Yamaha 4FX Manuel utilisateur

Marque: Yamaha

Modèle: 4FX

Catégorie: Mélangeurs audio

Taper: Manuel utilisateur

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MIXING CONSOLE

Owner’s Manual

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

Pages 6 to 16

MG12/4FX

PRECAUTIONS

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING

* Please keep this manual in a safe place for future reference.

WARNING

Always follow the basic precautions listed below to avoid the possibility of serious injury or even death from electrical

shock, short-circuiting, damages, ﬁre or other hazards. These precautions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Only use the voltage speciﬁed as correct for the device. The required voltage is

printed on the name plate of the device.

• Use only the speciﬁed AC power adaptor (PA-20 or an equivalent recommended

by Yamaha).

• Do not place the power cord near heat sources such as heaters or radiators, and

do not excessively bend or otherwise damage the cord, place heavy objects on

it, or place it in a position where anyone could walk on, trip over, or roll anything

over it.

• Do not open the device or attempt to disassemble the internal parts or modify

them in any way. The device contains no user-serviceable parts. If it should

appear to be malfunctioning, discontinue use immediately and have it inspected

by qualiﬁed Yamaha service personnel.

• Do not expose the device to rain, use it near water or in damp or wet conditions,

or place containers on it containing liquids which might spill into any openings.

• Never insert or remove an electric plug with wet hands.

• If the power cord or plug becomes frayed or damaged, or if there is a sudden

loss of sound during use of the device, or if any unusual smells or smoke

should appear to be caused by it, immediately turn off the power switch,

disconnect the electric plug from the outlet, and have the device inspected by

qualiﬁed Yamaha service personnel.

• If this device or the AC power adaptor should be dropped or damaged,

immediately turn off the power switch, disconnect the electric plug from the

outlet, and have the device inspected by qualiﬁed Yamaha service personnel.

CAUTION

Always follow the basic precautions listed below to avoid the possibility of physical injury to you or others, or damage

to the device or other property. These precautions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Remove the electric plug from the outlet when the device is not to be used for

extended periods of time, or during electrical storms.

• When removing the electric plug from the device or an outlet, always hold the

plug itself and not the cord. Pulling by the cord can damage it.

•To avoid generating unwanted noise, make sure there is 50 cm or more

between the AC power adaptor and the device.

• Do not cover or wrap the AC power adaptor with a cloth or blanket.

• Before moving the device, remove all connected cables.

•Avoid setting all equalizer controls and faders to their maximum. Depending on

the condition of the connected devices, doing so may cause feedback and may

damage the speakers.

• Do not expose the device to excessive dust or vibrations, or extreme cold or heat

(such as in direct sunlight, near a heater, or in a car during the day) to prevent

the possibility of panel disﬁguration or damage to the internal components.

• Do not place the device in an unstable position where it might accidentally fall

over.

• Do not use the device in the vicinity of a TV, radio, stereo equipment, mobile

phone, or other electric devices. Otherwise, the device, TV, or radio may

generate noise.

• Before connecting the device to other devices, turn off the power for all devices.

Before turning the power on or off for all devices, set all volume levels to

minimum.

• Do not insert your ﬁngers or hand in any gaps or openings on the device.

•Avoid inserting or dropping foreign objects (paper, plastic, metal, etc.) into any

gaps or openings on the device. If this happens, turn off the power immediately

and unplug the power cord from the AC outlet. Then have the device inspected

by qualiﬁed Yamaha service personnel.

• Do not use the device or headphones for a long period of time at a high or

uncomfortable volume level, since this can cause permanent hearing loss. If you

experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, consult a physician.

• Do not rest your weight on the device or place heavy objects on it, and avoid use

excessive force on the buttons, switches or connectors.

Power supply/Power cord

Do not open

Water warning

If you notice any abnormality

Power supply/Power cord

Location

Connections

Handling caution

MG12/4FX

Always turn the power off when the device is not in use.

Even when the power switch is in the “STANDBY” position, electricity is still ﬂowing to the device at the minimum level. When you are not using the device for a long time,

make sure you unplug the power cord from the wall AC outlet.

The performance of components with moving contacts, such as switches, volume controls, and connectors, deteriorates over time. Consult qualiﬁed Yamaha service

personnel about replacing defective components.

Copying of the commercially available music data and/or digital audio ﬁles is strictly prohibited except for your personal use.

Illustration examples shown herein are for explanatory purposes only, and may not match actual appearance during operation.

The company names and product names in this Owner’s Manual are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

•This applies only to products distributed by Yamaha-Kemble Music (U.K.) Ltd. (2 wires)

* This applies only to products distributed by YAMAHA CORPORATION OF AMERICA. (class B)

XLR-type connectors are wired as follows (IEC60268 standard): pin 1: ground, pin 2: hot (+), and pin 3: cold (–).

Insert TRS phone jacks are wired as follows: sleeve: ground, tip: send, and ring: return.

Yamaha cannot be held responsible for damage caused by improper use or modiﬁcations to the device.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM

Connecting the Plug and Cord

IMPORTANT. The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:

BLUE : NEUTRAL

BROWN : LIVE

As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may not correspond with the coloured makings identifying the terminals in your

plug proceed as follows:

The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured BLACK.

The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured RED.

Making sure that neither core is connected to the earth terminal of the three pin plug.

FCC INFORMATION (U.S.A.)

