JPH08130427A - Mixer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To time-sequentially switch grouping for controlling plural input channels with one master fader. CONSTITUTION: A channel fader 10, channel ON/OFF switch 11 and VCA group selection switch 12 are provided on the control panel surface of an input channel 1. Besides, this mixer is provided with eight sets of group master parts and respective input modules are connected to any groups. For each group, the signal of its input channel is controlled by a group master fader 30. This mixer is provided with from 24 to 48 sets of input channels but the set contents (scene data) of the VCA group selection switch for all these input channels are stored in a scene memory module and those scene data can be read out and set to the respective input channels by a recall switch 42.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mixer used for mixing audio signals in a studio or a stage,
In particular, the present invention relates to a mixer having a group function for commonly controlling signal levels in a plurality of channels (signal processing units).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A mixer is a device for individually adjusting the sound quality and controlling the level of each of the audio signals input to a plurality of input channels, and then mixing and outputting the audio signals of the other channels. The mixer is provided with a slide volume called a fader for signal level control. A fader is provided as a channel fader for each input channel, and there is also one provided with a group master fader for synchronously controlling the signal levels of a plurality of channels.

When the signal levels of a plurality of channels are controlled in synchronization using this group master fader, the channels to be controlled in synchronization are assigned to the group master fader (group). When the group master fader is operated after assignment, the signal level of the channel assigned to that group is controlled according to the operation of the group master fader.

In recent mixers, this group function is realized by a voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) and a gain setting voltage input to this VCA. That is, a voltage corresponding to the operation of the group master fader is generated and the voltage is input to all channels. Each channel is provided with a VCA (voltage control amplifier) for amplifying / attenuating an input signal and a gate circuit for switching whether to input the voltage generated by the group master fader to the VCA, and if there is a channel to be assigned to the group, Turn on (open) the gate circuit of the channel. Then, a voltage according to the operation of the group master fader is input to the VCA as a gain setting voltage, and the level of the input signal of that channel is controlled by this.

In this system, since the voltages of a plurality of group master faders can be input to one channel, one channel can belong to a plurality of groups, and this VCA group and each channel can be input. Since it is possible to set separately a signal group for adding and synthesizing the signals output from, there is an advantage that there is a high degree of freedom in grouping and there is no deterioration of signals even in the case of multiple grouping.

[0006]

The mixer currently in practical use is equipped with about eight group master faders, which makes it possible to group a plurality of groups such as female and male voices. It is also possible to adopt multiple groups in which one channel belongs to multiple groups.

However, when many scenes (scenes: songs) such as musicals appear consecutively, a plurality of groups are required for each scene, and this group group is quickly recombined every time the scene is switched. Need to Even when I look at one singer, in one song I do solo, but in the next song I do a duet with other singers, and in other songs there is a recombination of a large number of choruses, so this singer in each scene The group that belongs to will change. Since such group recombination similarly occurs for a large number of singers, it is impossible to cover a single musical stage by setting 8 groups at the same time. Also, when a channel is multi-grouped, that channel is always affected by all the group master faders to which it belongs, so you need to be aware of faders other than the one you are currently controlling. It wasn't easy.

[0008] In addition, in a mixing site such as a musical, a large number of songs are sung in order, but there is a strong desire to control the main vocal with the same fader (for example, the first master fader) in any song. For this purpose, it is necessary to rearrange the main vocal fader group and other groups each time the song changes, but it is extremely dangerous and extremely possible to change the group assignment manually during the production in the field. Was not.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide a mixer whose grouping can be changed in time series.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a voltage generator for generating a gain setting voltage and inputting it to a signal processor, a voltage control amplifier for amplifying / attenuating an input signal, and the voltage control from the voltage generator. A plurality of signal processing units each having an assigning unit for turning on / off the input of the gain setting voltage to the amplifier; a storage unit for storing an on / off state of each assigning unit of the plurality of signal processing units; Setting means for reading the on / off state from the storage means and setting the assigning means to that state.

