SSL BIG SIX- novice user advice

[Kygar004]

Hey everyone.

I just pre-ordered a Big Six a few days back because I couldn't resist. Up until this point, I've been recording into Logic X through a Focusrite Scarlett interface, so I'm pretty out of my element, but wanted to add the analog front end and summing capability to my rig. I currently have 9 songs ready to send away for stem mastering, and want to sum the tracks to stems through my Big Six when it shows up. If anyone out there would be willing to explain the entire process of this to me from start to finish as if I've never recorded anything in my life, it would be greatly appreciated. Like I said, the songs were already tracked in Logic, and are eventually going to be sent away for mastering as digital stems. An example song could be eighteen tracks total summed to guitar, bass, drum, vox, and synth stems. Thx a ton!

Kyle

[The Korff]

1. Plug the mixer into your Mac via USB, and connect your monitors to the mixer's monitor outs

2. On your Mac, go to the audio options (or hit Alt + any volume button; handy shortcut that!), and select the SSL Big SiX as the main audio device

3. On the mixer, press every 'From USB' button at the top of each channel strip

4. Open your Logic project with the stems, and check that Logic also deems the SSL to be your main audio device

5. Assign any mono stems to audio outputs 1-4, and any stereo stems to outputs 5+6, 7+8, 9+10 and 11+12

6. Play your project and start pushing the faders up! You should start hearing each of your stems coming out of the mixer, as long as you've got the monitor section set up to listen to the main mix output.

Cheers!

Chris

[The Korff]

Of course, once you've got your faders and EQ etc settings where they sound good, you'll want to record the main mix as you hear it. To do this, create a new stereo channel in Logic, and set it to inputs 15+16 (which are taken from the mixer's main fader). Hit record on that channel in Logic only, and then rec/play the mix from start.

[Kygar004]

Wouldn't I want to sum the individual tracks into their stems through the mixer to get the most out of it? Instead of summing into stems in my daw and then sending those stems through the mixer? Or am I confused about how analog summing works?

[Hugh Robjohns]

I think Chris misunderstood and assumed you wanted to mix from DAW stems through the mixer.

If you want to create stems, then you'd route the individual tracks through the mixer and record back in the DAW as the stem. The challenge will be finding a way to monitor all the other parts while mixing the stem...

[Kygar004]

All the tracks were already mixed in my daw, so it's just the creating and summing the stems that I'm trying to do through the Big Six. And I can always do last minute mixing tweaks in the box after running the stems back in. I think?