1. IMPORTANT NOTICE: DO NOT MODIFY THIS UNIT!

This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions

contained in this manual, meets FCC requirements. Modiﬁca-

tions not expressly approved by Yamaha may void your author-

ity, granted by the FCC, to use the product.

2. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories

and/or another product use only high quality shielded cables.

Cable/s supplied with this product MUST be used. Follow all

installation instructions. Failure to follow instructions could void

your FCC authorization to use this product in the USA.

3. NOTE: This product has been tested and found to comply with

the requirements listed in FCC Regulations, Part 15 for Class

“B” digital devices. Compliance with these requirements pro-

vides a reasonable level of assurance that your use of this

product in a residential environment will not result in harmful

interference with other electronic devices. This equipment gen-

erates/uses radio frequencies and, if not installed and used

according to the instructions found in the users manual, may

cause interference harmful to the operation of other electronic

devices. Compliance with FCC regulations does not guarantee

that interference will not occur in all installations. If this product

is found to be the source of interference, which can be deter-

mined by turning the unit “OFF” and “ON”, please try to elimi-

nate the problem by using one of the following measures:

Relocate either this product or the device that is being affected

by the interference.

Utilize power outlets that are on different branch (circuit

breaker or fuse) circuits or install AC line ﬁlter/s.

In the case of radio or TV interference, relocate/reorient the

antenna. If the antenna lead-in is 300 ohm ribbon lead, change

the lead-in to co-axial type cable.

If these corrective measures do not produce satisfactory

results, please contact the local retailer authorized to distribute

this type of product. If you can not locate the appropriate

retailer, please contact Yamaha Corporation of America, Elec-

tronic Service Division, 6600 Orangethorpe Ave, Buena Park,

CA90620

The above statements apply ONLY to those products distrib-

uted by Yamaha Corporation of America or its subsidiaries.

Introduction

MG12/4FX

Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of the YAMAHA MG12/4FX mixing console. The MG12/4FX features input channels suitable for

a wide range of usage environments, and includes high-quality built-in digital effects that can provide some very serious sound.

The mixer combines ease of operation with support for multiple usage environments.

Please read through this manual carefully before beginning use, so that you will be able to take full advantage of this mixer’s

superlative features and enjoy trouble-free operation for years to come.

Contents

Introduction 4

Contents .............................................................. 4

Features ............................................................... 4

Before Turning on the Mixer ................................. 5

Tu r ning the Power On .......................................... 5

Making the Most Of Your Mixer 6

1. A Place For Everything and

Everything In Its Place.................................... 6

2. Where Your Signal Goes Once

It’s Inside the Box ........................................... 9

3. The First Steps in Achieving

Great Sound ................................................. 10

4. External Effects, Monitor Mixes,

and Groups ................................................... 12

5. Making Better Mixes..................................... 15

Front & Rear Panels 17

Channel Control Section .................................... 17

Master Control Section ...................................... 19

Rear Input/Output Section ................................. 21

Setting Up 23

Setup Procedure ................................................ 23

Setup Examples ................................................. 23

Rack Mounting ................................................... 25

Appendix 26

Speciﬁcations ..................................................... 26

Dimensional Diagrams ....................................... 28

Block Diagram and Level Diagram .................... 29

Features

Input Channels................................ page 21

With up to six mic/line inputs or up to four stereo

inputs, the MG12/4FX can simultaneously connect to

a wide range of devices: microphones, line-level

devices, stereo synthesizers, and more. For exam-

ple, you can connect four microphones and four ste-

reo devices, or six microphones and two stereo

devices.

Phantom Power (+48 V) .................. page 19

A single switch turns phantom power on or off for all

six mic inputs. Phantom power enables easy con-

nection to condenser microphones that require exter-

nal power.

High-quality digital effects............. page 20

With digital effects built in, the MG12/4FX can deliver

a wide range of sound variations all by itself. The unit

also includes an EFFECT SEND jack that can be

used to connect an external effector.

AUX Sends and Stereo

AUX Return................................ page 17, 19

You can use the AUX SEND jack to feed the

post-fader signal to an external signal processor, and

then return the processed stereo signal through the

RETURN jack. Alternatively, you can use the PRE

switch on each channel to send that channel’s

pre-fader signal out through the AUX SEND jack for

monitoring.

Rack Mounting................................ page 25

The mixer provides two metal rack-mount supports,

and integrates easily into a wide variety of setups.

Introduction

MG12/4FX

Before Turning on the Mixer

Be sure that the mixer’s power switch is in the

STANDBY position.

Use only the PA-20 adaptor included with this

mixer. Use of a different adaptor may result in

equipment damage, overheating, or ﬁre.

Connect the power adaptor to the AC ADAPTOR IN

connector (

) on the rear of the mixer, and then turn

the fastening ring clockwise (

) to secure the connec-

tion.

Plug the power adaptor into a standard household

power outlet.

• Be sure to unplug the adaptor from the outlet

when not using the mixer, or when there are light-

ning storms in the area.

• To avoid generating unwanted noise, make sure

there is 50 cm or more between the power adaptor

and the mixer.

Turning the Power On

Press the mixer’s power switch to the ON position. When

you are ready to turn the power off, press the power switch to

the STANDBY position.

Note that trace current continues to ﬂow while the

switch is in the STANDBY position. If you do not

plan to use the mixer again for a long while, please

be sure to unplug the adaptor from the wall outlet.

