording
Your Programme
You
can record your show
onto MiniDisc or cassette
tape. This records the
output of the mixing
desk as heard by the
listeners, regardless
of whether you are on
air or not. You can
still prefade as normal,
though; this is not
recorded.
Tape:
Use the cassette deck
under the CD. It works
just like a standard
tape deck; insert the
tape, and press record.
The two indicator bars
show the recording level.
Remember that for an
hour show, you'll need
to turn the tape over
at some point, so it's
best to do this in the
middle of a track rather
than letting it run
to the end (or alternatively,
stop recording during
the songs so that your
show fits on one side
of the tape).
MiniDisc:
Use the MiniDisc machine
on the on top of the
two CD players. Insert
a blank MD, and wait
until the machine is
ready. Check that the
'rec source'
switch is set to 'ana'.
Select stereo or mono
recording using the
switch on the MiniDisc
machine - you can fit
twice as much on one
MiniDisc if you use
the 'mono'
recording option. Press
'rec'
- aim to have the MiniDisc
meters reading around
-8 to -12dB when the
mixing desk meters show
4-5. Finally press 'pause'
when you're ready to
start. Please note that
when you press 'stop',
the machine will take
several seconds before
you can eject the disc
as it finishes writing
the data.
Caution:
When you are recording
onto MiniDisc, take
care not to fade up
the MP3 chanel. Doing
this will result in
unpleasant feedback
being broadcast!
Levels,
Mixing and 'Ducking'
The
mixing desk has a pair
of Peak Programme Meters
(PPM Meters) which show
the output level of
the desk, or of the
source being pre-faded.
The output level should
not exceed 0 at any
time during your broadcast
- if it does, the FM
and MP3 transmissions
will sound distorted,
although what you hear
in the studio will sound
fine. Normally the meters
will peak at 0. At the
same time, your levels
shouldn't be much below
-4; if they are, your
show will be much harder
to hear when listening
on AM, and of a poorer
quality for listeners
using RealAudio.
When
speaking over a record,
you need the microphone
fader all the way up,
and you need to pull
down the fader for the
music that is playing
while you are speaking
(this is sometimes called
ducking). If you don't
lower the music level,
your speech will be
inaudible to the listeners.
If you set the presenter
headphones to quite
a loud level this effect
becomes clear to see.
It
is very important that
you set up your microphone
properly, as described
in the section on mixing desk setup. It is
surprisingly common
for people not to do
this, and their speech
usually ends up much
quieter than their music
or much louder. While
this doesn't sound too
bad in the studio, it
makes your show unintelligable
for listeners (too quiet
and your voice is lost
among the background
noise of FM, too loud
and it distorts).
Cueing
and Fading sources
General
Cueing
is a very important
aspect of your radio
show - it ensures that
when you push up the
fader, the sound source
you want to hear is
there, starts at the
right time and is at
the right volume or
'level'. The basic process
is as follows:
- Determine
what sound source
you want to use and
what channel it is
connected to on the
mixer. If necessary,
remove existing media
and insert new media
(eg. CD, cassette,
Minidisc).
- If
the source is labelled
at the top of the
mixer channel rather
than at the bottom,
you need to select
'line'
or 'line 2'
on the channel (the
red light on the switch
will illuminate).
- Pre-fade
the source: Push the
'PFL'
button - a red light
will illuminate on
the button. The 'meter
follow monitor'
button on the right
hand side of the desk
should be pressed
(illuminated red),
in which case the
meters will show the
level of the pre-faded
source. The pre-fade
source is audible
in the presenter headphones
and any other monitors
that have 'auto
PFL' selected.
If 'split
PFL' is selected,
the presenter hears
the pre-faded source
in one ear and the
broadcast output in
the other ear.
- Note
that a source cannot
be pre-faded if the
fader is up, and moving
the fader up clears
the pre-fade condition
for that channel.
- Start
the source playing,
either using a play
button on the device
or using the 'start'
button on the desk.
Obviously SBN is a
continuous signal
and can't be started!
- Skip
to the loudest part
of the track or listen
to the loudest bit
of the source
- Adjust
the red 'gain'
knob so that the peaks
in the signal register
at 0 on the meters.
This is important
- if your output goes
above this level,
it will sound OK in
the studio but horribly
disorted to your listeners.
- 'Re-cue'
the source to the
start - e.g. pause
a CD player at the
start of the track,
ready to play.
- When
you want to broadcast
the source, push the
fader up and start
the source playing
(with a play button
or with the 'start'
button on the desk).
When using the turntables,
it is possible to
push the 'start'
button with the fader
down (the button glows
green dimly), and
the source will start
when the fader is
moved up (the 'start'
button glows brightly).
About
'Start', 'PFL' and 'Line
2' Operation
Pushing
'PFL'
will pre-fade a track;
the red light on the
PFL button will light
up. You can pre-fade
more than one thing
at once. Note that you
can't pre-fade a channel
when the fader is not
fully down, and moving
the fader up automatically
clears the pre-fade
state for that channel.
