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First Time Using Rotary Mixer

Hello,

I am about to use a Rane MP 2016 and an XP 2016 rotary mixer setup for the first time live.

The only mixer I have experience playing on is the Pioneer DJM500. My mixing technique with the DJM500 has been to only use the up faders and to leave the crossfader off.

How much different is it going to be for me to use the Rane rotary? Any adjustments that I'll have to make or anything to look out for?

What is the general technique for rotaries? I'm thinking that (roughly) you will be turning the knob for the cued track up while turning the knob for the live track down. What is the best way to incorporate EQing here?

I am very excited and a little nervous to be using this type of mixer.

Thank you for your help!

use it just like you would a regular mixer, instead of pushing and pulling the fader, you turn the knob

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Morello use it just like you would a regular mixer, instead of pushing and pulling the fader, you turn the knob

+1 but i'd also add that you should try to mix between 6 and 8 and leave yourself some headroom... respect the gain structure

i'm no expert on this at all but i believe many rotary mixers have curves meaning that each sequential increase in volume (1 to 10) is not 10% increase but rather can be a more significant increase as you move higher up to 100%... so that's one difference.

if it's the original 2016 (not the a or s models) remember you can only cue one channel at a time or the master through the phones.

you might find the curve a little different to your mixer, but you'll just have to feel that through the first couple of mixes

quote:

Originally posted by keithos27 i'm no expert on this at all but i believe many rotary mixers have curves meaning that each sequential increase in volume (1 to 10) is not 10% increase but rather can be a more significant increase as you move higher up to 100%... so that's one difference.

its called a logatitmic scale and i think this applys to most mixers really. dB is logaritmic too, each 3dB rise will sound like doubling of the volume. lets say the headroom of the mixer is 100dB, at position 50% this will mean -50dB which is like 17 times lower volume. lol i think.

quote:

Originally posted by palm its called a logatitmic scale and i think this applys to most mixers really. dB is logaritmic too, each 3dB rise will sound like doubling of the volume. lets say the headroom of the mixer is 100dB, at position 50% this will mean -50dB which is like 17 times lower volume. lol i think.

your math is all fucked

3db is noticeable louder not twice as loud. It does however require twice the power or cone size to get a 3db increase.

quote:

Originally posted by Zild +1 but i'd also add that you should try to mix between 6 and 8 and leave yourself some headroom... respect the gain structure

Should I keep the live track playing between 6 and 8? I think I pretty much do something similar with the djm 500 by keeping the faders at 7 or 8 max.

What do you mean regarding the gain structure? I like to EQ alot as I bring tracks in.


Thanks for all your help guys!

don't get worked up with the numbers behind it or the curves. with rotary mixers, you have a lot more control over the levels, hence leave yourself some headroom to match the two tracks. once you get used to it, you'll realize you can get much smoother transitions with a rotary.

I would suggest on your first mix, bring it in slowly and make a mental note on where the incoming track is just audible over the playing track.

in general tho, what i find is that you lose the ability to slam tracks in which may bother some people.

former Rane Rotary owner

One of the things that you will notice is that the EQ's on this mixer are full cut.

I don't think the Pioneer mixer are full cut EQ's.

So really watch out for that if you like to mix transitions with EQ.

Also, you can use the crossfader to slam tracks. Just remember that there is a fader curve adjustment to do that. I had a friend that could scratch like no tomorrow with this mixer using the crossfader. He would just keep it simple and set the gains and mix the crossfader.

There is something to be said about the gain on these rotary mixers. They are simply pushing a lot more sound than the Pioneer mixers. So smaller clubs don't install these because banana head DJ's crank the gains and blow their speakers. Also, if you are not the main DJ for the night it's a polite thing to not push the mixer too loud so that he or she has some headroom when they come in after you this is because the club amps can only take so much during the course of the night.

Rotary mixers were originally made popular during the analog radio days when the signal had to travel very far over analog cable. So they had to be made to go loud without distortion.

don't we all wish that we had one of these?

http://www.ureidj.com/product_1620LE.aspx

fap.

quote:

Originally posted by Zild your math is all fucked 3db is noticeable louder not twice as loud. It does however require twice the power or cone size to get a 3db increase.

hmm wouldnt that logicaly double the volume?

anyhow the change from -50 to -40 is the same as -5 to -2 so its definitly not linear.

quote:

Originally posted by lenazi don't we all wish that we had one of these? http://www.ureidj.com/product_1620LE.aspx fap.

played on one a couple of weeks ago... you feel like a human compressor mixing two tunes... soooo juicy

here's an how-to on mixing with rotary mixers..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZTZthjEhZM

just do everything like that guy and you're sure to throw a killer show!

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