JP5370210B2 - mixer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a mixer capable of designating a plurality of input signals for each input channel.

  Conventionally, mixers used in concert halls, etc. that adjust and mix the level and frequency characteristics of audio signals output from a large number of microphones and electric / electronic musical instruments placed on a stage, etc., and send them to a power amplifier are known. ing. The operator who operates the mixer is in a state where the volume and tone of each audio signal of the instrument sound and singing sound are expressed most appropriately by operating the various controls provided on the mixer. It is adjusted. The mixer includes a bus that mixes an audio signal from an input channel and an output channel that outputs the mixed audio signal. Each input channel controls the frequency characteristics, mixing level, and the like of the input acoustic signal and outputs it to each mixing bus, and each mixing bus mixes the input acoustic signal and outputs it to the corresponding output channel. The output from the output channel is amplified and emitted from a speaker or the like.

  A configuration example of a conventional mixer 100 is shown in FIG. A mixer 100 shown in FIG. 9 includes a console 110 that performs mixing operations, scene memory / library operations, and changes of various settings in the mixer 100, and a DSP unit that performs audio signal processing such as audio signal input / output, mixing, and effects. Two input boxes (AD) 111 and an input box (AD) that output two digital audio signals to which the analog audio signal is input from a microphone or the like and are converted to the engine A and the engine B. ) 112. The mixer 100 shown in FIG. 9 is in a mirror mode connection form, in which the engine A terminal of the console 110 and the console terminal of the engine A, the engine B terminal of the console 110 and the console terminal of the engine B are connected, The digital audio signal output terminals of the input box (AD) 111 and the input box (AD) 112 are connected to the digital audio signal input terminals of the engine A and the engine B, respectively.

  In this mirror mode, when the same analog audio signal is input to the input box (AD) 111 and the input box (AD) 112, a failure occurs even if a failure occurs in either engine A or engine B. By using the engine on the side that is not, the mixer 100 can continue normal operation. Also, different analog audio signals can be input to the Input Box (AD) 111 and the Input Box (AD) 112 and used while switching between the engine A and the engine B. For example, an odd-numbered performance song scene is set in the engine A in a concert, and an even-numbered performance song scene is set in the engine B. And when it becomes an odd-numbered performance music, it connects to input the digital audio signal from Input Box (AD) 111 and Input Box (AD) 112 to Engine A, and when it becomes an even-numbered performance music, The engine B is connected to input digital audio signals from the Input Box (AD) 111 and Input Box (AD) 112. In this case, the connection is physically switched.

Yamaha Corporation CS1D CONTROL SURFACE Instruction Manual, P.10-13, [online], [Searched on December 16, 2009], Internet <URL: http: //www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf /pa/japan/mixers/cs1d_ja_om_r21.pdf>

In this way, in the conventional mixer, the engine A and the engine B are managed by hardware connection, and when a failure occurs, batch switching is performed by software. Therefore, there is a problem that the connection and setting change becomes troublesome. Similarly, in the case where scenes of performance songs to be performed in order by the engine A and the engine B are alternately set, since the connection is made at the hardware level, it is troublesome to change the connection and setting. was there.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a mixer that can easily set a signal to be input to each input channel without performing connection and troublesome settings.

  In order to achieve the above object, the mixer of the present invention performs signal processing on an input patch in which a plurality of input sources are selectively patched to each of a plurality of input channels, and the supplied source. It comprises a plurality of the input channels having signal processing means, and in the input patch, two or more sources are patched for each input channel, and any one of the two or more patched sources is selected as the input channel. A source selector that collectively switches in all the input channels so as to select each, an input channel unit to which the source selected by the source selector is supplied to each input channel, and the input channel unit A plurality of mixing buses that mix the signals output from each of them and output mixed outputs, and the mixing buses. Mixed output is the most important feature that an output channel unit comprising a plurality of output channels supplied respectively output from.

  According to the present invention, since the source selector that switches so as to select any one of the two or more patched sources for each input channel is provided, the signal input to each input channel is connected and It becomes possible to easily set without troublesome setting.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the mixer concerning the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the equivalent hardware constitutions of the mixer concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows a part of equivalent hardware constitutions of the mixer concerning this invention in detail. It is a figure which shows the patch information regarding the source selector in the mixer of this invention. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the scene information in the mixer of this invention. It is a figure which shows the other patch information regarding the source selector in the mixer of this invention. It is a figure which shows the source selector setting screen displayed on the indicator of the mixer of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the conventional mixer.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mixer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the mixer 1 shown in FIG. 1, a central processing unit (CPU) 10 executes a management program (OS: Operating System), and the overall operation of the mixer 1 is controlled on the OS. The mixer 1 includes a nonvolatile ROM (Read Only Member) 11 in which operation software such as a mixing control program executed by the CPU 10 is stored, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) in which the work area of the CPU 10 and various data are stored. 12 is provided. The CPU 10 performs a mixing process by executing a mixing control program and applying a sound signal processing to a plurality of input sound signals by a DSP (Digital Signal Processor: Digital Signal Processor) 20. Note that by making the ROM 11 a rewritable ROM such as a flash memory, the operation software can be rewritten, and the version of the operation software can be easily upgraded. The DSP 20 adjusts and mixes the volume level and frequency characteristics of the input acoustic signal based on the set parameters under the control of the CPU 10, and controls the acoustic characteristics such as volume, pan, and effect based on the parameters. Digital signal processing is performed. The effector (EFX) 19 adds effects such as reverb, echo, chorus and the like to the mixed audio signal under the control of the CPU 10.

