Setting up an Aux, Subgroup, Matrix mix using the Presonus StudioLive Series 3 console

An overview of how to setup an Aux mix, Subgroup mix, and a Matrix mix on the Presonus StudioLive Series 3 32S console.
Presonus Firmware for this video: 2.4.17466
The "Flexmix" options on the StudioLive Series 3 console are what allows these 3 mixes to exist.
Aux-mix - mostly used for monitors (including in-ear monitors).
Subgroup-mix - allows for the grouping of instruments into one fader.
Matrix-mix - is a "mix of other mixes". These are usually used for recording feeds, broadcast feeds, center-fill and side-fill setups.

[@marctronixx]

This was amazing. I appreciate you zooming in rather than just having a static overhead shot. I just picked up this console and I’m reading through the manual. The manual makes sense but to see the “mechanics” of going through the motions of pressing this button and that button really help me to visually see what needs to be done. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

[@rickdeaguiar-musicreflecti7692]

This was such a great tutorial on sub groups and matrix. I finally understand it after several years of trying to figure it out. Thank you for taking the time on this :)

[@stageleftaudio]

You're very welcome!

[@johndeal1624]

Very helpful and quite clear. I am going to see and potentially use this board for the first time in a few hours (actually a Series 3 32Sc but looking at photos I could do the mapping). I have a Behringer XR18/X32 Producer background. Thanks for posting!

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, the 32SC is very similar to the 32 used in this video.

[@Hyflash1]

That was an excellent video on routing this board. We just picked one up, and the sound man, went cross eyed on us! He's has no idea, and no ears! lol! You made it understandable. Thank you!

[@stageleftaudio]

Great to hear!

[@BerinVadim]

Way better than the official tutorials from presonus. Thank you!!

[@stageleftaudio]

Glad it helped!

[@JPadrino]

Such a good information, and well explained, thank you so much!!!

[@stageleftaudio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Whopcap]

Thankful for the video! Really helped me understand the features

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you!

[@Whopcap]

@@stageleftaudio how would you organise a subgroup for a live session/concert? 1 for drums, 1 for all intruments and 1 for the vocals? I've seen some of your concert videos, how do you arrange a smooth transition between bands? I presume it has to be done fairly wuickly aswell

[@stageleftaudio]

For the subgroups, it depends on which console we are using. For a minimum, we have "vocals", "drums", "instruments", "bass". The instruments group is for things like guitars, keys, horns, etc... There's a lot involved with moving bands on/off the stage (a lot more than what I could type here). Basically, FOH needs to know which band is coming up next; the FOH console (and if needed, monitor console) will have the next acts inputs setup/ready. As the band onstage is getting their gear off the stage, the next act is already moving their own gear onstage. The stage crew guides the on-coming band where to go and assists with getting them connected to the PA. A quick line check (not a sound-check) is conducted with the new band, while the exiting band is finishing up with the removal of their gear. Communication between FOH and stage is extremely important for a smooth transition. Once the exiting band is completely off the stage, the new band is ready to perform.

[@Whopcap]

@@stageleftaudio Thank You so much for the information and for taking the time to answer! :D

[@AlstonCarlisle]

Another great video.

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks again!

[@PhatOtterStudios]

Betcha your loving that 32 over the legacy mixer. I certainly am.

[@stageleftaudio]

It's a great console.

[@gatonegro8800]

great video! I was trying to figure out a way to control an aux mix (used for side fills) with the main fader after the sound was leveled, but also wanted the flexibility to tweak the side fills if needed individually, looks like this will work.

[@stageleftaudio]

Great to hear!

[@musicbaybee7861]

Amazing work well done 👍 bro

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you so much 😀

[@fredp322]

This video has helped me very much in navigating our new 32SX…thank you for creating it! One question: Is it possible to add effects, such as reverb and delay, to just a subgroup?

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you for your comment. I have never added effects to a subgroup, but I think you can. Also, the 32SX is a little different than the full-size consoles, so I'm not sure if this will actually work. Select the subgroup you want to add effects to. Then, look at the far right of the console (far right faders). If effects are available, they should show up in one of the "pages" of faders (if you page through the layers of the far right faders). Watch the scribble scripts for something like EFX. If it's listed in one of the layers, then you should be able to just bring up the fader like you would anything else to add it.

[@fredp322]

@@stageleftaudio thank you very much!

[@kertinaproduction5486]

Hello Sir when I press the GEQ on the mix1 … the RTA is not working and I have the updated firmware.