Pushing
'start'
will cause a machine
to start playing (MiniDisc
channels and turntables),
provided that either
the fader has been moved
up or the channel is
in pre-fade mode. The
green light on the 'start'
button glows brightly.
Pressing 'start'
again will clear the
start light. If 'start'
is pressed when the
fader is fully down
and the channel isn't
pre-faded, the green
start light will glow
at half brightness -
the machine will start
when the fader is moved
up.
The
operation of 'start'
and 'PFL'
is interlocked with
the 'line 2'
status. For example,
'start'
will only start MiniDisc
1 if 'line 2'
is de-selected.
Cueing
a CD
- Ensure
the play
light is flashing
at the top left of
the display. If not,
press CUE once and
it will start flashing.
You will only need
to do this once.
- Open
the draw by pushing
the white 'open/close'
button firmly. Remove
any existing CD and
file it in
its proper place.
Insert a CD and push
'open/close'
again.
- A
few seconds after
the tray has closed,
the machine will show
the number of tracks
on the CD.
- Push
the 'program'
button and type in
the track number you
wish to play using
the numbered buttons
along the player.
If you need a two
digit track, push
the numbers one after
the other. The display
then shows '1' (meaning
one track has been
programmed) and the
length of that track.
- Push
the 'play'
button. After a few
seconds the CD player
enters pause mode
at the start of the
track. The display
shows '0:00' unless
there is a lot of
silence on the start
of the track.
- (Optional,
but useful) Press
the 'time'
button so the time
display shows the
time remaining for
the track, rather
than the time already
gone.
- Push
'pause'
to start the track
playing - it should
start immediately
in most cases.
- Listen
to the track on pre-fade
and ensure that the
levels are set correctly.
You can use the forward
and backward wind
buttons if necessary.
- Recue
the track ready for
playing by pushing
'play'.
This takes the player
back to the start
of the track, and
holds it there. (If
you don't want to
play from the start,
find the point in
the track you want,
and press pause).
- When
you're ready to start
the CD playing, move
the fader on the mixing
desk all the way to
the top, and press
'pause'
on the CD player.
If
you make a mistake,
it's easiest to eject
the CD and start again.
Also useful is the 'time'
button which allows
you to switch between
time elapsed and time
remaining.
Cueing
a record
- Put
the record on the
turntable. Check what
speed setting you
require - singles
(7" and 12") are usually
45rpm, albums are
33rpm, but there are
exceptions - and press
the appropriate speed
button on the bottom
left of the deck.
Ensure the pitch control
is in the centre,
with the green light
illuminated.
- Press
'start/stop'
on the deck, or 'start'
on the mixing desk,
to start the turntable,
and gently place the
stylus in the middle
of the track. Listen
to the track on prefade
and ensure that the
levels are set correctly
for the loudest part
of the track.
- Stop
the turntable using
'start/stop'.
Place the needle just
before the track you
want to play.
- Still
listening on prefade,
start the turntable
again. As soon as
the music starts,
stop the turntable.
Then, by hand, carefully
wind back the record
to the start of the
music, and then take
it back a further
three quarters of
a turn. This is to
ensure that the turntable
is up to speed by
the time the music
starts.
- When
you're ready to play
the track, press 'start'
on the mixing desk.
The record will start
turning when you push
up the mixing desk
fader.
Cueing
a Minidisc
- Put
the minidisc into
the machine. (The
metal shutter goes
on the right hand
side as you insert
the disc.) The display
says 'Welcome', then
'TOC Reading' and
finally either the
title of the disc,
or '0' if the disc
has no title. Other
possibilities are
'Blank Disc'
and 'Disc
error'!
- Ensure
that the red 'program'
indicator is lit up
in the bottom left
of the display. If
this is not the case,
you will need to press
'play mode'
a few times to get
to 'program'.
- If
you've already played
tracks from the current
disc as opposed to
inserting a new disc
as described above,
clear any program
by pressing 'stop'.
- Turn
the knob back and
forth until you find
the track you want
to play (the titles
will appear in the
display).
- Press
the knob inwards.
This selects a track.
(If you now require
more tracks, repeat
by turning the knob
again, and pressing
in for each track).
- Press
'pause'.
This cues the track
ready to go.
- Now
start the track playing.
Either press 'play'
on the MiniDisc machine,
or press the 'start'
button on the appropriate
channel on the mixing
desk.
- Listen
to the track on prefade
and ensure that the
levels are set correctly.
You can go back and
forth through the
track if necessary.
- To
recue the track :
if the track is still
playing, press 'pause'.
Turn the knob to the
left to make it go
back to the start
of the track and wait.
- When
you're ready to start
the MiniDisc, ensure
the correct fader
is up on the mixing
desk, and then either
press 'play'
or 'start'
as in step 6.
Pressing
'stop'
twice clears the programmed
tracks. Pressing 'display'
cycles the display between
elapsed time, time remaining
and track/disc name.
Cueing
a cassette
We
generally discourage
the use of cassettes
because they are difficult
to cue and the audio
quality is poor. However,
if you must use cassette:
- Ensure
that 'line
2' is selected
on the appropriate
channel (the red light
on the switch illuminates).