  The display IF 13 is a display interface that displays various screens related to mixing on the display unit 14 including a display such as a liquid crystal display. The detection IF 15 scans the operation elements 16 such as faders, knobs, and switches provided on the panel of the mixer 1 to detect operations on the operation elements 16, and performs acoustic signal processing based on the detected operation signals. The value of the parameter used for the can be changed. The communication IF 17 is a communication interface for communicating with an external device via the communication I / O 18, and is a network interface such as Ethernet (registered trademark). The CPU 10, ROM 11, RAM 12, display IF 13, detection IF 15, communication IF 17, EFX 19, DSP 20 exchange data and the like via the communication bus 21.

  The EFX 19 and the DSP 20 exchange data with the AD 22, DA 23, and DD 24 via the audio bus 25. The AD 22 is a plurality of analog input ports for inputting analog signals to the mixer 1, and the analog input signals input at the AD 22 are converted into digital signals and sent to the audio bus 25. The DA 23 is a plurality of analog output ports for outputting the mixed signal mixed from the mixer 1 to the outside. The digital output signal received via the audio bus 25 in the DA 23 is converted into an analog signal and arranged at the venue or stage. Output from the selected speaker. The DD 24 is a plurality of digital input / output ports for inputting a digital signal to the mixer 1 and outputting a mixed digital signal to the outside. The digital input signal input in the DD 24 is sent to the audio bus 25, and the audio signal is output. The digital output signal received via the bus 25 is output to a digital recorder or the like. The digital signal sent from the AD 22 and DD 24 to the audio bus 25 is received by the DSP 20 and subjected to the above-described digital signal processing. The DA 23 or DD 24 receives the mixed digital signal sent from the DSP 20 to the audio bus 25.

Next, a block diagram showing an equivalent hardware configuration of the mixer 1 is shown in FIG.
In FIG. 2, a plurality of analog signals input to a plurality of analog input ports (AD 22) are converted into digital signals and input to an input patch 30. The plurality of digital signals input to the plurality of digital input ports (DD24) are input to the input patch 30 as they are. In the input patch 30, a plurality of input ports among a large number of input ports that are input sources of signals are input channels (Input Channels) 31 of an input channel unit 31 in which N channels (N is an integer of 1 or more) are used. .., 31-N are selectively patched (connected). Source selectors 31 a-1, 31 a-2, 31 a-3 for selecting one input port among a plurality of input ports patched by the input patch 30 are provided to the input channels 31-1 to 31 -N, respectively. .., 31a-N are provided. In each of the input channels 31-1 to 31-N, the acoustic signals In.1, In.2, In.3,..., In.N selected in the input channels by the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N. The characteristics and the like are adjusted.

  In other words, the input channel signals in the input channels 31-1 to 31-N in the input channel section 31 are adjusted to M (the characteristics of the acoustic signal are adjusted by an equalizer or a compressor for each input channel and the send level is controlled. M is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and is sent to a mixed bus (Mix Bus) 35 and an L, R stereo cue bus (Cue Bus) 36. In this case, the N input channel signals output from the input channel unit 31 are selectively output to one or more of the M mixing buses 35. In the mixed bus 35, one or a plurality of input channel signals selectively input from any input channel among the N input channels are mixed in each of the M buses, and a total of M mixed outputs are output. Is done. The mixed outputs from each of the M mixing buses 35 are output channels (Output Channels) 32-1, 32-2, 32-3,. -M is output respectively. In each of the output channels 32-1 to 32-M, the characteristics of the acoustic signal such as the frequency balance are adjusted by an equalizer or a compressor, and the output channel signals Mix.1, Mix.2, Mix.3,. The M output channel signals Mix.1 to Mix.M are output to an output patch 34. In the L and R cue bus 36, there is a cue / monitor signal in which one or a plurality of input channel signals selectively inputted from any of the N input channels are mixed. The data is output to a cue / monitor unit (Cue / Monitor) 33. The cue / monitor output (Cue / monitor) output from the cue / monitor unit 33 is output to the output patch 34.