[@napynap]

@stageleftaudio , @8:25 You explain how the subgroup is routed to the main bus, but then you demonstrate how the volume from a member of the subgroup can still be controlled either from the subgroup mix or the main mix. Which one takes priority? Does this impact gain structure? The reason I ask is it got real confusing at a show recently... (I have StudioLive 32SC)

[@stageleftaudio]

Good question. A sub-group on the console is just a representation of the members in that group. So, when selecting a sub-group and the member inputs appear on the console (for that sub-group), those inputs are the actual inputs of the console. The sub-group button is just showing you which inputs are in that group. Therefore, when you move a fader from within a sub-group view, you are moving the actual fader for that input, not a secondary fader for that input. It will not matter if you move the fader outside (or inside) a sub-group... it's the same fader. The master-fader for the subgroup can be used to increase the volume level of all the members of the sub-group.

[@napynap]

@@stageleftaudio Thanks for the explanation! It explains what was going on at the show. Also got a similar answer on the Presonus forums.

[@stageleftaudio]

You're welcome! There are some very smart people on the Presonus forums.

[@OhShrike]

Fantastic! We recently got one of these, we got stuck on the input patching to our NSB stageboxes, where to send everything and how to route it. Do you have any videos regarding patching? Greats tips overall, learned so much!

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you for the comment. We do not have any videos covering NSB boxes and routing. I recommend you check out the Presonus videos provided by Presonus. They do a good job covering NSB connectivity and how to setup a Series III console for it.

[@grayancyagra5334]

Just bought 32sx Studiolive but Need to know if it's able to set crossover on matrix output with this console. Because I don't see a Low pass filter (LPF) on this console

[@stageleftaudio]

The Presonus consoles (like many other digital consoles) are not made to be used as a crossover. Unfortunately, there's a trend going around about using the consoles matrices (the matrix) as a crossover. Professionally speaking, this is not how consoles should be used. You may want to consider getting an actual crossover.

[@PierreChalifour]

How would you copy an AUX mix to other AUX for a starting point to musicians ?

[@stageleftaudio]

I'm not sure if an AUX mix can be copied (have never had a need to do that). You can test it by selecting the AUX you want to copy and press the "Copy" button on the Fat Channel. Then select the AUX you want to copy it to, and press the "Load" key. If the copy actually works, it's possible that only the Fat Channel settings will be copied, not the actual fader positions.

[@sebastiancevada6957]

whats the differnece between digital send; pre dsp vs post fader?

[@dennisbraun7031]

This was great but on my board the main fader did not work on the AUX mix. I had to use the Aux fader on the far right of the board. Could not figure out why I had no sound!!!

[@stageleftaudio]

I think some Presonus boards may have slight functionality differences with some parts of it. Also, what you experienced could be a console setting. Sounds like the main fader is "locked" to the main mix only. You may need to hold the "Select" button down (on the main fader) till it blinks... then, release. The main fader should now work for all aux mixes.

[@gearoftones8585]

This is driving me nuts. My aux outs are just a copy of the main mix. I thought i would be able to set an aux mix with all the instruments balamced differently but all i get is a stereo mix of the main mix and thats it. What good is that?

[@stageleftaudio]

Sounds like your Aux main output controls are locked to the FOH control. To remedy this (from Presonus) --- "Hold [Select] on the Master Fader until the select button blinks to unlock the fader to control the Mix/Aux outputs again". You should see the words "Hold to Lock Main" above the Select button. If I recall correctly, you should be on the FOH layer when holding the button.

[@skysavvydrone]

Thanks for this video. Question for you on the "Aux" mix you created at the beginning...You chose "Mix 1" and then started tweaking the faders after pressing the "Mix 1" button on the left side of the console. Does that mean "Mix 1" will be what you would hear if you had a powered monitor/floor wedge plugged into the "Mix 1" output on the back of the console? Put another way, is there a one-to-one relationship between the buttons on the left side of the console and the Mix Output number on the back? If so, wouldn't that mean that only one person on the stage can experience that particular monitor mix, as there is one cable plugged into the "Mix 1" output that goes to one floor monitor...Just got this board and am trying to wrap my head around the different Flex Mixes. You started dipping your toe into this topic when you picked a channel and then took it out of main mix and assigned it to a Subgroup...when you hit the Subgroup button, you had a number of choices below the 4 "main" ones...what are the various "Aux 1, Aux 2, etc" and where are they routed to? Thanks again!

[@stageleftaudio]

Thanks for your comment. Yes, you are correct... "Mix 1" is what you would hear if a powered monitor/floor wedge was connected into the "Mix 1" output on the rear of the console. All of the "Mix" buttons on the left side of the console directly correlate to the "Mix" outputs on the rear. If other band members needed to hear exactly what was coming from "Mix 1", we would just connect another speaker (daisy chain) to the one used for Mix 1 and provide it to the other musician. This would be the simplest method! Regarding your second question, those "Aux" outputs you see on the display, when selecting a Sub Group, are the Mix outputs on the rear of the console. The number of "Aux" outputs displayed on the screen will correlate with the number of "Mix" outputs on the rear. It's rare to use an Aux output for a subgroup. Depending on the Presonus console you are using, there should be a default number of Subgroup outputs on the rear that are NOT Aux/Mix outputs. Subgroups are usually used for FOH mixes only (when needing to group instruments). We have never used an Aux output for Subgroup use. The Presonus consoles have been great. Their workflow (in my opinion) is very intuitive. Digital consoles be very complex with their routing. And as such, it's usually better to keep the setup and management as simple as possible!

