Console Channel Marking Methods

[Peter Batah]

@skier @-mjk- @Arjan P Totally off topic here. Experiencing a Brain Fart I guess!

What are you gents using to label your tracks. Below the faders. Have forgotten what that is called. Some type of tape.

I will start a new thread or someone can move it. I thought that I would run it by you experts first. Sadly, it seems like we are the only Four musketeers active on this DM forum lately.

 

[-mjk-]

Hi Peter. My Soundcraft Ghost has a scribble strip painted on the console. It was designed for grease pencil.

In the old days there were always tons of grease pencils at the studio: white for tape editing, and black for marking the console. There was a strip of plastic that ran across the entire length of the console just above the bolster bar.

If I had to rig something for grease pencil, I would use a very thin double-sided tape and put some white plastic strips along the console. You could even cut individual pieces and do them. The only other alternative is masking tape because that is designed to come off easily with no residue, if you don't leave it on for too long.

 

[skier]

@Peter Batah, I'm not a fan of grease pencils, although MJ is correct about their pervasive use over the years. There are different kinds of masking tape: don't use the kind used for masking off surfaces for painting unless you intend to remove it within several days. Otherwise, it will leave a gluey residue that will only get worse the longer the tape is left applied. However, there is a drafting tape that looks identically like masking tape. This tape comes only in the 3/4 and one inch widths and has historically been used to hold down velum, the onion skin like paper that machine and architectural draftsman use to hold the velum to the drafting table, sometimes for weeks or longer, depending on the size and complexity of the drawing. Many complex drawings for naval ships are 28 inches high by 12 feet long, so you can imagine the time to complete a design. The one note I will add is that most drafting today is performed on a computer using a CAD program, so you may have difficulty finding it locally, though some schools use it to hold student drawings to the desk. I just did a search and you can still get it from some art suppliers; here's the link:

https://www.dickblick.com/categories/drawing/drafting/tape/

The preferred recording studio product is Hosa LBL‑505, also known as "Scribble Strip Console Tape". It's available from many audio equipment retailers, BUT, it's expensive, about $25 U.S. for a 3/4 inch wide, 180 foot roll. So, what I used on my Mackie 32/8 console before buying the DM4800 was artist's tape. You can get it from most art supply stores. It's white and it's made to not leave a residue. Depending on how much I was in the studio, I'd leave a strip on sometimes for as long as 6 months, maybe more, without problems. These days, I can read which instrument is on each track, both in Pro Tools on the screen and of the DM's display (it gets the instrument's name from Pro Tools), so I stopped using tape.

 

[Arjan P]

@Peter Batah I guess I use what I see called 'painter's tape for delicate surfaces'. Not necessarily from a brand, but it looks like the Scotch kind I saw on @skier's link. I actualy use two strips: one below the faders and one above.

The one below is yellow (but also leaves no residue) and shows what's on layer 3 of the DM - these are more or less 'permanent' items like FX returns, PC audio, CD player etc. The one above is purple and I regularly change it with bigger projects I do. I write on two lines above each other, showing what's on layer 1 and below it what's on layer 2. On the real big projects I use one for the recording sessions and another one for the mixing stage.

When changing the strip above the faders, I've recently started sticking the 'old' purple tapes below each other on my studio door. Looks nice - and whenever I have to revisit a project I simply stick the tape back on and recall the mix scene on the DM.

 

[Peter Batah]

Thank you both. Brain fart now gone. Update: Cubase Pro 11.

As some of you already know I managed to procure / order the product from avshop.ca

The online purchase was made at approx 15:00 The good news / bad news!

Purolator delivered the item at 13:15 today. At least they attempted the delivery

The bad news is my wife and I arrived at our home at 13:20. Darn!

As luck would have it. Ahh, no matter. I'll pick up the box from a local Purolator satellite outlet tomorrow morning.

 

[Peter Batah]

@Arjan P What is used to write on the tape?

 

[Peter Batah]

@-mjk- FYI. RE: Cubase Pro 11 April delivery

I dropped by the Long & McQuade store that I spoke to you about yesterday. Long story short. I let them have it. I'll leave it at that. I rest my case.

 

[-mjk-]

Go back and give them the link to this thread!