In the output patch 34, any one of the M output channel signals Mix.1 to Mix.M from the output channel section 32 and the cue / monitor output from the cue / monitor section 33 is selected from the plurality of output ports (DA23 and DD24). The output channel signal patched by the output patch 34 is supplied to each output port. At the output port of the DA 23, the digital output channel signal is converted into an analog output signal, amplified by an amplifier, and emitted from a plurality of speakers arranged in the venue. Further, this analog output signal is supplied to an in-ear monitor worn by a musician or the like on the stage or reproduced by a stage monitor speaker placed in the vicinity thereof. A digital audio signal output from a digital output port section (DD24) having a plurality of digital output ports is supplied to a recorder, an externally connected DAT, etc., and can be digitally recorded. Also, the cue / monitor output is converted into an analog output signal at the output port of the DA 23 assigned by the output patch 34, and is output from a monitor speaker arranged in the operator room, headphones worn by the operator, etc. become able to.
In such a mixer 1, one input port among the plurality of input ports selectively patched for each of the input channels 31-1 to 31 -N in the input patch 30 is set as the source selector 31 a-1 to 31 a-. Since each input channel is selected by N, signals input to the input channels 31-1 to 31-N can be easily set without performing connection and troublesome settings.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration of the input channel section 31 which is a characteristic configuration in the mixer 1 according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration of the input channel 31-1 and the input channel 31-N in the input channel section 31. The input channel 31-1 includes, for example, a source selector 31a-1 that can select any one of five input ports that are selectively patched by the input patch 30, and an input port selected by the source selector 31a-1. An input channel processing unit 31b-1 to which an input channel signal In.1 is supplied is provided. The input channel processing unit 31b-1 adjusts the characteristics of the input channel signal In.1 with an equalizer or a compressor and controls the sending level to selectively send it to the mixing bus 35 and the stereo cue bus 36. The source selector 31a-1 selects any one of the five input ports by switching the movable contact a1 to any one of the five fixed contacts b1, c1, d1, e1, and f1. The configuration of the other source selectors 31a-2 to 31a-N is the same as that of the source selector 31a-1, and each of the input channel signals In.2 to In selected by the source selectors 31a-2 to 31a-N. .N are supplied to the input channel processing units 31b-2 to 31b-N, respectively. Note that the selection switching by the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N is collectively performed in all the input channels 31-1 to 31-N. The source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N may be physical switches or software switches.

A patch indicating the source (input port) selected for each of the input channels 31-1 to 31-N in accordance with the switching of the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N switched in a batch by the source information for each switching An example of the information is shown in FIG. In the patch information shown in FIG. 4, k input ports are patched for each input channel by the input patch 30, and any one of the k input ports is set for each input channel by the source selectors 31 a-1 to 31 a -N. This is patch information for selection.
In the patch information shown in FIG. 4, Ch.1, Ch.2,... Ch.N on the vertical axis are the input channels 31-1 to 31-N, and Sourse.1, Sourse.2,. Sourse.k is source information for identifying a source input to each of the input channels 31-1 to 31-N when the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N are switched from the first to the kth. That is, each source information of Source.1 to Source.k indicates a source input to each input channel 31-1 to 31-N corresponding to each switching state of the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N. Each source information is numbered 1 to k in order. For example, when the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N are switched to Source.1, the source of Slot1-1 is input to the input channel Ch.1, and Slot2-1 is input to the input channel Ch.2. The source of Slot4-1 is input to the input channel Ch.N.

The slot in this case will be described. The mixer 1 has a plurality of card slots, and the card inserted in the card slot has 8 channels. Therefore, the first channel of the card installed in the first card slot is represented as Slot1-1, and the first channel of the card installed in the second card slot is represented as Slot2-1. The same applies to other card slots. As for the type of card, a card constituting an AD 22 having an AD converter built-in and being analog input-digital output, a card constituting a DD 24 being digital input-digital output, and a DA converter being built-in. A card constituting the DA 23 which is digital input-analog output is prepared.
In such a mixer 1, each input channel 31-1 to 31-31 is selected by selecting the switching state of one source information of Source.1 to Source.k by the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N. Since sources (input ports) are selected at once for each N, signals input to the input channels 31-1 to 31-N can be easily set without performing connection and troublesome settings. become.