[@skysavvydrone]

@@stageleftaudio Thank you that makes sense. It also occurred to me randomly that you could create a MIX 2 for a different musician and simply give them the same faders approximately that you gave mix one? I’m guessing there’s probably even a way to copy mix one over to another mix? I have the 32S. I had a couple of epiphanies yesterday after 2 days of playing around, reading the manual and watching videos like yours. The subgroup concept makes sense. I’ll have to look at the back of the console again. Thank you for your reply!

[@stageleftaudio]

Yes, you could make a Mix 2 and give them the same faders (and levels). If there's much of a difference between a Mix 1 and a Mix 2, we always provide a separate mix (i.e. a Mix 2) along with a separate monitor. Make sure the firmware level of your console is up to date (check the Presonus website). Firmware updates sometimes change how the console functions (mostly for the better). One caveat... the older videos on KZbin covering the Presonus (i.e. the Presonus produced videos and others) were done using their older firmware revisions, which can lead to confusion on how the console works when trying to learn about their updated/current consoles. We have a 32S as well. Great console!

[@skysavvydrone]

@@stageleftaudio Thank you, once again! Will definitely be keeping up with your channel!

[@edwardbannor8857]

Great and thanks! Are matrix the same as DCA group? If not, glad to explain to me.

[@stageleftaudio]

A DCA group is similar to an analog sub-group. A DCA is a collection of inputs. A matrix is like a collection of groups of instruments (like a group of DCA's). A matrix is a "mix within a mix" and is usually routed to an output, whereas DCAs (like sub-groups) are not normally routed to outputs. DCAs are used to control a group of inputs with one fader.

[@mickellyrodrigues2191]

Hey great video... what's the sub outs on the back for? Can I assign something to them

[@stageleftaudio]

Those "sub outs" are related to the default "sub groups" of A, B, C, and D. Sometimes, those sub outs are used for recording (to send groups of instruments to an external recorder).

[@mickellyrodrigues2191]

@@stageleftaudio oh great thanks

[@colindias4820]

Do you still use the studio live . Was thinking of getting one ... For live recording and stage shows . What's your advice .. would appreciate it .

[@stageleftaudio]

Yes. We use them for larger shows. They work great. In my opinion, they have a great workflow compared to other digital consoles.

[@colindias4820]

@@stageleftaudiomany thanks .... It was nice to have found your channel ..

[@uptownphotography]

Well done video and timely info for me. Question Please: I would like to set up Aux sends (probably 4 of them) for mix down (like aux sends on an analog mixer) so that I could route specific tracks to external processors (if needed during a mix down). Where would the outputs be located on the back of the mixer (to route to the outboard gear) and where would I plug in the stereo returns on the mixer? I have the 32S mixer...Thanks. Phil NYC Area

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you for your comment. If your outboard gear is using 1/4" connectors... AUX-13/14/15/16 on the back of the Studiolive are 1/4" sends; these outputs should be used to send signals out of the console. When returning the signals, inputs 17-32 should be used; the console support 1/4" inputs as well as XLR on inputs 17-32. Inputs 1 - 16 on the console only support XLR. Something to consider when using outboard gear with digital consoles. There is a digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion that takes place when sending signals out of a digital console... then there is a analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion when the signals are brought back into the mixer. These D/A and A/D conversions will add latency to the signal flow and could cause some phasing issues with the whole mix.

[@uptownphotography]

@@stageleftaudio Thanks for that info. Good point on the latency issues. I do hear some well know mix engineers on videos mentioning using some outboard gear on a mix. I'm wondering how they're doing it to get around any latency caused problems. Very good point you brought up. I'll need to do some thinking on this one...Thanks. Phil NYC are

[@johnkennedy7391]