MG12/4FX

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

■ An Introduction

You’ve got yourself a mixer and now you’re ready to use it.

Just plug everything in, twiddle the controls, and away you go … right?

Well, if you’ve done this before you won’t have any problems, but if this is

the ﬁrst time you’ve ever used a mixer you might want to read through this lit-

tle tutorial and pick up a few basics that will help you get better performance

and make better mixes.

1-1. A Plethora Of Connectors—What Goes Where?

Questions you’re likely to encounter when setting up a system for the ﬁrst time might include “Why all these different types of

connectors on the back of my mixer?” and “What’s the difference?”.

Let’s start by taking a look at the most common connector types.

■ The Venerable RCA Pin Jack

This is the “consumer connector,” and the one that has been most commonly used on

home audio gear for many years. Also known as “phono” jacks (short for “phonogram”),

but the term isn’t used much these days—besides, it’s too easily confusable with

“phone” jacks, below. RCA pin jacks are always unbalanced, and generally carry a

line-level signal at –10 dB, nominal. You’re most likely to use this type of connector

when connecting a CD player or other home audio type source to your mixer, or when

connecting the output of your mixer to a cassette recorder or similar gear.

■ The Versatile Phone Jack

The name “phone jack” arose simply because this conﬁguration was ﬁrst used in

telephone switchboards. Phone jacks can be tricky because you can’t always tell what

type of signal they’re designed to handle just by looking at them. It could be unbalanced

mono, unbalanced stereo, balanced mono, or an insert patch point. The connector’s label

will usually tell you what type of signal it handles, as will the owner’s manual (you do

keep your manuals in a safe place, don’t you?). A phone jack that is set up to handle

balanced signals is also often referred to as a “TRS” phone jack. “TRS” stands for

Tip-Ring-Sleeve, which describes the conﬁguration of the phone plug used.

1. A Place For Everything and Everything In Its Place

White

Red

Stereo/TRS phone plug

Mono phone plug

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

MG12/4FX

■ The Sturdy XLR

This type of connector is generally referred to as “XLR-type,” and almost always carries

a balanced signal. If the corresponding circuitry is designed properly, however,

XLR-type connectors will also handle unbalanced signals with no problem. Microphone

cables usually have this type of connector, as do the inputs and outputs of most

professional audio gear.

1-2. Balanced, Unbalanced—What’s the Difference?

In a word: “noise.” The whole point of balanced lines is noise rejection, and it’s something they’re very good at. Any length of

wire will act as an antenna to pick up the random electromagnetic radiation we’re constantly surrounded by: radio and TV

signals as well as spurious electromagnetic noise generated by power lines, motors, electric appliances, computer monitors, and

a variety of other sources. The longer the wire, the more noise it is likely to pick up. That’s why balanced lines are the best

choice for long cable runs. If your “studio” is basically conﬁned to your desktop and all connections are no more than a meter or

two in length, then unbalanced lines are ﬁne—unless you’re surrounded by extremely high levels of electromagnetic noise.

Another place balanced lines are almost always used is in microphone cables. The reason for this is that the output signal from

most microphones is very small, so even a tiny amount of noise will be relatively large, and will be ampliﬁed to an alarming

degree in the mixer’s high-gain head ampliﬁer.

To summarize:

Microphones: Use balanced lines.

Short line-level runs: Unbalanced lines are ﬁne if you’re in a relatively noise-free environment.

Long line-level runs: The ambient electromagnetic noise level will be the ultimate deciding factor, but balanced is

best.

■ How Do Balanced Lines Reject Noise?

** Skip this section if technical details make you queasy. **

Balanced lines work on the principle of “phase cancellation”: if you add two identical signals out of phase (i.e. one signal is

inverted so its peaks coincide with the troughs in the other signal), the result is … nothing. A ﬂat line. The signals cancel each

other out.

Male

Female

Normal-phase signal.

Reverse-phase signal.

No signal.

(Phase cancellation)

MG12/4FX

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

A balanced cable has three conductors:

1) A ground conductor which carries no signal, just the “ground” or “0” reference against which the signal in the other

conductors ﬂuctuates.

2) A “hot” or “+” conductor which carries the normal-phase audio signal.

3) A “cold” or “–” conductor which carries the reverse-phase audio signal.

While the desired audio signals in the hot and cold conductors are out of phase, any noise induced in the line will be exactly the

same in both conductors, and thus in phase. The trick is that the phase of one signal is reversed at the receiving end of the line so

that the desired audio signals become in-phase, and the induced noise suddenly ﬁnds itself out of phase. The out-of-phase noise

signal is effectively canceled while the audio signal is left intact. Clever, eh?

1-3. Signal Levels—Decibel Do’s and Don’ts

From the moment you start dealing with things audio, you’ll have to deal with the term “decibel” and its abbreviation, “dB”.

Things can get confusing because decibels are a very versatile unit of measure used to describe acoustic sound pressure levels as

well as electronic signal levels. To make matters worse there are a number of variations: dBu, dBV, dBm. Fortunately, you don’t

need to be an expert to make things work. Here are a few basics you should keep in mind:

● “Consumer” gear (such as home audio equipment) usually has line inputs and outputs with a nominal (average) level of

–10 dB.

● Professional audio gear usually has line inputs and outputs with a nominal level of +4 dB.

● You should always feed –10 dB inputs with a –10 dB signal. If you feed a +4 dB signal into a –10 dB input you are likely to

overload the input.