[0011]

In the mixer of the present invention, the voltage generating section generates the gain setting voltage, and the gain setting voltage is input to each signal processing section. Each signal processing unit switches whether to apply the input gain setting voltage to the voltage controlled amplifier (ON / OFF) by the assigning means. When the gain setting voltage is applied to the voltage controlled amplifier (ON), the signal processing unit is controlled by the voltage generation unit. That is,
This signal processing unit belongs to the group of the voltage generating units. When the gain setting voltage is not applied to the voltage controlled amplifier (OFF), the signal processing unit is not controlled by the voltage setting. That is, this signal processing unit does not belong to the group of the voltage generating units. The storage means stores the on / off state of the assign means of the plurality of signal processing units as scene data. Further, the setting means reads this scene data and sets it in the assigning means of each signal processing section. Thus, no matter what the on / off state of each signal processing unit is at that time, the setting means can be operated to immediately switch to the on / off state stored in the storage means. You can quickly respond to the change of scene.

[0012]

1 is a block diagram of a mixer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external view of the mixer. The mixer is composed of a plurality of modularized functional units. A plurality of functional units include an input channel (input module) 1 having a built-in input channel circuit, an output channel (output module) 2 having a built-in output channel circuit, and a group master fader 30, which is a master of a VCA group. Department (group master module)
3 and a scene memory unit (scene memory module) 4 for storing the setting states of all input channels as scene data. In a general mixer, the input module 1 has 16 to 48 units (16 to 48 channels), and the output module 2 has a total of 10 groups and stereos.
Generally, the number of modules (about 10 channels) and the group master module 3 are eight, but the number of connection modules is arbitrary. However, since the scene memory module 4 stores the scene data of all the input channels, the number of the scene memory modules 4 is basically one.

FIG. 3 shows an input channel (input module).
1, group master part (group master module) 3
Also, a partial configuration of the panel surface of the scene memory unit (scene memory module) 4 is shown. 4 is a partial circuit configuration diagram of the input channel 1, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the scene memory unit 4.

The input channel 1 is a circuit for inputting an audio signal from a microphone or an electric musical instrument, and after adjusting the sound quality of the input audio signal and controlling the level, the audio signal is output via the signal bus 5 to a predetermined output channel. Communicate to 2. The output channel 2 amplifies the audio signal input from the input channel 1 at a predetermined level and outputs it to a device such as a power amplifier. Here, the input channel 1 is a VCA 61 for amplifying / attenuating the input audio signal.
The gain of the VCA 61 is controlled by the gain setting voltage (see FIG. 4). That is, the level control of the audio signal is performed by the gain setting voltage.

The group master unit 3 includes a group master fader 30. Group master fader 30
The voltage generated by is input to all input channels 1 via the fader bus 6. Whether or not to use that voltage as the gain setting voltage is set by the VCA group selection switch 12 (see FIG. 3) on the input channel side. Voltages are input to each input channel from a plurality of group master faders, and the input channel 1 can independently select belonging / non-participating to each group. That is, it is possible to select all groups or no groups at all.

The scene memory unit 4 is a device for storing the group selection state of each input channel and the channel on / off state of each input channel via the scene data bus 7 and storing them as scene data. The scene memory unit 4 can store a plurality (about 128) of scene data. Further, the scene memory unit 4 reads out the stored scene data and sends it to each input channel via the scene data bus 7,
The contents of the scene data can be set to each input channel.

In FIG. 3A, a channel fader 10, a channel on / off switch 11 and a VCA group selection switch 12 are provided on the panel surface of the input channel 1.
Various operators including (12-1 to 12-8) and the equalizer volume 13 are provided. The channel fader 10 is a fader for controlling only the level of the audio signal input to this input channel independently of other channels. This channel fader 10 is also composed of a slide volume like the group master fader 30 and can take out a voltage according to the slider position. The channel on / off switch 11 is a switch for turning on / off the output of the audio signal of this channel. The VCA group selection switches 12-1 to 12-8 are switches for selecting the group to which this input channel belongs. Group affiliation / non-affiliation is group 1 to group 8
Can be independently selected. Further, the channel on / off switch 11 and the VCA group selection switch 12 have LEDs built-in,
When turned on (selected), this LED lights up. The channel on / off switch 11 and VC
The A group selection switch 12 is composed of a momentary push switch, and an ON / OFF toggle operation is performed by an electric circuit (gate circuit 64) in the subsequent stage. The equalizer volume 13 is a volume for adjusting sound quality such as frequency characteristics of the input signal, and the set value is input as a parameter to the equalizer circuit.