Hi, Greetings from Ireland, I have converted to Presonus on the strength of watching your videos and along with some of the church pages who seem to have completely pushed the X32/Midas equivalents away in place of the studiolive. I myself am coming off an X32 and can see some huge improvements in terms of speed of getting to critical stuff fast. I would however love to see a white/Pink noise oscillator incorporated for debugging purposes, Monitors or other aux outputs etc, Could I ask you one question in relation to creating a matrix Output, specifically if I wnated to set up a matrix to control Sub outputs. Is it possible to have the matrix output be controlled relative to the Master FOH fader. The X32 had a button that could be pressed where the Main Center (MC) matrix could be completely separate or could be set and then controlled relative to the Main Master fader (MC/Follows Main L/R), Can that be done with the studiolive 32CS, I see the bigger desk(yours) has a dedicated mono center output (and a fader to match) but the smaller one only has a summed Mono main out (which would suffice if I were going into a speaker management system with crossover) but I was able to do it with the X32 ( set up the crossover for the FOH mains to disregard the lows and inversely have the sub Matrix set to diregard the highs), just set the sub matrix to a good level and then handle both sub and FOH array using the main master Fader, that way I had no external speaker management at all and was getting on great. Once again thanks for putting so much work into your videos. They are outstanding from a training point of view. I am off to download the additional plugins because of your previous video

[@stageleftaudio]

Thank you for your comment. I think the Presonus has a great work-flow compared to the X32 line. I'm not too familiar with the 32SC, however, this may work with locking a matrix fader to the main (FOH) fader. First, select the matrix you are using for your sub. Next, press and HOLD the "Select" button (the blue button) above the Main matrix fader. When the Select button flashes (or the button light turns OFF), this should indicate that the main volume for the matrix you selected is now locked to the main FOH fader position. To unlock the matrix fader, select the matrix, then press and HOLD the "Select" button again... the button should flash (or turn ON) indicating the matrix is now independent of the main FOH fader. Yes, I agree with having an onboard white/pink noise generator for testing; hopefully, Presonus will add that in a future firmware release.

[@johnwilson7809]

We have a StudioLive 32S and wondered if there is a way to use a footswitch to turn the effects on/off. This board does NOT have channel inserts.

[@stageleftaudio]

I'm not aware of any device to control effects in the manner you referenced. However, the Presonus software called "Universal Control" may be able to provide the control you are needing (using a laptop).

[@MikeyOnTheWay]

How so you send your FX A - FX D through one of the mixes because I made front of house Mix 7-8 and just can’t get those effects to be heard. I hear them in the mains just fine, but my “main mix” is in a separate isolated room that separate the live room and control room. Please help, thanks for the video great info!

[@stageleftaudio]

Looks like you need to set your "main mix" for the live room. If you need effects in a different mix, try using a Matrix for those mixes. The "main mix" should always be used where the live room is located.

[@MikeyOnTheWay]

@@stageleftaudio I was afraid that would be the case, but it looks like we have some re routing to do! Thank you so much!

[@MikeyOnTheWay]

@@stageleftaudio Also another question is how would you make the Matrix have those effects? Like as simple as switching it from regular mix 7-8 to a Matrix?

[@stageleftaudio]

Correct, you would need to set Mix 7-8 as a Matrix (and not as an Aux). Once it is set as a Matrix, page through the layers till you get effects returns.

[@stageleftaudio]

Make sure you setup the console the way it should be used. It will make routing a lot easier.

[@santos688]

Please help me. How do you assign the subgroup mixes to the Subgroup outputs

[@stageleftaudio]

There's a few variables involved to use the default subgroup outputs. To start with, when you setup a subgroup, make sure you select one of the subgroup letters (A B C D) for the subgroup, instead of a flexmix. In one of the layers, the main outputs for the subgroup letters (A B C D) will be the faders.

[@edmondmix3505]

Hello that presonus mixers have crossover too? Like behringer x32 have crossover

[@stageleftaudio]

These do not have crossovers.

[@paulzeman7684]

Better hope it never breaks. You will be introduced into a new world of pain.

[@stageleftaudio]

...which is why we still use (and maintain) analog consoles and outboard.

[@musicbaybee7861]

@@stageleftaudio cool 😎

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

Question pls. How do you use the effect A to give different effects on channel one vocalw ,channel 2 vocala, aux 1 vocals ???

[@stageleftaudio]

Each effect engine (A, B, C, D) can only produce one effect at a time. To have different effects on different channels, will require each of those channels to use their own effects engine. There is only 4 effects engines on the Presonus 32 console; this indicates only 4 effects at any time, can be used.

[@SuAmigoElilegal]

@@stageleftaudio thank you so much , i will have to use an external effect. Thank you 😀

[@spankedbywife1018]

OK yea but what did you press at the time of kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4bamap-oc-miNk you are taking the time to go over steps then you just completely skip on an action and you did not say a word or even allude to it, or let the cam see it. I just don't get how someone could take time to do this video and then skip a function. And so blatant

[@stageleftaudio]

In the video section you provided, the faders were returning to their home position AFTER the release of the subgroup-mix button. When the faders moved, I released the pressure on the mix button. You can see this action a few seconds later in the same video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4bamap-oc-miNk