● You should always feed +4 dB inputs with a +4 dB signal. A –10 dB signal is too small for a +4 dB input, and will result in

less-than-optimum performance.

● Many professional and semi-professional devices have level switches on the inputs and/or outputs that let you select –10 or

+4 dB. Be sure to set these switches to match the level of the connected equipment.

● Inputs that feature a “Gain” control—such as the mono-channel inputs on your Yamaha mixer—will accept a very wide range

of input levels because the control can be used to match the input’s sensitivity to the signal. More on this later.

Normal-phase signal

+ normal-phase noise.

Normal-phase signal

+ reverse-phase noise.

Desired signal

with no noise.

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

MG12/4FX

At first glance the block diagram of even a modest mixer can look like a space-station schematic. In reality, block diagrams are

a great aid in understanding how the signal flows in any mixer. Here’s a greatly simplified block diagram of a generic mixer to

help you become familiar with the way these things work.

2-1. Greatly Simpliﬁed Mixer Block Diagram

■ Input Channel

1 Head Amp

The very ﬁrst stage in any mixer, and usually the only

stage with signiﬁcant “gain” or “ampliﬁcation.” The head

amp has a “gain” control that adjusts the mixer’s input

sensitivity to match the level of the source. Small signals

(e.g. mics) are ampliﬁed, and large signals are attenuated.

2 Equalizer

Could be simple bass and treble controls or a full-blown

4-band parametric EQ. When boost is applied the EQ

stage also has gain. You can actually overload the input

channel by applying too much EQ boost. It’s usually

better to cut than boost.

3 Channel Peak LED & Fader

The channel peak LED is your most valuable tool for

setting the input “gain” control for optimum

performance. Note that it is located after the head amp

and EQ stage.

■ Master Section

4 Summing Ampliﬁer

This is where the actual “mixing” takes place. Signals

from all of the mixer’s input channels are “summed”

(mixed) together here.

5 Master Fader & Level Meter

A stereo, mono, or bus master fader and the mixer’s main

output level meter. There could be several master faders

depending on the design of the mixer—i.e. the number of

buses or outputs it provides.

2. Where Your Signal Goes Once It’s Inside the Box

1234 5

Input Channel Master Section

Signals from the mixer’s

other input channels

(if they are assigned to this

master output or “bus”).

MG12/4FX

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

Before you even consider EQ and effects, or even the overall mix, it is important to make sure that levels are properly set for

each individual source. This can’t be stressed enough—initial level setup is vitally important for achieving optimum perfor-

mance from your mixer! Here’s why … and how.

3-1. The Head Ampliﬁer “Gain” Control Is the Key!

Let’s review our simpliﬁed mixer block diagram:

Each and every “stage” in the mixer’s signal path will add a certain amount of noise to the signal: the head amp, the EQ stage,

the summing ampliﬁer, and the other buffer and gain stages that exist in the actual mixer circuit (this applies to analog mixers in

particular). The thing to keep in mind is that the amount of noise added by each stage is usually not dependent to any signiﬁcant

degree on the level of the audio signal passing through the circuit. This means that the bigger the desired signal, the smaller the

added noise will be in relation to it. In tech-speak this gives us a better “signal-to-noise ratio”—often abbreviated as “S/N ratio.”

All of this leads to the following basic rule:

In our mixer, that means the head ampliﬁer. If you don’t get the signal up to the desired level at the head ampliﬁer stage, you will

need to apply more gain at later stages, which will only amplify the noise contributed by the preceding stages. Just remember

that too much initial gain is bad too, because it will overload our channel circuitry and cause clipping.

3. The First Steps in Achieving Great Sound

To achieve the best overall system S/N ratio, amplify the input to the desired average level as

early as possible in the signal path.

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

MG12/4FX

3-2. Level Setup Procedure For Optimum Performance

Now that we know what we have to do, how do we do it? If you take another quick look at the mixer block diagram you’ll notice

that there’s a peak indicator located right after the head ampliﬁer and EQ stages, and therein lays our answer! Although the exact

procedure you use will depend on the type of mixer you use and the application, as well as your personal preferences, here’s a

general outline:

Start by setting all level controls to their minimum: master faders, group faders (if provided), channel faders, and input

gain controls. Also make sure that no EQ is applied (no boost or cut), and that all effects and dynamic processors included

in the system are defeated or bypassed.

Apply the source signal to each channel one at a time: have singers sing, players play, and playback devices play back at

the loudest expected level. Gradually turn up the input gain control while the signal is being applied to the corresponding

channel until the peak indicator begins to ﬂash, then back off a little so that the peak indicator ﬂashes only occasionally.

Repeat for each active channel.

Raise your master fader(s)—and group faders if available—to their nominal levels (this will be the “0” markings on the

fader scale).

Now, with all sources playing, you can raise the channel faders and set up an initial rough mix.

That’s basically all there is to it. But do keep your eyes on the main output level meters while setting up the mix to be sure you

don’t stay in the “peak zone” all the time. If the output level meters are peaking constantly you will need to lower the channel

faders until the overall program falls within a good range—and this will depend on the “dynamic range” of your program

material.

