Using the Mix Busses

This guide will explain how to use the Mix Busses on the SSL XL desk to record stereo stems of a mix into Pro Tools.

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Using the Mix Busses to Group Audio:

1. There are four mix busses on the SSL XL desk labeled A, B, C and D.

2. Mix A can be used alone to route the whole mix into a stereo output.

3. The mix busses can also be used to group audio together. For exam­ple, all drum chan­nels could be sent to Mix Bus B.

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Rout­ing Chan­nels to Mix Busses:

1. To route chan­nels to mix busses, press the rel­e­vant but­ton, eg. B, on the chan­nels that are to be routed to that mix bus. The but­ton can be located just above the fader on that channel.

2. Mix Busses B, C and D can be routed back into Mix Bus A by press­ing the ‘TO A’ but­ton in the mas­ter sec­tion at the top of the right hand side of the desk.

3. Each mix bus can be recorded as a stereo chan­nel, cre­at­ing up to four stereo stems of a mix.

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Patch­ing:

1. Locate the Mix A, B, C and D out­puts on the patch­bay and use ban­tam cables to route into audio inter­face inputs on the patchbay.

2. In this case, the out­put of Mix B has been patched into MOTU 16A 2 Line In 1–2 which cor­re­sponds to chan­nels 17–18 in Pro Tools.

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Pro Tools:

1. Cre­ate a stereo chan­nel for each mix bus being used.

2. Set the inputs to these chan­nels to be the same as those patched into. E.g. if you have patched into 17–18, set the inputs to 17–18.

3. Ensure that the out­puts of these stereo chan­nels are either deac­ti­vated or sent to an out­put that is not being used to record into the mix bus. This is to pre­vent feedback.

4. Click on the ‘Record Enable’ but­ton on the channels.

5. Press ‘Record’ and ‘Play’ in the trans­port section.

6. Mon­i­tor the record­ings and check that they are the cor­rect stems once record­ing is completed.