How To Use The Behringer Combinator - X32 XR18 Midas M32 - Combinator Tutorial Step by Step Guide

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I've updated the original version of the Combinator video. The major tweak was improving (I hope) the EQ on the narration from the original video. I used a different mic and it had too much proximity effect and I didn't compensate enough for that in the original edit. While I was at it, I also added some text and graphics to the video to further explain and draw attention to some things. There's also a few pacing edits. At this point, I'm sure a lot of subscribers never saw the original. This version should maybe be a little more digestible with the changes. Especially since it is one of the longer channel videos.

[@john26660]

Excellent Video! I am using the Combinator across the main bus but I had been confused by a few things and you cleared it up!

[@GregAubry]

Alan, thank you so much for these videos. I sound tech at a small club and the occasional small outdoor stage on the weekends with both the Behringer and Midas mixers and adding the Combinator and Wave Designer to my workflow have upped my live sound game considerably. These are terrific tools and your walkthroughs of them are incredibly helpful!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Glad to help!

[@DavidOxford606]

As always, fantastic information here!

[@greenpea9412]

This was fantastic. This tool can be very good or it can be very bad if not used proper. I know because I learned the hard way.

[@СтасГущин-о8ф]

спасиибо за подробное видео, помогло разобраться!!)

[@livemixpriyan]

Woww!1111 what a video …. Plz keep doing this kind of videos

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks!

[@schturmtrupen]

Since day one using Behringer digital mixers, Combinator is always inserted on LR. It just works.

[@betaniasandra2970]

hi, do you have any general guidelines for inserting in LR?

[@schturmtrupen]

@@betaniasandra2970 just insert it try playing with it. You'll notice the difference, when you turn it off. As per settings, if you'd like, I can drop you screenshot of the app, of my starting point, with it.

[@UltimateArvin]

Exact explanation im looking for. Great video!

[@TimmyP1955]

A very useful device for keeping things tidy.

[@marcomellaveloso2891]

Thank you very much for this video. Now all my FXs are Combinators (just joking), but this improved the sound on my vocals a lot. Greetings from Chile.

[@travishanson166]

Fantastic. The xr18 is looking more and more like it will be perfect for all I want to do. Plenty of times I have to eq bad recordings on the fly or someone says "TURN IT UP" and things don't go well. Not to mention the problems that arise outdoors. A few more gigs and I will be ordering one and all my fx rack components will stay in the home studio

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Cool! Not only less to hook up at a show, but less wear and tear on the studio components!

[@ViktorNova]

Amazing - thank you so much! I didn't realize the XR18 even had a multiband compressor (weird name they gave this, haha)

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Yip... It's in there. A better name would've been nice!

[@TommyC-nj2rt]

Hi Alan. Great tutorial. Not clear on setting up a vocal sub group, or vocal bus, to set up combinator for singer without effecting the monitor signal. thx

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

This video talks about setting up a subgroup on the XR18... Even if you're on the X32/M32 platform, the overall concept is the same. That's where you'd want to insert the Combinator if you're wanting it on a vocal group and to keep it out of the monitors: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rme3fJSjZ6toZrM

[@TommyC-nj2rt]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio thank you so much. Your videos are a great help, and our sound is improving each show.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@TommyC-nj2rt Thanks! Always good to hear the videos are helping! :)

[@yanudol]

HI everybody... I've been using a lot the SD9 Digico for big bands with 6 different singer at the same time doing lead vocals one after the other, sometimes in the same song. And to me, there's nothing better than a multi band compresor to shape the sub group Imake for all voices. The best solution that gives a multiband comp on voices is to calm the proximity FX of talking and singing very close to the mic. If you EQ to take out those 200/600hz of dark and disturbing low end, then you have a problem later on when he/she is singing with much more volume (to reach hi chest notes or 80's tenor powerfull epic notes) and get naturaly apart from the mic, because then, the voice is loosing to much body because suddenly, your EQ, plus the fact that they moves away from the mic and lose more of those same frecuencys you've EQed off, make the voice losing all it`s body and seems very far away. So, calming down the low end of the voice when talking and singing very close to the mic by compresing that range of frecuencys with a multiband compresor make the voice maintaining it's good lead voice body even when they get apart from the mic. actually, this one of the main difference between the studio and the live ( sm 58 vs U87). So in a few weeks I'll use the Midas M32 for the first time on live and will try to get that combinador tool to get the same result...I'll tell yo how it went....bye