MG12/4FX

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

4-1. AUX Buses For Monitor Sends

and Overall Effects

There are a number of reasons why you might want to “tap”

the signal ﬂowing through your mixer at some point before

the main outputs: the two most common being 1) to create a

monitor mix that is separate from the main mix, and 2) to

process the signal via an external effect unit and then bring it

back into the mix. Both of these functions, and more, can be

handled by the mixer’s AUX (Auxiliary) buses and level con-

trols. If the mixer has two AUX buses, then it can handle

both functions at the same time. Larger mixing consoles can

have 6, 8, or even more auxiliary buses to handle a variety of

monitoring and processing needs.

Using the AUX buses and level controls is pretty straightfor-

ward. The only thing you need to consider is whether you

need a “pre-fader” or “post-fader” send. AUX sends often

feature a switch that allows you to conﬁgure them for pre- or

post-fader operation.

Pre/Post—What’s the difference?

4. External Effects, Monitor Mixes, and Groups

pre post

A “pre-fader” signal is taken

from a point before the

channel fader, so the send

level is affected only by the

AUX send level control and

not by the channel fader.

Pre-fader sends are most

commonly used to provide

monitor mixes.

A “post-fader” signal is

taken from a point after the

channel fader, so its level

will be affected by both the

AUX send level control and

the channel fader.

Post-fader sends are most

commonly used in conjunc-

tion with the mixer’s AUX or

effect returns for external

effect processing.

Pre-fader send for a monitor mix. The send signal is fed to the monitor power ampliﬁer and speaker system.

The channel fader does not affect the send level so the monitor mix remains independent of the main mix. No

return signal is used in this case.

Post-fader send for external effects processing. The send signal is fed to the external effect unit—a reverb

unit, for example—and the output from the effect unit is returned to the AUX Return jack and mixed back into the

main program. The send level is affected by the channel fader so the effect level always remains in proportion to

the channel signal.

Channel

Fader

Master

Fader

AUX Send

Level

AUX Send Level AUX Return Level

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

MG12/4FX

4-2. Using Groups

Group buses and faders can greatly simplify the mixing process—particularly in live situations in which changes have to be

made as quickly as possible. If you have a group of channels that need to be adjusted all together while maintaining their relative

levels, grouping is the way to go. Simply assign the group to a group bus, and make sure that group is also assigned to the main

program bus. Then you can adjust the overall level of the group using a single group fader, rather than having to attempt to

control multiple channels faders simultaneously.

Group buses usually also have their own outputs, so you can send the group signal to a different external destination from the

main mix.

Channel faders Assigned to Group

(Controlled As a Group)

Stereo

Master

Fader

Group

Fader

Channel faders Assigned to Stereo

(Controlled Individually)

A group of channels whose levels need to main-

tain the same relationship—a drum mix, for

example—can be assigned to a group bus. Usu-

ally the group bus signal can be output indepen-

dently via “Group” outputs, or it can be assigned

to the main program (stereo) bus to be mixed in

with the main stereo program.

Once the mix between the channels assigned to

the group is established via the channel faders,

the overall level of the entire group can be conve-

niently adjusted via a single group fader.

MG12/4FX

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

4-3. Channel Inserts for Channel-speciﬁc Processing

Another way to get the mixer’s signal outside the box is to use the channel inserts. The channel inserts are almost always located

before the channel fader and, when used, actually “break” the mixer’s internal signal path. Unlike the AUX sends and returns,

the channel insert only applies to the corresponding channel. Channel inserts are most commonly used for applying a dynamics

processor such as a compressor or limiter to a speciﬁc channel—although they can be used with just about any type of in/out

processor.

Channel insert jacks must be used with a special insert cable that has a TRS phone jack on one end and mono phone jacks on the

split “Y” end. One of the mono phone jacks carries the “send” signal to be fed to the input of the external processor, and the

other carries the “return” signal from the output of the processor.

Channel

Fader

When a plug is inserted into the channel insert jack, the inter-

nal signal path is interrupted and sent outside the mixer for

external processing.

Tip

Ring

Sleeve

To the INSERT I/O jack

To the input jack of the

external processor

To the output jack of

the external processor

TipSleeve

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

MG12/4FX

5-1. Approaching the Mix—Where

Do You Start?

Mixing is easy, right? Just move the faders around until it

sounds right? Well, you can do it that way, but a more sys-

tematic approach that is suited to the material you’re mixing

will produce much better results, and faster. There are no

rules, and you’ll probably end up developing a system that

works best for you. But the key is to develop a system rather

than working haphazardly. Here are a few ideas to get you

started:

■ Faders Down

It might sound overly simple, but it is usually a good idea to

start with all channel faders off—all the way down. It’s also

possible to start with all faders at their nominal settings, but

it’s too easy to lose perspective with this approach. Start with

all faders down, then bring them up one by one to ﬁll out the

mix. But which channel should you start with?

Example1:

Vocal Ballad Backed by Piano Trio

What are you mixing? Is it a song in which the vocals

are the most important element? If so you might want to

build the mix around the vocals. This means bringing

the vocal channel up to nominal ﬁrst (if your level setup

procedure has been done properly this will be a good

starting point), and then adding the other instruments.

What you add next will depend on the type of material

you are working with and your approach to it. If the

vocals are backed by a piano trio and the song is a bal-

lad, for example, you might want to bring in the piano

next and get the vocal/piano relationship just right, then

bring in the bass and drums to support the overall

sound.