In FIG. 1B, the group master unit 3
On the panel surface of the group master fader 30 described above.
Operators such as a mute switch 31 and the like are provided. The group master fader 30 is a fader for controlling the signal level of the input channels belonging to this group. The voltage extracted from this fader is input to all input channels via the fader bus 6. Whether this voltage is used as a gain setting voltage in each input channel is determined by turning on / off the VCA group selection switch 12 of each input module. The mute switch 31 is a circuit for forcibly reducing the voltage output from this fader to a voltage corresponding to -∞. If this “voltage corresponding to −∞” is input to the VCA 61 of the input channel, the gain will be −60d.
Since it becomes B or less, the input signal is not output.

Further, in FIG. 1C, a scene number indicator 40, a store switch 41, a recall switch 42, an up / down switch 43 (43a, 43b), a numeric keypad 44 and a direct recall are provided on the panel surface of the scene memory unit 4. A switch 45 is provided. Although not shown, a mode selection switch is provided on this panel surface. The mode selection switch is a switch for setting the stepping mode / non-stepping mode for the store switch 41 and the recall switch 42. The scene number indicator 40 is composed of a 3-digit 7-segment display and displays the currently selected scene number. The store switch 41 is a switch for storing scene data in the scene memory 71. When the store switch 41 is turned on, the setting state of each input channel at that timing is stored in the scene memory 71 as scene data. The area of the scene memory 71 in which the writing is performed is the area of the scene number selected (displayed in the scene number indicator 40) at that time. In the step mode, the value displayed on the scene number indicator 40 after writing is incremented by one. Further, the recall switch 42 is a switch for reading out scene data and transmitting / setting it to each input channel. When the recall switch 42 is turned on, the scene data of the scene number displayed in the scene number indicator 40 is read out and transmitted to each input channel unless it is in the step mode (in the non-step mode). If the mode is the step mode, the value displayed on the scene number indicator 40 is incremented by 1, and then the scene data of the scene number is read out and transmitted to each input channel. The up / down switch 43 is a switch for up / down the scene number displayed on the scene number indicator 40. The scene number is incremented by 1 each time the up switch 43a is turned on once. The scene number is 1 each time the down switch 43b is turned on once.
It gradually decreases. The ten-key pad 44 is a switch for directly inputting a scene number and selecting the scene. The direct recall switches 45-1 to 45-8 are switches that directly recall the scene by registering one scene number in each switch and turning on this switch. By turning on the direct recall switches 45-1 to 45-8 while turning on the store switch 41 or the recall switch 42 in a state where a certain scene is selected, the scene number is registered in the direct recall switch.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the circuit configuration of the input channel. Input channel is equalizer 60, VCA6
1, a switch circuit 62, a bus assigner 63, and the like. In addition to this, a pan circuit for adjusting the balance at the time of stereo output and the like are included, but they are omitted in the figure for simplification of the description. The equalizer 60 is a circuit for adjusting sound quality such as frequency characteristics and cutoff of an input audio signal, and the equalizer volume 13
The setting value of is input as a parameter. The audio signal whose sound quality is adjusted by this circuit is input to the VCA 61. The gain setting voltage is input to the VCA 61 from the adder 65. The adder 65 is connected to the channel fader 10 of the input channel and also to a plurality of gate circuits 64. The gate circuit 64 is the VC
This is an analog switch circuit that is opened and closed by an on event of the A group selection switch 12. Each gate circuit 6
4 is connected to the group master fader 30 of each group master section via the fader bus. Therefore,
If the gate circuit 64 is open, the voltage of the group master fader 30 is input to the adder 65, and the VCA 61 is adjusted by this fader, so that this input channel belongs to that group, and the gate circuit If 64 is closed, the voltage of the group master fader 30 is not input to the adder 65, so this input channel does not belong to that group. The gate circuit 64 is composed of a circuit including a flip-flop and an analog switch, and the VCA group selection switch 1
2 and setting data input from the scene data bus 7 switches the flip-flop between set and reset. The flip-flop turns on / off the analog switch to determine whether or not the voltage input from the fader bus 6 is input to the adder 65. Also,
The switch circuit 62 also has substantially the same configuration as the gate circuit 64, and includes an analog switch that opens and closes an audio signal and a flip-flop that maintains the open / closed state of the analog switch. This flip-flop is turned on / off by the setting data input from the channel on / off switch 11 and the scene data bus 7.