- Insert
a cassette and start
it playing, then pre-fade
the channel and ensure
the levels are set
correctly on the mixing
desk.
- Rewind
the cassette to before
the start of the music
you want and start
it playing again.
- As
soon as you hear the
track start, press
'stop'.
- Remove
the cassette from
the machine, rewind
about a turn of tape
by hand, and put the
cassette back in the
machine.
- To
play, push the fader
up and press 'play'
on the cassette deck.
Ending
your broadcast
Finishing
your programme
- Towards
the end of your programme,
consider the time
remaining and plan
tracks/jingles/items
accordingly. If there
is a show directly
after you, start tidying
up your records to
allow you to change
over to the next presenter
quickly during the
news.
- The
news should start
exactly on the hour
according to the radio
clock in the studio.
During the last minute
of your show, monitor
or pre-fade the 'SBN'
channel.
- The
news is perceeded
by a second of silence;
when you hear this,
push the SBN fader
to the top (this clears
the pre-fade light)
and fade out whatever
you were playing quickly.
- If
someone has a show
after you, remember
to swap membership
cards, then let them
take-over the desk.
Otherwise, follow
the studio shutdown instructions.
- Remember
to remove you last
track/CD/etc from
the machine once the
news has started.
It is considerate
to the next presenter
to let them cue up
their first track
while your last track
is playing, so long
as your are confident
in your abilities
when working the mixing
desk!
- It
is also helpful to
the next presenter
if you reset any tone
controls etc. that
you were using to
their normal positions
- Put
jingles back and put
records back in the
correct piles in the
record library
Studio
Shutdown (if no-one
else has arrived to
do a programme after
you)
After
following the finishing your programme
instructions above,
the SBN fader will be
up with the news playing.
Then:
- Move
the 'standby/transmit'
switch to 'standby'.
- Turn
down the monitor levels
for the studio heaphones,
guest headphones and
monitor speakers
- Reset
the mixing desk controls
to their normal positions
(tone controls centered,
'EQ'
deselected and so
on).
-
Editing
on Minidisc
MiniDisc
is a very versatile
format and allows straightforward
yet powerful editing.
The editing allows you
to divide a track into
two tracks, combine
tracks, move tracks
around the disc and
erase tracks. Additionally,
each disc and each track
can have a title.
Dividing
- Pause
the track you want
to edit at roughly
the right place
- Push
'edit/no'
repeatedly until the
display shows 'Divide?'.
Push 'yes'
- The
display will alternate
between 'Rehearsal'
and 'Position Ok?'
and the machine plays
from the edit point.
- Turn
the knob to move the
edit point forwards
or backwards
- Push
'yes'
to confirm the operation,
or push 'edit/no'
twice to cancel.
Combining
- Combining
always combines a
track with the previous
track - so you may
need to move tracks
around.
- Select
the second of the
two tracks you want
to combine and pause
it
- Push
'edit/no'
repeatedly until the
display shows 'Combine?'.
Push 'yes'.
- The
display will alternate
between 'Rehearsal'
and 'Track ok?' and
the machine will play
the combined track.
- Push
'yes'
to confirm the operation,
or push 'edit/no'
to cancel.
Moving
- Pause
the track you want
to move.
- Push
'edit/no'
repeatedly until the
display shows 'Move?'
Push 'yes'
- Select
the the number you
want to move the current
track to using the
rotary knob.
- Push
'yes'
to confirm the operation,
or push 'edit/no'
to cancel.
Erasing
- Pause
the track you want
to erase.
- Push
'edit/no'
repeatedly until the
display shows 'Erase?'.
Push 'yes'
to confirm.
Titling
- Pause
the track you want
to title
- Push
'edit/no'
repeatedly until the
display shows 'Name
in?'. Push 'yes'
to confirm.
- Select
a letter or symbol
using the rotary knob,
then push the knob
in to confirm the
choice.
- Repeat
the above until you've
spelled out the title.
- Push
'yes'
to enter the title.
- The
fast forward and rewind
buttons can be used
to go forward or back
through the title.
Undo
- Push
'stop'
several times to stop
any track that is
playing
- Push
'edit/no'
repeatedly until the
display shows 'Undo?'.
Push 'yes'
to confirm the choice.
- The
display shows 'Undo
x' where x is the
last action performed.
Push 'yes'
to confirm.
Digital
Copying
The
studio is set up to
allow digital copying
between CD and Minidisc,
and from Minidisc to
Minidisc. This is intended
to allow easy editing
of trailers, interviews
etc. You are
reminded that the duplication
of copyright works without
the copyright owner's
permission is illegal.
If this facility is
abused it will be removed.
If
no digital signal is
available (e.g. the
source machine is switched
off), the MiniDisc display
shows 'Din Unlock'.
The position of the
'record level'
control makes no difference
when recording from
a digital source.
If
you have any enquiries
or comments regarding
these instructions then
please get in touch
with the Studio Manager: topboy@krispfm.com.
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