[@mrufino1]

I haven’t watched the whole video yet, but I use the sd9 all the time and LOVE the multiband and the dynamic eq’s. I own an m32c and have been using combinator on vocal group for a few months. Last night I did a louder show than I usually work on, on speakers I don’t usually use, and was getting slight feedback as I pushed combinator harder, 4k being the biggest culprit. Once I disengaged it, that all cleaned up right away, and I had the revelation there may be auto gain happening. Turns out that’s sbc. Now I know to turn that off for this to be a regular multiband. Good thing I looked it up now and found this video. I definitely don’t want that when I’m using it to “de-harsh” vocals.

[@Topuzu-Music]

Genial video! Thank you so much, I found alot of new things about combinator. I try to use it for live situation: i want the vocals to cut better thru mix. Thanks alot! 🤝🍻

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words!

[@Splugarth]

Hi Alan. I sure do like your videos…all of them, even though I’m a beginner and don’t understand all the information, I’m learning a lot from you! I tried this at a show last night and I really like the effects! Here’s what I don’t understand though: for instance when I add Plate Reverb to Effects 1 on both of my vocal channels, I don’t insert it. I select Effects 1 “channel fader” and then increase the amount of input on each vocal channel fader. I then increase the Effects 1 main fader for the amount of effect I want in the mix. The combinator on Effects 4 fader didn’t seem to make any difference in what position I put it in. And I didn’t add any channels to it. I’m guessing that since Effects 4 (Stereo Combinator) is INSERTED on the MAIN L/R, it’s automatic for the entire mix and the faders don’t make a difference. Is that correct? Just need to know how to set up the faders is what I’m really driving at. Excellent video Alan! And thanks again for all your time and effort in teaching.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

That's basically it. Since it's inserted, the FX return is rendered unneeded/unused. The send too for that matter... By switching to and using as an INSERT you've removed it from the send and return path. It's now 'inserted' directly into your Main bus.

[@drummer5015]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio When to use inserts versus sends for FX is a confusing topic that takes repeated watchings of videos like yours to understand!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@drummer5015 I'm putting the finishing touches on a video talking about just that topic. It's specifically for the XR18 but mostly applies to the X32/M32 as well for that matter.

[@FGuerrier01]

Hello and thank you for this amazing work. I wonder: do you do any Mixing workshops or Trainings? Thanks again

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I haven't... I've thought about doing a long form video course for Patreon but I've never gotten it done.

[@blueslsd]

Never realised how good that is. Can you insert on main outs in a DAW? I think the tap point is direct from input and you can't hear effect when recorded. Superb video. Thank you.😂 Ps I use the X32 rack.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I would think you could... It would just be a matter of getting your routing correct going to the DAW, and using the correct tap point in the console. Worst case scenario, using the Post Fader tap point and just making sure the main fader is at a workable level somewhere around unity.

[@Puebow]

very nice

[@bikerdad1973]

Alan I have watched and learned a lot from videos thanks. I started out using xr18 now use x32 rack for wifes 5 piece band. I still use x18 for street gigs as easy setup. That being said i know is to taste and a lot of effects to choose from i personally use a ambiance, plate, or Hall for reverb and use a stereo delay for vocals i have all vocals going to a stereo bus, guitars to 2 mono buses L/R , and Drums also to mono buses L/R. I then add a Leisure Compressor to the vocal bus and a Dual Ultimo Compressor on the Drum and Guitar bus with the Combinator inserted on LR this multi (parallel) Compression seems to do well for me. I do have a question a friend of mine uses a Rythem Delay which is a 4tap delay, i very much would like to use on certain songs as it adds like a double vocal (like on zombie) could you cover that effect and good settings to start for vocals etc. I would really appreciate it, thanks again for all your videos!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I'll make a note of that. I have a friend wanting me to do a vocal FX overview so this could be part of that.