 

[Peter Batah]

@skier I like the Artist Tape concept. I am going to stop in at Michaels (large Arts & Crafts retailer) They are literally 5 minutes from where I live.

https://canada.michaels.com/en/search?q=Artist Tape

 

[Arjan P]

@Arjan P What is used to write on the tape?

That would be the local equivalent of a 'Sharpie', so permanent black marker.

 

[Peter Batah]

@Arjan P I was afraid that you were going to say that Some of the permanent markers that I have used for certain applications don't ever come off. I suppose that they come in different varieties. I got too close to my tape measure a few months ago. That mark is still there.

 

[skier]

@Peter Batah, I did not have good luck with some of the permanent markers, such as Sharpie (there are others). Some of the others worked somewhat better, but I still couldn't get all the marks off, in other words, I couldn't get a clean erase. I had much better luck when I tried Dry Erase Board markers. Their inks are an alcohol based, oily, polymer and that is what keeps them from being as sticky and permanent as a permanent marker. But I found that even dry erase markers vary and some were too light. Fortunately, others were dark enough to provide more contrast and much easier to read, especially in low lighting. I went to my studio to see if I still had some so I could give you the brand, but I did not, and then remembered that I threw out the remainder several years ago when I found they'd dried out though age and disuse (I stopped using them when I got the DM as mentioned before). But I suggest you go to a Staples, Office Max, or some similar office supply store and buy a black marker of several different brands to try. Once you find which brand works best, and presuming it works well enough on whatever tape you decide to buy, then you may want to get some of the small kits of that brand with several different colors.

 

[-mjk-]

@Peter Batah I'm guessing the folks at the art store will be able to recommend a good marker for that tape.

 

[skier]

@Peter Batah, I meant to add in my response yesterday, if Arjan can get you the brand and model or type of tape he used or still uses, as well as that of the marker, you'd at least have a working combination. As I said, I found great differences between the permanent markers, the dry erase markers, and the different types, even brands of tapes of the same types - the number of permutations is significant and only some of them work.

 

[Arjan P]

I could take a look, but I'm pretty sure the brand I buy here in the local DIY shop is not available overseas. Just like I can't buy a 'Sharpie' overhere..

But it seems there is a misunderstanding. I use the painter's tape for delicate surfaces only non-permanently, so I want the permanent marker to stay on. After finishing the project, I take off the tape, stick it to the studio door and put a brand new one on the mixer for a new project.

 

[-mjk-]

I think Peter is worried about writing off the tape and onto the console surface, more than permanently marking the tape.

 

[skier]

But it seems there is a misunderstanding. I use the painter's tape for delicate surfaces only non-permanently, so I want the permanent marker to stay on. After finishing the project, I take off the tape, stick it to the studio door and put a brand new one on the mixer for a new project.

Ah! Yes, I remember you mentioned putting the tape onto your door; but I didn't realize that you only wrote on each tape once. That explains why you're able to use a permanent marker when I could not. I used to erase the tape and left it on the mixer for a while through several projects. So while I try to use the same channel for the same instruments as much as possible, when including other players in a recording, I needed to make changes to include the additional instruments, especially because I like to group like instruments together for submixing into those groups (such as guitars together, percussion together, etc.), so erasability is needed unless I was going to replace the tape each time.

 

[Peter Batah]

I think Peter is worried about writing off the tape and onto the console surface, more than permanently marking the tape.

@-mjk- You would be correct sir!

 

[Arjan P]

Ah, I see. Well, it hasn't occurred here yet, but ofcourse I could also write on the tape before it is attached to the mixer..

 

[Peter Batah]

@Arjan P I totally understand how you would have several strands of permanent labeled tape. Especially, if most, if not all of your mixer templates are setup the same way. Or, similarly at least. I had another thought as well. I, or anyone else for that matter, could lay down a strip of removable / reusable tape (Artist, painter, etc.) Then I would take my Dymo label maker and spit out whatever I desire. Then simply remove the backing to expose the adhesive surface. Press the individual label cutouts against the strip of tape which is now placed below or above the faders and Bingo! All done. As opposed to affixing the Dymo labels directly onto the DM surface. Just a thought.

https://flic.kr/p/2kFvAYB