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The Roland VM-3100 and VM-3100Pro V-Mixing Stations place the

quality and power of digital mixing within the grasp of all musicians,

producers and engineers. These easy-to-use, affordable mixers are

perfectly suited for project studios, rehearsal spaces, sound

reinforcement, post-production suites, broadcasting, and an endless

number of other applications. The VM-3100 and VM-3100Pro feature

24-bit audio, onboard high-quality effects, flexible routing and Scene

memory, as well as digital inputs and outputs. The VM-3100 and

VM-3100Pro are also powerful MIDI mixers that can control external

MIDI devices and MMC-compatible sequencers and recorders.

This

Supplemental Note

provides a basic introduction to the VM-3100

and VM-3100Pro using real-life mixing examples. Everything you’ll

encounter in the

Supplemental Note

applies to both mixing stations

except as noted.

We’ll cover the following topics in this document:

I. How to Set Up Inputs 1-8

II. How to Set Up Inputs 9-12

III. Activating Phantom Power on Inputs 1 and 2

IV. How to Route Inputs to Channels

V. How to Set Up Digital Inputs

VI. How to Route Digital Inputs to Channels

VII. How to Solo Channels

VIII. How to Mute Channels

IX. Using Channel EQ

X. How to Use the EQ Library

XI. How to Use the Onboard Compressors

XII. How to Use the Compressor Library

XIII. Understanding Effects

XIV. Setting Up a Send-and-Return Effect

XV. Setting Up an Insert Effect

XVI. Understanding Busses

XVII. Choosing a Bussing Method

XVIII. Bussing—The BUS Method

XIX. Bussing—The SND Method

XX. Listening to the VM-3100’s Busses

XXI. The VM-3100’s Outputs

XXII. How to Save Mixer Settings as a Scene

XXIII. How to Recall Scenes

XXIV. How to Delete Scenes

XXV. How to Initialize the VM-3100

XXVI. Conclusion

XXVII. Where to Turn for Additional Help

XXVIII. Get Connected

1999 Roland Corporation U.S. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Faxback# 21099 Page 1

November 15, 1999 SN118 v1.0

ÂØÒÅˆÎ



Topics

The Basics of the

VM-3100/VM-3100Pro

Introduction

Supplemental

Notes

Supplemental

Notes

Summary of content (23 pages)