Example2:

Funky R&B Groove

The approach will be totally different if you’re mixing a

funky R&B number that centers on the groove. In this

case most engineers will start with the drums, and then

add the bass. The relationship between the drums and

bass is extremely important to achieve the “drive” or

groove the music rides on. Pay particular attention to

how the bass works with the kick (bass drum). They

should almost sound like a single instrument—with the

kick supplying the punch and the bass supplying the

pitch. Once again, there are no rules, but these are con-

cepts that have been proven to work well.

■ Music First—Then Mix

In any case, the music comes ﬁrst. Think about the music

and let it guide the mix, rather than trying to do things the

other way around. What is the music saying and what instru-

ment or technique is being used to drive the message? That’s

where the focus of your mix should be. You’re using a

high-tech tool to do the mixing, but the mix itself is as much

art as the music. Approach it that way and your mixes will

become a vital part of the music.

5-2. Panning For Cleaner Mixes

Not only does the way you pan your individual channels

determine where the instruments appear in the stereo sound

ﬁeld, but it is also vital to give each instrument it’s own

“space” so that it doesn’t conﬂict with other instruments.

Unlike live sound in a real acoustic space, recorded stereo

sound is basically 2-dimensional (although some types of

surround sound are actually very 3-dimensional), and instru-

ments positioned right on top of each other will often get in

each other’s way—particularly if they are in the same fre-

quency range or have a similar sound.

5. Making Better Mixes

MG12/4FX

Making the Most Of Your Mixer

■ Spread them Out!

Position your instruments so they have room to “breathe,”

and connect in the most musical way with other instruments.

Sometimes, however, you’ll want to deliberately pan sounds

close together, or even right on top of one another, to empha-

size their relationship. There are no hard-and-fast rules. Nor-

mally (but this is not a rule), bass and lead vocals will be

panned to center, as will the kick drum if the drums are in

stereo.

5-3. To EQ Or Not To EQ

In general: less is better. There are many situations in which

you’ll need to cut certain frequency ranges, but use boost

sparingly, and with caution. Proper use of EQ can eliminate

interference between instruments in a mix and give the over-

all sound better deﬁnition. Bad EQ—and most commonly

bad boost—just sounds terrible.

■ Cut For a Cleaner Mix

For example: cymbals have a lot of energy in the mid and

low frequency ranges that you don’t really perceive as musi-

cal sound, but which can interfere with the clarity of other

instruments in these ranges. You can basically turn the low

EQ on cymbal channels all the way down without changing

the way they sound in the mix. You’ll hear the difference,

however, in the way the mix sounds more “spacious,” and

instruments in the lower ranges will have better deﬁnition.

Surprisingly enough, piano also has an incredibly powerful

low end that can beneﬁt from a bit of low-frequency roll-off

to let other instruments—notably drums and bass—do their

jobs more effectively. Naturally you won’t want to do this if

the piano is playing solo.

The reverse applies to kick drums and bass guitars: you can

often roll off the high end to create more space in the mix

without compromising the character of the instruments.

You’ll have to use your ears, though, because each instru-

ment is different and sometimes you’ll want the “snap” of a

bass guitar, for example, to come through.

■ Boost With Caution

If you’re trying to create special or unusual effects, go ahead

and boost away as much as you like. But if you’re just trying

to achieve a good-sounding mix, boost only in very small

increments. A tiny boost in the midrange can give vocals

more presence, or a touch of high boost can give certain

instruments more “air.” Listen, and if things don’t sound

clear and clean try using cut to remove frequencies that are

cluttering up the mix rather than trying to boost the mix into

clarity.

One of the biggest problems with too much boost is that it

adds gain to the signal, increasing noise and potentially over-

loading the subsequent circuitry.

5-4. Ambience

Judicious application of reverb and/or delay via the mixer’s

AUX busses can really polish a mix, but too much can “wash

out” the mix and reduce overall clarity. The way you set up

your reverb sound can make a huge difference in the way it

meshes with the mix.

■ Reverb/Delay Time

Different reverb/delay units offer different capabilities, but

most offer some means of adjusting the reverb time. A little

extra time spent matching the reverb time to the music being

mixed can mean the difference between great and merely

average sound. The reverb time you choose will depend to a

great degree on the tempo and “density” of the mix at hand.

Slower tempos and lower densities (i.e. sparser mixes with

less sonic activity) can sound good with relatively long

reverb times. But long reverb times can completely wash out

a faster more active piece of music. Similar principles

applies to delay.

■ Reverb Tone

How “bright” or “bassy” a reverb sound is also has a huge

impact on the sound of your mix. Different reverb units offer

different means of controlling this—balance between the

high- and low-frequency reverb times, simple EQ, and oth-

ers. A reverb that is too bright will not only sound unnatural,

but it will probably get in the way of delicate highs you want

to come through in your mix. If you ﬁnd yourself hearing

more high-end reverb than mix detail, try reducing the

brightness of the reverb sound. This will allow you to get

full-bodied ambience without compromising clarity.

■ Reverb Level

It’s amazing how quickly your ears can lose perspective and

fool you into believing that a totally washed-out mix sounds

perfectly ﬁne. To avoid falling into this trap start with reverb

level all the way down, then gradually bring the reverb into

the mix until you can just hear the difference. Any more than

this normally becomes a “special effect.” You don’t want

reverb to dominate the mix unless you are trying to create the

effect of a band in a cave—which is a perfectly legitimate

creative goal if that’s the sort of thing you’re aiming for.