[@mrmcnuckle4356]

Well if you put the multiband comrpession after house eq it will definetly affect the system eq - you want to control the dynamics od the MAIN signal before you hit the SYSTEM EQ (if you don't have any system tuning equipment in the chain after the MAIN EQ) If you compress POST EQ then the can EQ no longer be "trusted" as the system EQ This ONLY applies if you're using it as a part of system tuning - NOT MIXING

[@alanphan8476]

Hi Alan, Your videos are very helpful!❤ I have a difficult when mixing the sound. Sometimes I see a lots of clippings in the FXs and the Main output. However, I can’t find from where the clips come from. Do you know how to find the channel or effects that created the clippings, so we can adjusted it down? Thanks so much in advance.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

That's a tough one without seeing things in action. There are a lot of things to check, some more likely than others. One of the problems is in some cases it can be one thing leading to another and maybe even that leading to another that adds up to this problem. Keep in mind, the main outputs is a cumulative output, as is the things feeding an FX unit. There could simply be a working amount and the eventually you start adding things until you reach the straw that breaks the camel's back. But even in that scenario, it's likely there was a problem earlier that just made it so you were likely to reach this point when normally you wouldn't. A real wildcard in all of this is routing. If there's any kind of routing issue it can cause this. The only thing to do there is check and re-check your routing to make sure things are going where they should be, nothing boosted or overly boosted via DCAs or subgroups, and nothing double-assigned (like something assigned to multiple subgroups or subgroups AND the mains via 2 different routes). The general cause of outputs clipping is input gains being too high in the first place. So that starts you out with less headroom, and then it adds up as you add channels to the mains. So even if you don't clip the inputs, you might be so close, that bringing your channel faders to around unity (let alone boosting any) can simply send the output over the edge into clipping. That could also cause a higher amount than expected to be fed to reverbs and the like since the channel gain impacts all that follows it in the channel strip. Along that same line of thought, it could be your input gain is fine (averaging -18dBFS on the channel meter) but then you add a lot of makeup gain on the channel compressor. It would create the same problem in the end and would still be a gain structure issue. If you have GEQs or comps inserted anywhere, those allow for gain to be added... plus if you boost a lot on the EQ that's no different than adding a lot of gain. So that would impact your output levels. But that wouldn't necessarily explain how your FX would be driven near clip. It's pretty had to clip the FX (like reverb) with normal gain structure. The FX are, by default, set with basic I/O levels. So you're just adding how much you need via the channel strip on a given channel. As long as the channel input gain is normal, and the FX I/O settings are at default, there's quite a bit of resolution on the channel FX sends to get plenty reverb without hitting clip on the FX. Since you say it's the outputs AND the FX that are clipping my GUESS is you in some way are too hot at the channel inputs or with channel compression makeup gains. But that's me looking for a common denominator plus thinking of the most common way to end up with the symptoms you describe. Unfortunately, it's not the only way. And beyond that, you could be a little off here, something else entirely wrong, and then something else yet again, causing it to all add up. But really, to find it, you just have to take things back to step one and follow the signal flow and see where it goes off the rails. One channel at a time. Methodically check everuything. Make sure the input gains are correct on each channel. Maybe even turn off any channel compression as you troubleshoot things just to remove variables keeping the signal path basic for your first round of troubleshooting. Look for any improperly assigned or double assigned channels to subgroups. Look for routing issues and double assignments. Make sure you don't have a group of channels assigned to a DCA that you didn't know were assigned to a DCA. And make sure that the DCA is at Unity for the 'normal' setting for a starting point... not all the way up.

[@alanphan8476]

Hi Alan, I really really appreciate for your responses! Yes, input gain is the first thing I check, and it is normal around -18db when the FX and main output are clipping. However, you give me a very good point about the compressor make up gain, and the DCA. I will check for that. Also, I still don’t know how to check the FX clipping. I will check some more for that. Thanks so much!

[@crashcrawford9357]

Are you keeping all of your inputs to -18 dBFS? That is the unity point in this family of digital consoles. Remember: mixing is cumulative, so if you're running all or even most of your inputs at -12, -10 etc. By the time you mix 16 of them together you can easily be out of headroom.

[@dospal]

Can you do in ear mixes sometime? I’m having issues with my mixes.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

That's definitely a topic I need to cover.

[@huntercurry]

Hi Al!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Hey Hunter!

[@ralphdeonarine9133]

So I have not attempted this in reality with my MR18 and therefore only thinking out loud, but help me figure out this one please Alan. If I use the Combinator on the L/R Main, but want to bring out the Kick without affecting how the bass guitar is being compressed, could I use the expander on the Kick channel or would that mean the expander and the Combinator would be working against each other? What alternative would you suggest to get my desired result?