A read line and a write line of the scene data bus 7 are connected to the switch circuit 62 and the gate circuit 64, and the switch circuit 62 and each gate are connected from the read line during the store operation of the scene memory unit 4. The setting state of the circuit 64 is read, and during the recall operation, the setting data is transmitted from the write line to set the data in the switch circuit 62 and each gate circuit 64.

The bus assigner 63 is a circuit for allocating to which of a plurality of signal buses this audio signal is output. In this figure, all buses are described as independent buses, but a stereo bus can also be adopted. The stereo bus is a signal bus that divides one signal into two by a pan circuit to an appropriate ratio and inputs the signals to the left and right channels, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the structure of the scene memory unit 4. The controller 70 that controls the operation of this module is composed of a microcomputer. A scene memory 71, a panel operator 72 including various operators on the panel surface, a display unit 73 including the scene number indicator, and a bus interface 74 connected to the setting data bus 7 are connected to the controller 70. In the scene memory 71, a scene data storage area for storing the on / off states of the group selection switches and the on / off states of the channel on / off switches of all input modules for 128 scenes is set and selected. (Scene number indicator 40
The scene number register SN for storing the scene number and the direct recall number register DN (n) for storing the scene number set in the eight direct recall switches are set. When the user operates switches such as the store switch 41 and the recall switch 42 of the panel operator, the controller 70
Executes writing / reading of SN and DN (n) and writing / reading of scene data according to the operation.

6 and 7 are flow charts showing the operation of the controller 70 of the scene memory unit 4. Figure 6
(A) shows the operation when the store switch 41 is turned on. When the store switch 41 is turned on (n1), the setting data is read from each input channel (n2) and is written in the area of the scene number SN of the scene memory 71 selected at that time (n3). After that, it is determined whether the mode is the step mode (n4), and if the mode is the step mode, 1 is added to SN (n5) and the display is updated (n5).
6) Return. If it is not the step mode, the process directly returns from n4.

FIG. 6B shows the operation when the recall switch 42 is turned on. When the recall switch 42 is turned on (n11), it is first determined whether or not the step mode is set (n12). If it is not step mode, S at that time
The scene data of the scene number designated by N is read (n15) and transmitted to each input channel (n1).
6). Each input channel receives this data and sets the channel on / off switch circuit 62 and the gate circuit 64 of the VCA group selection switch 12 according to the data. On the other hand, in the step mode, the process proceeds from n12 to n13, 1 is added to SN (n13), the display is updated, and then the process proceeds to (n14) n15.

FIG. 6C shows the operation when the up / down switch 43 is turned on. Up-down switch 4
When 3 is turned on (n21), it is determined whether the turned-on switch is the up switch 43a or the down switch 43b (n22), and in the case of the up switch 43a, 1 is added to the scene number SN (n23). , The display of the scene number indicator 40 is updated (n25). In the case of the down switch 43b, the scene number SN
1 is subtracted from (n24), and the display of the scene number indicator 40 is updated (n25).

FIG. 6D shows the operation when the ten key 44 is operated. When a 3-digit numerical value is input from the numeric keypad 44 (n26), this numerical value is input to the scene number register SN.
(N27) and the display is updated (n28).