5-5. Built-in Effects

Your MG mixer features a high-performance internal effect

system offers extraordinary sound-processing power and

versatility without the need for external equipment. The

internal DSP (Digital Signal Processor) lets you individually

add reverb and delay to each channel in the same way that

you can with an external effect unit – but you don’t need to

wire up any extra gear, and won’t suffer the signal quality

loss that external connections sometimes entail. For details

see page 20.

Front & Rear Panels

MG12/4FX

Front & Rear Panels

Channel Control Section

1 GAIN Control

Adjusts the input signal level.

To get the best balance between the S/N ratio and the

dynamic range, adjust the level so that the PEAK indica-

tor (2) comes on only at about maximum input level.

The –60 to –16 scale indicates the MIC input adjustment

level. The –34 to +10 scale indicates the LINE input

adjustment level.

2 PEAK Indicator

Detects the peak level of the post-EQ signal, and lights

up red when the level reaches 3 dB below the clipping

level. For XLR-equipped stereo input channels (5/6 and

7/8), detects both post-EQ and post-mic-amp peak lev-

els, and lights red if either of these levels reaches 3 dB

below the clipping level.

3 Switch (High Pass Filter)

This switch toggles the HPF on or off. To turn the HPF

on, press the switch in ( ). The HPF cuts frequencies

below 80 Hz. (But note that regardless of the switch set-

ting, the mixer does not apply this HPF to the line inputs

of stereo input channels.)

4 Equalizer (HIGH, MID, and LOW)

This three-band equalizer adjusts the channel’s high,

mid, and low frequency bands. Setting the knob to the

position produces a ﬂat frequency response. Turning the

knob to the right boosts the corresponding frequency

band, while turning to the left attenuates the band. The

following table shows the EQ type, base frequency, and

maximum cut/boost for each of the three bands.

5 AUX Control

The AUX knob controls the signal level that the channel

sends to the AUX bus. The knob should generally be set

close to the position.

If you are using stereo channels, the signals from the L

(odd) and R (even) channels are mixed and sent to the

AUX bus.

Allows you to output the signal to the buses

regardless of the setting of the ST switch

Channels

1 to 4

(Monaural)

Channels

5/6 and 7/8

(Stereo)

Channels

9/10 and 11/12

(Stereo)

Band Type Base Frequency Maximum Cut/Boost

HIGH Shelving 10 kHz

±15 dBMID Peaking 2.5 kHz

LOW Shelving 100 Hz

NOTE

Front & Rear Panels

MG12/4FX

6 PRE Switch

Selects whether the pre-fader or the post-fader signal is

fed to the AUX bus. If you set the switch on ( ), the

mixer sends the pre-fader signal (the signal prior to pas-

sage through channel fader B) to the AUX bus, so that

AUX output is not affected by the fader. If you set the

switch off ( ) the mixer sends the post-fader signal to

the AUX bus.

7 EFFECT Controls

Adjusts the level of the signal sent from the channel to

the EFFECT bus. Note that the signal level to the bus is

also affected by the fader. If you are using stereo chan-

nels (CHs 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, or 11/12), the signals from the

L (odd) and R (even) channels are mixed and then sent to

the EFFECT bus.

8 PAN Control (1 to 4)

PAN/BAL Control (5/6 and 7/8)

BAL Control (9/10 and 11/12)

The PAN control determines the positioning of the chan-

nel’s signal on the Group 1 and 2 buses or on the Stereo

L and R buses.

The BAL control knob sets the balance between left and

right channels. Signals into to the L input (odd channel)

feed to the Group 1 bus or to the Stereo L bus; signals

into the R input (even channel) feed to the Group 2 bus

or the Stereo R bus.

On channels where this knob provides both PAN

and BAL controls (5/6 and 7/8), the knob operates

as a PAN control if you are inputting through the

MIC jack or into the L (MONO) input only, and

operates as a BAL control if you are inputting into

both L and R inputs.

9 ST Switch

This switch assigns the channel’s signal to the Stereo L

and R buses. To send the signal to the Stereo bus, set the

switch on by pressing it in ( ). The switch lights up

orange to indicate that it is on.

0 PFL (Pre-Fader Listen) Switch

This switch lets you monitor the channel’s pre-fader sig-

nal. To set the switch on, press it in ( ) so that it lights

up. When the switch is on, the mixer outputs the chan-

nel’s pre-fader signal to the PHONES and C-R OUT

jacks, for monitoring.

A GROUP Switch

Use this switch to assign the channel’s signal to the

Group output. Press the switch in ( ) to output the sig-

nal to the Group 1 and 2 buses.

Allows you to output the signal to the buses

regardless of the setting of the ST switch

B Channel Fader

Adjusts the output level of the signal being input to the

channel. Use these faders to adjust the volume balance

among the various channels.

To reduce noise, set the fader sliders for unused

channels all the way down.

NOTE

Front & Rear Panels

MG12/4FX

Master Control Section

1 ST Master Fader

Adjusts the signal level to the ST OUT jacks.

2 GROUP 1-2 Fader

Adjusts the signal level to the GROUP OUT 1 and

GROUP OUT 2 jacks.

3 TO ST Switch

If this switch is on ( ), the mixer sends the signals pro-

cessed by the GROUP 1-2 fader (2) onto the Stereo bus.

The Group 1 signal goes to Stereo L and the Group 2 sig-

nal goes to Stereo R.