[@glenshort5123]

Do you think I could use my C6 plugin in my DAW (in my case this would be GigPerformer 4) which is designed better for live performance than a regular DAW, by inserting it through the Aux 3/4 and back thru Aux 17/18 (as suggested in your other video) and routed to mains, then running my mix (1-16) thru the Aux to get back to the mains, rather than using the combinator on the XR-18. I just love the way the C6 works more intuitively.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I agree that I like the C6 better as well... But not really sure how the latency would impact things in what you describe. Never tried it on the Behringer stuff.

[@TarasEsakov]

Thanks from russia, colleague

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thank you too watching!

[@TarasEsakov]

@@AlanHamiltonAudioso, I collect opinions about Midas m32 or x32 by behringer. The question for you (In your opinion) - what sounds better?:)

[@TarasEsakov]

@@AlanHamiltonAudioor do you feel difference between these consoles ?)

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@TarasEsakov I definitely think the M32 sounds and feels better. It's not a 'break the mix' amount of difference, and it also definitely makes a difference more noticeable when I'm deploying a nicer rig. Although, of course if there are musicians on IEMs they should notice the difference regardless of what the rest of the PA is like. But it's not game-changing better. It's better, and if you can afford the difference in price I'd say worth it. But neither console will adversely affect your mixes. And honestly, if you were to mix one night on the X32 with the same band and crowd, and switch to the M32 for a second night in the same venue, YOU might notice the difference... but doubtful the crowd does. So both mixers are tools that can get the job done. But your own personal satisfaction is probably going to be better on the M32.

[@TarasEsakov]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio thanks for extended comment)

[@27aceron]

Hello friend, could you tell me how to equalize a woman whose voice is very bright? whit air 18 of behringer

[@jeanpaulawoundza6644]

hey alan my m32 don't have the combinator where to have it

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

M32 has Combinator. In both X32 and M32 it can only be found in the first 4 FX slots in the FX rack. I do think it might've been added and not in the original X32 firmware, so possibly it's not in the older M32 Firmware either.

[@paulwalker6793]

So does this combinator basically eliminate the need for an aux fed sub?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I wouldn't say that necessarily. Although, there's always the debate about whether and how much someone 'needs' an aux fed sub. You can certainly mix a band without an aux fed sub, and you can use something like the Combinator to do things with your mix that maybe mitigates why you personally would want to use an aux fed sub. But to me, the main benefit in an aux fed sub is simply removing things from the subs that don't need to be there. And not just the sources themselves. Example: Rarely do modern pop/rock/country vocals need to extend to the subs. Yes, you can engage a HPF on the vocal channel channels and that will roll off (at a slope) lows that can reach the subs. And for all intents and purposes, if the vocals don't have much low end content anyway then there's nothing to reach the subs in the first place. And that is all true. BUT... plosives... wind noise... Those things can reach the subs from the vocal mics, even with a HPF engaged. Since it's a slope and not a cliff it will only mitigate those things from reaching the subs, not eliminate them. AND... those open vocal mics aren't just picking up vocals. Vocals might be the loudest things in them, especially when the singer is loud and on mic, but that stage wash is present too. Loud bass guitar, drums, keys, low-end from the PA filtering back to the stage... Assuming there are live instruments and amps onstage, let alone wedges, then there's definitely stage wash. Plus whatever makes it way from the PA back to the stage. So all of that is getting in those vocal mics in our examples and will get to the subs. Even with a HPF, it'll get there... only in a mitigated form. But with aux fed subs, if we don't send any of the vocal channels to the subs then there's simply no path for that stage wash, or the plosives, etc... to get to the subs. The same is true for any channel on the mixer. So there's that... but also like I said, the HPF can mitigate what gets to the subs. It's not necessarily an absolute end of the world scenario for those things to reach the subs in a mitigated form. Also, while arguably things in the subs that we don't really want is wasting valuable sub amp power and headroom, these days with modern amps and power being relatively cheap, most people aren't hurting for sub power anyway. Of course, that depends on how much you're pushing your rig. If you're normally doing small 150 seat clubs and then one day you're outside with 10 times that many people, then you might be wanting to optimize for every last dB you can squeeze cleanly out of the PA.

[@BjorgenEatinger]

I am trying to use the combinator on vocals only, and so far have only been able to use it on 2 microphones, because I cannot figure out how to set up all of my vocal microphones on a subgroup. I am assuming that once a subgroup is set up, I would be able to apply the combinator to that subgroup only. Can you possibly walk us all through doing this? That is, I don't want the combinator on L+R, just on the vocals. It's working great on the 2 microphones I applied it to, but I have a total of 6 vocal microphones. Thank you very much Alan!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

On the X-Air/Mair or X32/M32?