PAGE 1
® ÂØÒÅˆÎ  Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro November 15, 1999 SN118 v1.0 Introduction The Roland VM-3100 and VM-3100Pro V-Mixing Stations place the quality and power of digital mixing within the grasp of all musicians, producers and engineers. These easy-to-use, affordable mixers are perfectly suited for project studios, rehearsal spaces, sound reinforcement, post-production suites, broadcasting, and an endless number of other applications.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro You can listen to the VM-3100 through stereo headphones connected to its MONITOR jack, or you can connect the L and R MASTER OUT jacks to powered speakers or a speaker-amplification system. The best way to listen to the VM-3100 is to connect one of its stereo digital outputs to a pair of Roland DS-90 Powered Monitors. Listening to the VM-3100 The MONITOR LEVEL knob controls your monitoring listening volume.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes II. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Set Up Inputs 9-12 The VM-3100 provides two pairs of RCA/phono inputs: Inputs 9 and 10 and Inputs 11 and 12. You can set up these inputs using a method similar to the one we used for Inputs 1-8—the difference is that these inputs have no GAIN knob. Follow the procedure below to set up a stereo signal input using Inputs 9 and 10.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes III. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Activating Phantom Power on Inputs 1 and 2 Inputs 1 and 2 can each provide power—called “phantom power”—to connected condenser-type microphones. Before this can be done, the system-wide phantom power switch must be turned on in the “SYSTEM PREF” screen. Phantom power can then be activated independently for Inputs 1 and 2 on their individual Input Assign screens. Use the following procedure to turn on the system-wide phantom power: 1.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Route Inputs to Channels (continued) Method Two You can also route inputs to channels using the EZ Routing feature: 1. Press EZ ROUTING. If the “01 BASIC MIX” EZ Routing is not already selected on the “EZR SEL” screen, turn the VALUE dial to select it. Press ENTER/YES (REDO) to confirm your choice. 2. Press F1-F4 ON/OFF. 3. Press F1 [IN]. The “EZR IN” screen appears. 4.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Set Up Digital Inputs (continued) Method Two 1. With the VM-3100 and the digital device powered down, connect the device’s digital output to either of the VM-3100’s digital inputs. 2. Power on the digital device you’re connecting to the VM-3100. 3. Set the device to output a digital signal of 44.1kHz. 4. While holding down SHIFT, press DIGITAL IN (CLK SELECT). 5.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes VI. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Route Digital Inputs to Channels Just like analog input signals, signals from the currently selected digital input can be routed to any channel, or groups of channels, you desire. The following procedure shows how to route the currently selected digital input’s signals to channels other than the default Channel 11-12. There are two methods that you can use.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Solo Channels (continued) To un-solo channels, use the following procedure: 1. Press SOLO so that it lights solidly—and stops flashing—to enter Solo mode. 2. Press the flashing SELECT button for the channel that you wish to un-solo. The SELECT button’s light will go out, indicating that the channel is no longer soloed. 3. Press SOLO once more to exit Solo mode.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes IX. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Using Channel EQ The VM-3100 allows you to change the tonal characteristics of a channel’s signal using a process called “equalization,” or “EQ.” EQ raises or lowers—“boosts” or “cuts”—the loudness of selected frequencies within a signal.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Using Channel EQ (continued) Method Three You can quickly boost or cut a channel’s already selected EQ bands from its “CH VIEW” screen: 1. Press the channel’s SELECT button. 2. Use the DOWN, UP, LEFT or RIGHT page buttons to select the desired EQ band’s level control—the controls are displayed as “H”, “M”, “L” knobs. 3. Use the VALUE dial to adjust the gain of the selected band. 4. Press LEVEL METER (BIG T.C.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Use the EQ Library (continued) Use the following procedure to store a set of your own EQ settings in one of the 16 available memory slots in the EQ Library: 1. While on the desired equalizer’s screen, press F1-F4 ON/OFF repeatedly until “SAVE” appears over F2. 2. Press F2 [SAVE]—the “EQ LIB” screen is displayed. 3. Turn the VALUE dial to select a memory location for your EQ preset.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Use the Onboard Compressors (continued) When you’re on the “COMP1” or “COMP2” screen, you can make fine adjustments to that compressor using the V knobs: 1. Press F1-F4 ON/OFF. 2. Press F3 [KNOB]. 3. To adjust the compressor’s Threshold, Attack, Release or Ratio setting, turn the corresponding V1-V4 knob. 4. Press the RIGHT page button to scroll to the OutLv setting. 5. Turn V1 to adjust the compressor’s output level.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Use the Compressor Libraries (continued) You can also save 16 compressor settings of your own as presets in the VM-3100’s Compressor Library: 1. While on the desired compressor’s screen—“COMP1” or “COMP2”—tap F1-F4 ON/OFF until “SAVE” appears over F2. 2. Press F2 [SAVE]. 3. Select a memory location for the storage of your compressor preset. You can save your preset in any location from 17 to 32. 4.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes XIV. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Setting Up a Send-and-Return Effect Let’s demonstrate the use of send-and-return effects by adding reverb to some elements in a mix. Let’s say that we’ve got a drum machine on Channel 1, a bass on Channel 2 and a vocalist on Channel 3: We’ll start by selecting a reverb that’ll make our signals sound like they’re in a club somewhere: 1. Press EFFECTS. VM-3100Pro Only: Press EFFECTS1. 2. Turn the VALUE dial to select “P05 RV: ClubFloor.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Setting Up a Send-and-Return Effect (continued) 21. Press F1 until “→PstF” is displayed. Press F1 once more to select this setting. 22. Press F1-F4 ON/OFF. 23. Turn V1 to adjust the drum machine signal’s effect send level. This determines how much reverb will be added to the drum machine. Set it to 115 to add a healthy amount of reverb. 24. Repeat Steps 18-23 to apply some post-fader reverb to the bass and vocalist.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes XVI. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro Understanding Busses In the VM-3100, channel signals get from one place to another by traveling through “busses.” A bus is simply a pathway down which one or more signals can travel. The VM-3100 utilizes a variety of busses— with different names and purposes—but they’re all basically the same simple thing: pathways.
PAGE 17
®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro XVII. Choosing a Bussing Method You can send a signal to a bus in either of two ways: • BUS—You can send a signal to a bus with the flip of an on/off switch. When you do this, the volume of the signal sent to the bus is controlled by its channel fader. This is the method to use when you’re mixing, or recording tracks on a multitrack recorder, and want the precise amount of level control provided by the channel faders.
PAGE 18
®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro XVIII. BussingÑThe BUS Method In the last section, we set Busses 1 and 2 to BUS. This allows us to send a channel’s signal to the busses by simply flipping a switch. Let’s demonstrate how to do this using Channel 4: 1. If it’s not already lit, press Channel 4’s SELECT button. 2. Press BUS ASSIGN (PARAM VIEW)—a “04” appears in the upper left corner of the “BUS ASSIGN” screen to show that we’re setting the bus assignments for Channel 4. 3.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro BussingÑThe SND Method (continued) 8. Press the UP page button once. You can turn the VALUE dial to send the signal to Busses 1 and 2 from before Channel 4’s fader (Pre) or from after it (Pst). The Pre setting makes the send level completely independent of the fader. Pst adds the send level to the fader’s level so that it moves up and down with changes you make using the fader.
PAGE 20
®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes XXI. The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro The VM-3100Õs Outputs The VM-3100 provides an assortment of output jacks that allow you to send your signals to a variety of places. For example, you can use: • the AUX SEND jacks—also labeled as Jacks 1 and 2—to send signals to a device that has RCA/phono inputs, such as an external effect processor or a speaker or headphone amplifier that allows your performers to hear what they’re doing.
PAGE 21
®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro How to Save Mixer Settings as a Scene (continued) The VM-3100 can store up to 32 different Scenes arranged into eight sets—or “banks”—containing four Scenes each. Once you’ve chosen the desired bank, you can select the desired Scene by pressing one of the four dedicated Scene buttons located in the VM-3100’s SCENE MEMORY area. Let’s save everything we’ve done so far in this Supplemental Note as Scene 2 in Bank 4: 1.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro XXV. How to Initialize the VM-3100 You can restore the VM-3100 to its original factory settings by “initializing” it. This can be useful, for example, if you want to clear all of the VM-3100’s Scene memory locations for a new project, create a new set of EQ or compressor libraries, or troubleshoot the VM-3100.
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®ÂØÒÅˆÎ Supplemental Notes The Basics of the VM-3100/VM-3100Pro XXVIII. Get Connected For the latest info on new products, support documents, upcoming Roland events and more, visit our Website, www.rolandus.com, or www.rolandgroove.com. % 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you can receive a library of support materials and product information on your fax machine - and it’s all FREE! Just call (323) 890-3780. If it’s a real-live person you want, we’ve got a team of Product Specialists that can’t be beat.