4 Master SEND

• Master AUX Control

Adjusts the signal level to the corresponding AUX

SEND jack.

• Master EFFECT Control

Adjusts the level of the signal on the EFFECT bus. This

is the signal that is output through the EFFECT jack.

These Master SEND controls do not affect the

level of the signal sent from the EFFECT bus to

the internal digital effector.

5 RETURN

•AUX Control

Adjust the level of the mixed L/R signal sent from the

RETURN jacks (L (MONO) and R) to the AUX bus.

• ST Control

Adjust the level of the signal sent from the RETURN

jacks (L (MONO) and R) to the Stereo bus.

If you supply a signal to the RETURN L (MONO)

jack only, the mixer outputs the identical signal to

both the L and R Stereo buses.

6 2TR IN Control

Adjusts the level of the signal sent from the 2TR IN jack

to the Stereo bus.

7 PHANTOM +48 V Switch

This switch toggles phantom power on and off. If you set

the switch on, the mixer supplies power to all channels

that provide XLR mic input jacks (CHs 1–4, 5/6, 7/8).

Set this switch on when using one or more condenser

microphones.

When this switch is on, the mixer supplies DC

+48 V power to pins 2 and 3 of all XLR-type MIC

INPUT jacks.

• Be sure to leave this switch off ( ) if you do not

need phantom power.

• When tuning the switch on ( ), be sure that

only condenser mics are connected to the XLR

input jacks (CHs: 1 to 7/8). Devices other than

condenser mics may be damaged if connected to

the phantom power supply. Note, however, that

the switch may be left on without problem when

connecting to balanced dynamic microphones.

• To avoid damage to speakers, be sure to turn off

ampliﬁers (or powered speakers) before turning

this switch on or off. We also recommend that you

turn all output controls (ST master fader, GROUP

1-2 fader, etc.) to minimum settings before oper-

ating the switch, to avoid risk of loud noises that

could cause hearing loss or device damage.

12C

NOTE

Front & Rear Panels

MG12/4FX

8 Level-Meter Signal Switches (ST-GROUP

Toggle Switch and 2TR IN Switch)

These level-meter switches, together with the channel

PFL switches, select the signal that is sent through the

C-R/PHONES control to the C-R OUT jacks, the

PHONES jack, and the level meter

The following illustration shows how the switch settings

correspond to the signal selection.

*1 If the input channel’s PFL switch is on ( ), then only the

channel’s PFL output it sent to the C-R OUT jacks, PHONES

jacks, and level meter.

*2 If the 2TR IN switch is ON ( ), the signal supplied to the

2TR IN jack is sent to the C-R OUT jacks, PHONE jacks,

and level meter. If the 2TR IN switch is OFF, then the Group

or Stereo signal is sent instead (as determined by the

ST-GROUP toggle switch).

9 C-R/PHONES Control

Controls the level of the signal output to the PHONES

jack and the C-R L and R jacks.

0 Level Meter

This LED display shows the level of the signal selected

by the selection switches described in 8 above (the level

to the C-R OUT and PHONES jacks). The “0” point cor-

responds to the standard output level. The indicator

lights up red when the output hits the clipping level.

A POWER Indicator

This indicator lights up when the mixer’s power is ON.

B PHONES Jack

Connector for headphones. This is a stereo phone-type

output jack.

The signal monitored by these jacks is selected by

the settings of the ST-GROUP toggle switch, the

2TR IN switch, and the PFL switches on the input

channels.

C DIGITAL EFFECT

•PROGRAM Dial

Selects the internal digital effect to be applied. You can

select from 16 effects, as shown in the table.

•PARAMETER Control

Adjusts the parameter (depth, speed, etc.) for the

selected effect.

The mixer saves the last value used with each

effect type.

When you change to a different effect type, the

mixer automatically restores the value that was

previously used with the newly selected effect

(regardless of the current position of the PARAM-

ETER Control knob).

These parameter values are retained even after

power-off.

•AUX PRE Control

Adjust the level of the signal sent from the internal dig-

ital effector to the AUX bus.

• ON Switch

Switches use of the internal effect on or off. The inter-

nal effect is applied only if this switch is turned on. The

switch lights up orange to indicate that it is on.

With the (separately sold) YAMAHA FC5 foot switch

connected, you can use your foot to toggle the digital

effects ON and OFF.

When you turn on the power, the ON switch lights up

and the internal effector becomes active.

• PFL Switch

Set this switch on if you wish to output the effect signal

to the PFL bus.

• EFFECT RTN Fader

Adjusts the signal level from the internal digital effec-

tor to the STEREO bus.

2TR IN

PFL

GROUP

ST-GROUP

OFF

C-R OUT

PHONES

Signal

Switch

NOTE

No Program Parameter

REVERB HALL 1 REVERB TIME

REVERB HALL 2 REVERB TIME

REVERB ROOM 1 REVERB TIME

REVERB ROOM 2 REVERB TIME

REVERB STAGE 1 REVERB TIME

REVERB STAGE 2 REVERB TIME

REVERB PLATE REVERB TIME

DRUM AMBIENCE REVERB TIME

KARAOKE ECHO DELAY TIME

VOCAL ECHO DELAY TIME

CHORUS 1 LFO FREQ

CHORUS 2 LFO FREQ

FLANGER LFO FREQ

PHASER LFO FREQ

AUTO WAH LFO FREQ

DISTORTION DRIVE

NOTE

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