Newbie question: What is a matrix, group and mix?

[Screwtape]

Sorry for the very dumb question, but I can’t find anything in the GLD documentation that explains the differences between matrixes, groups, and mixes.

I’m used to an analogue desk, and I’m happy with the concept of aux sends, and sub groups.

I think that the “mix” is the equivlent of the “aux send” on my analogue desk.

What is the equivalent of an analogue subgroup?

When should you use a maxtrix, and when should you use a group?

If there’s some more detailed documentaiton out there that explains all this, please refer me to it. I couldn’t find any on the A&H site, but perhaps I just don’t know what I’m looking for.

Thanks!

[Chris93]

What analog desk are you coming from? Everything in digital is basically the same as it is in analog. Aux sends on a GLD are called aux sends, groups are called groups etc etc. Marticies exist on many analog consoles and it all works the same way.

Have a read through these:

https://churchtecharts.org/home/2013/2/13/cta-classroom-defining-auxes-groups-vcas-matrixes-pt-1?rq=matrix

https://churchtecharts.org/home/2013/2/13/cta-classroom-defining-auxes-groups-vcas-matrixes-pt-2?rq=matrix

https://churchtecharts.org/home/2013/2/15/4ocjpyvl512rprw6p12f2g4a8itylo?rq=matrix

https://churchtecharts.org/home/2013/2/15/cta-classroom-using-auxes-groups-vcas-matrixes-pt-4?rq=matrix

Chris

[jcarter]

The term “mix” in digital world is a general term referring to any kind of bus that sums signals–on the GLD, it could be a group, aux, matrix, main, or FX bus. Up to the maximum number of mixes available, you have the freedom to choose how many auxes, groups, and so on.

A group is the equivalent of an analog subgroup.

An aux mix is mostly equivalent to an aux send on an analog desk–but on the GLD, it is possible to route groups into aux mixes which is not something you can do on the small analog desks I’m familiar with.

“Matrix” has different meanings depending on the manufacturer, but in GLD world a matrix is a mix that only has other mix buses (aux, group, or main–not FX or other matrix) routed to it. Not at all the same thing as a group, so it should be obvious which of the two to use. I mix at a church with a GLD and the only thing we use matrix for is our lobby feed (main mix plus the group we route all the spoken-word mics through, to get the spoken word and music levels balanced in the lobby).

[benniferj]

I actually use matrixes to feed all of my main PA outs across my desk.

My Main Mix L-R feed is sent at unity to…
St Matrix 1 – I assign my stage box outs 11 and 12 to take this matrix to amp rack processor inputs LR for my main FOH PA
St Matrix 2 – House Feed – This is normally hooked up to inputs for another amp rack for delay speakers/balcony fills etc in venues and theatres
My main C feed is sent at unity to…
Mono Matrix 1 – Centre fill cluster which is often front fill lining the front of a large stage.

The benefits of all of this?

Rather than graphic EQ’ing my actual main mix, I EQ the matrixes. So if I need drastically different EQ for say, front fill compared to main PA mix, I can do this really easily. Just EQ the necessary matrix. Same with delay times, if front fill is slightly forward or behind times of main PA I can align that, and same with house balcony feeds where it will often be radically different.
If I want to create an additional main mix copy, EG for broadcast truck, I can just pull another matrix from the main mix LR. My system EQ doesn’t effect their feed at all.
The inbuilt GLD USB desk recorder now records the mix without, say, a parametric EQ dip at 100hz in main PA because of a severe room response. This would sound odd listened back to on a recording, even though it is correctional EQ that sounds great on that matrix.
I can also simply solo AFL matrixes to see what they are doing.

The question is: why not matrix!?!

[Author]

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