FIG. 7 shows a direct recall switch 45.
Shows the operation when is turned on. When the nth (n = 1 to 8) direct recall switch 45 is turned on (n3
0), at the same time, it is judged whether the store switch 41 or the recall switch 42 is turned on (n.
31). Store switch 41 or recall switch 4
When 2 are simultaneously turned on, since the scene number is registered in the direct recall switch 45, the scene currently selected in the direct recall number register DN (n) corresponding to the direct recall switch 45. Register the number SN (n3
2). On the other hand, if the store switch 41 or the recall switch 42 is not turned on at the same time, it is a direct recall instruction, so the scene number registered in the direct recall number register DN (n) is set to SN (n33). The display is updated (n34), the setting data is read from the SN storage area of the scene memory 71 (n35), and is transmitted to each input channel (n3).
6).

By turning on the store switch as described above, the setting contents of the channel on / off switch 11 and the VCA group selection switch 12 of each input module can be stored as scene data, and a plurality of (128 You can remember it.
As a result, even when a large number of singers perform a solo or a chorus one after another like a musical, multiple types of mixing settings are stored in the scene memory 71 as scene data in the order of progression of the songs (scenes). This can be easily dealt with by registering and sequentially reading out the data as the scene progresses.

FIG. 8 shows an example of setting a scene memory in a musical. In the first song (scene 1), the singer of microphone 4 (input channel 4) solos, so input channel 4 is assigned to group 1 (group master fader 1), and back music is assigned to VCA 4. In the second song, the singer of the microphone 25 solos, so the input channel 25 is assigned to group 1 and the back music is assigned to VCA4. Also, 3
The tune is a duet, and the male voice of microphone 8 and the female voice of microphone 7 are assigned to group 1 and group 2, respectively, and the back music is assigned to master fader 4. The fourth song is a solo and chorus song, so the solo of microphone 4 is assigned to group 1, the male chorus (microphones 2, 5, 8, 10, 21) is assigned to group 2, and the female chorus (microphone 7, 15, 16, 18) to group 3 and back music to master fader 4. By doing so, the main vocal can always be controlled by the group master fader 1.

In this embodiment, eight group master sections are provided, and eight VCA group selection switches 12 are provided for each input channel so that each group master section can be selected individually and independently. Is expressed as an invention as follows. A mixer comprising a plurality of voltage generators, wherein the assigning means is means for individually turning on / off the input of the gain setting voltage from each voltage generator.

According to the present invention, each signal processing unit can independently set whether each signal processing unit belongs to each group of a plurality of voltage generating units. Therefore, it may not belong to any group at all, or may belong to a plurality of groups.
The storage means stores, as scene data, on / off states of all the voltage generators for the plurality of voltage generators.

Further, in this embodiment, 1 is stored in the scene memory.
It is possible to store 28 scene data, the scene data can be sequentially read in the step mode, and can also be randomly read by operating the direct recall switch 45, the up / down switch 43, and the ten key 44. This is expressed as an invention as follows.

The storage means is means for storing the ON / OFF state of the assign means in a plurality of steps, and the setting means is
A mixer which is a means for sequentially or arbitrarily reading out the on / off states of a plurality of steps of the storage means. In the present invention, the storage means can store a plurality of scene data, and the setting means can sequentially or arbitrarily read the plurality of scene data. Thereby, a plurality of scene data can be switched and set in each signal processing unit, and it is possible to quickly respond to the switching of a plurality of scenes.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, the ON / OFF state of each signal processing section can be stored in the storage means, and the setting means can read this and set it in each signal processing section. It is possible to quickly switch the control target, that is, the group by one voltage generating unit, and quickly respond to the switching of scenes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mixer that is an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] External view of the mixer

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation panel surface of each module of the mixer.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of an input module.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a scene memory module.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the scene memory module.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the scene memory module.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of setting a scene memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-input channel, 2-output channel, 3-group master section, 4-scene memory section, 11-channel on / off switch, 12-VCA group selection switch

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display area H03G 3/02 Z

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A voltage generator that generates a gain setting voltage and inputs it to a signal processor, a voltage control amplifier that amplifies / attenuates the input signal, and a gain setting voltage from the voltage generator to the voltage control amplifier. A plurality of signal processing sections each having an assigning means for turning on / off an input of the input signal, a storage means for storing an on / off state of each assigning means of the plurality of signal processing sections, and an on / off state from the storage means. A mixer comprising: setting means for reading a state and setting the assigning means to the state.