[@BjorgenEatinger]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio M32

[@BjorgenEatinger]

Hello Alan, I finally got this working by using a sub-group, but only AFTER resetting my M32 console to factory defaults. LOL, these consoles develop a bunch of gremlins over time.

[@radioflyer2030]

@@BjorgenEatinger There is an annoying bug whereby musicians are unable to make their own in-ears mixes with X32-Q / M32-Q (even with everything updated - console firmware & all apps), and the solution is always to save the current scene, load a factory default scene (or factory reset), then reload the scene you just saved. This fixes the problem *every single time*...!!! So ya, I definitely think it's a good idea to factory reset the console on a regular basis... or keep a very simple baseline scene (such as factory rest with just networking & routing adjusted to your setup) to load & clear out who knows what problems. And sometimes you need to load the baseline scene 2x to get everything truly cleared out. Still, I like this console better than anything else I've used.

[@BjorgenEatinger]

@radioflyer2030 This is exactly what I finally did, and I got subgroups working. Wow, very frustrating. Thank you very much!

[@alsavage]

Hi Alan just trying use the combinator on my X32 been using headphones out to monitor the mix noticed no difference when engaging the the Combinator is that because combinator only deals with L&R mains out not headphone mix?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Assuming everything is at its default settings for the headphone output, if you just put the headphones on and don't do anything else (nothing solo'ed) then you SHOULD hear the Combinator I think. The default setting for headphone monitors (in the MONITOR section) is AFL (after fader listen) of the main bus. If you SOLO the L-R main, the default setting is PFL so it's pretty likely it's tapping the L-R output before the Combinator insertion point (since it's tapping before the fader). So that would explain it if you're not hearing not hearing it. I'd think if you changed the BUS SOLO setting to AFL you'd hear it then (AFL= After Fader Listen) when soloing the Main L-R bus, but looking at the manual at the block diagram, I'm a little confused at what it's showing me. I can see the Combinator is inserted PRE fader (as would be expected) but the solo section looks like it's on an island and there are a lot of lines to trace to know for sure what's going on. But in any case, by default, if you solo the Main L-R, I don't expect you to hear the Combinator. If you just listen to the headphones and don't solo anything, I'd expect you TO hear the Combinator. If not, I'd be making sure you have your INSERTS turned on for the Combinator in the FX rack. And if you go into the MONITOR section and tick the little box for Mixbus Solo AFL (so that is ON), I'd 'think' that would let you hear the Combinator when you have solo'ed the main bus (Main L-R). But I'm not guaranteeing it based on what I said about "the island" above)... so you'd just have to try it and see. The 'problem' with setting the busses to SOLO as AFL is that you then 'hear' them after the fader in the headphones, and if you're choking the fader back for some reason, then you can have a weak headphone (or cue speaker) output when solo'ed. But if they normally ride around unity, then that doesn't matter... they'll roughly be a proper level either way you go. Which then brings us to the next issue with AFL Solos... You can't solo a bus or channel that is potted down (via fader) in the mains or other output and actually hear to adjust it (or troubleshoot) while it's down in the house or other output. The fader has to be up to hear it in the phones/cue. But you can also set channels and bus solos separately in the monitor page, or turn that option on/off as needed too. So you could go into the Monitor section, temporarily set the Bus Solo to AFL, engage the SOLO on the mains, listen for what you want to hear, and then disengage the Bus Solo from AFL to PFL and disengage the SOLO button from the Main L-R to be back to the normal default. And that assumes the SOLO tap point lets you hear what's inserted into the mains in the first place. Which is what I would assume the configuration is. But all this is background to maybe explain what is happening and any workarounds or resets... Because if you don't do anything, don't solo anything... and put the headphones on to listen, the L-R mix should be there, by default, and it should be AFL by default, and you should hear the Combinator. You shouldn't have to solo anything to hear the L-R AFL mix in your phones or cue mix. But it IS possible to change that default setting in the MONITOR section under MONITOR SOURCE. The default is L-R AFL. Of course, being on by default, and at AFL, means you need the main fader up to hear anything in the headphones. So don't skip that step ;) LMK if it's not working this way for you.

[@KannanKannan-mn2br]

Tamil translate pls video

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Ok.