Thank you! But why is the learning curve so steep?

[MarkGl]

For all those that contributed to this forum or anyone that answered any of my newbie questions, Thank you!
The learning curve is steep, I had no AHA moments, I got so frustrated and then suddenly it all clicked!
I love this desk, it has opened up all sorts of options for me now.
Got in so many tangles when trying to set up my routing.
Read the manual (which now looks like an old rag) and for some reason nothing was sticking with me, the words on the page were just not making sense to me.
Not new to any of this technology, I started to think that I was loosing my edge, cognitive decline and all that!
So what happend?
I made a VERY detailed mind map of all inputs, outputs, Firewire channels, USB connections and relevant screenshots from the DM.
Went away for a couple of weeks and when I got back to the studio it had all clicked into place.
If I make any changes I change the mind map to reflect this.
Everything is intuitive now!

Why does this desk initially have such a steep learning curve though?

 

[Peter Batah]

Personally, I think that more video tutorials would have been immensely helpful for users at all knowledge levels. There have been a handful at most. Forum members like @Rockum and @jamsire (I know that I am forgetting plenty of others) have been kind enough to share their time and expertise with us. It would be remiss of me not to mention @captdan (sadly no longer with us)

 

[mixerizer]

I think it’s because the board is so versatile and is designed for more than one core paradigm of the time (straight digital mixing, DA-88/ADAT project mixing, 48-track recording, DAW audio interface, DAW remote layer control surface, automation, etc.). When I decided on a Dm-4800 a few years back, I did so only after I dug deep in the specs and understood it’s capabilities as you describe having done recently. Once I did I realized it’s flexibility. Between the expansion slot choices, the mic and line ins, assignable sends and deep internal routing, the board can fit in all kinds of scenarios.

I think a high-level tutorial showing the DM serving as everything from a DAW Firewire control surface and interface to a pure hardware digital mixer using TDIF, AES, ADAT etc., could have been really effective. Seeing the way configuration changes make the board applicable to so many environments and the comparatively quite high channel counts that still rival or exceed modern equivalent boards would have taught how better to understand the connections between changes to the board setup and each specific recording setup.

Last, I think the interface’s small black and white display constrains you - I think the board would have been a lot more easily understood with a richer GUI but those were and are the days!

Really glad you appreciate your mixer and feel like you made a good choice. The learning never stops, I was just in SMPTE heaven doing some tweaks yesterday and having fun.

 

[mixerizer]

BTW I probably have legitimately a 12” stack of sketches, system diagrams I have done over the last few years planning, evolving and building out the studio to the system I have in place now.

mind maps are cool - I tend to use diagramming software, but there is no such thing as ‘finished’ because every session brings sweet sweet chaos

 

[Arjan P]

Why does this desk initially have such a steep learning curve though?

I think the answer is simple: extreme flexibility = similar complexity
Fortunately, once you 'get it', it's an unmatched studio tool IMO.

 

[Headroom]

The trouble with the so called user manual is that it does not tell you how to use it. Just how you operate it.

 

[Peter Batah]

In my post above #2 I neglected to mention several other people who were instrumental in getting me up and running. My apologies to them. My memory just isn't what it used to be.

@Arjan P
@-mjk-
@skier
@cmaffia