By the way, in the mixer 1, all parameters indicating the setting state of the operation elements 16 such as faders, knobs, and switches can be stored as scene information in a scene memory or the like. Each scene information is stored with a scene number assigned, and by specifying a scene number and performing a recall operation, the scene information of the specified scene number is read out, and the setting state corresponding to the scene information is digitally displayed. Can be reproduced with a mixer. This makes it possible to reproduce various scenes from a conference room, banquet hall, mini-theater and multipurpose hall once set. The data structure of this scene information is shown in FIG.
The scene information shown in FIG. 5 includes a scene number, a scene name, an input source, parameter data,..., And the parameter data includes modules A, B, and the like that constitute the mixer 1. .., For example, the parameter of the module A is composed of a parameter A value, a parameter B value, a parameter C value,... The input source is source information indicating a source input to each of the input channels 31-1 to 31-N in the scene. For example, the input source is “Sourse.1”. As described above, since the scene data has the information of the input source, the source input to each of the input channels 31-1 to 31-N by specifying the scene number and performing the recall operation also depends on the scene. Will be selected at once.

Also, if you want to switch the input channel Ch.1 source but want to always use the same input channel Ch.2 source, assign the same input signal to all Ch.2 sources. So that it must be set in advance. However, in recent mixers, the number of input channels becomes enormous, and it can be said that the above operations become very complicated. Therefore, in the mixer 1 according to the present invention, whether or not the source number selected by the source selectors 31a-1 to 31a-N is used as it is, or in what manner the source is selected when not used. It can be determined in advance. That is, when a source that is blank and is not selected in the patch information table shown in FIG. 4 is selected, one of the following settings can be performed.
(A) No input is given to the input channel corresponding to the blank (does nothing)
(B) The source information in which the source is selected for the input channel corresponding to the blank is searched in ascending order of the source information number, and the source is selected based on the hit source information. (C) Corresponds to the blank. Select source according to source priority in input channel

Therefore, in the mixer 1 of the present invention, the source selector setting screen shown in FIG. 7 can be displayed on the display unit 14 to allow the user to set the operation when a source that has not been selected is selected. In the source selector setting screen shown in FIG. 7, “use selected source” (corresponding to (a) above), “reselect in ascending order of source number” (corresponding to (b) above), “source priority” Any one of “Reselect according to the ranking” (corresponding to the above (c)) can be selected with a radio button. Then, by selecting one of the radio buttons and operating the “OK” button, the setting state is confirmed, and when the “Cancel” button is operated, the previous setting state is restored.
In the setting of (b) above, the sources are generally assigned (patched) in order from the lowest number, and the source is patched according to the rule that the lower the number, the higher the priority. It is because of that. In this case, only Source.1 is used for input channels that are not source-selected. FIG. 6 shows an example of patch information with priorities used in the setting of (c). In the patch information shown in FIG. 6, in the source information of Sourse.1 to Sourse.k, the source priority is 1, 2, 3, for each input channel Ch.1, Ch.2,. ... K is attached to the left column of each source. In the setting state of (c) above, the source is selected in the order of younger priority in the input channel where the source is not selected.

  In the mixer of the present invention described above, the equivalent hardware configuration of the mixer shown in FIG. 2 is that the number k of source information in the patch information shown in FIGS. The case of 5 is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number k of source information that can be selected by the source selector of each input channel can be any number.

1 mixer, 10 CPU, 11 ROM, 12 RAM, 13 display IF, 14 display, 15 detection IF, 16 operator, 17 communication IF, 18 communication I / O, 19 EFX, 20 DSP, 21 communication bus, 22 AD , 23 DA, 24 DD, 25 audio bus, 30 input patch, 31 input channel section, 31-1 to 31-N input channel, 31a-1 to 31a-N source selector, 31b-1 to 31b-N input channel processing Section, 32 output channel section, 32-1 to 32-M output channel, 33 monitor section, 34 output patch, 35 mixing bus, 36 queue bus, 100 mixer, 110 console, 111, 112 Input Box (AD)

Claims (3)

An input patch that selectively patches multiple input sources to each of multiple input channels; and
The input patch includes a plurality of input channels each having signal processing means for performing signal processing on the supplied source. In the input patch, two or more sources are patched for each input channel. A source selector that collectively switches in all the input channels so that one of the sources is selected for each input channel, and the source selected by the source selector is supplied to each input channel. Input channel section,
A plurality of mixing buses for mixing signals output from the input channel section and outputting mixed outputs;
An output channel section composed of a plurality of output channels to which the mixed outputs output from the mixing bus are respectively supplied;
A mixer comprising:   Source information indicating a source selected for each of the input channels in accordance with the switching of the source selector, wherein the source information set for the scene is included in the scene information of the scene. The mixer according to claim 1.   The source information for each switching state of the source selector is numbered sequentially, and in the source information corresponding to the switched switching state of the source selector, in the input channel where no source is selected, Use source information, use source information with the lowest number for which the source is selected for the input channel, or use source information with the highest priority for which the source is selected for the input channel The mixer according to claim 2, wherein the mixer is preset.

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