Studio Guide

Introduction

This document is a reference for Fresh Air members for use during shows. It provides succinct guides and information that may have been forgotten. There are also details on how to use the more 'specialist' equipment that is available in the studio. It is hoped to be a quick reference tool rather than an exhaustive guide. It should thus be used in conjunction with the more details "Fresh Air Studio Manual" and following the usual procedure of training.

The sections that follow are brief step by step guide as to how to perform each activity and also some useful tips to improve the quality of your presenting.

Magic Button

This is a black button located to the left of the computer monitors for PC1.

It has two settings, In or Out. One will allow the computer to stream out the audio from ZARA when no-one is in the studio One will allow the Desk to stream out audio when you are in the studio doing a show.

Remember to set it at the correct position, when you come in and leave the studio at the beginning or end of the day.

PFLing

This is the process taken before you play or speak on the radio to make sure your voice or CD's are going to play out at the right volume.

On the desk, above each fader, is a button PFL. This stands for Pre Fade Level. When this button is pressed, the desk imagines the fader is up to the fullest, and plays the audio from the channel out into the presenters Headphones (control room phones, the socket on the bottom right of the Desk).

Microphones

Once the button is lit, keep the fader down and speak into the microphone (or play the CD player) The right hand side dials on the desk will go up and down showing the volume of this speech. On the right hand side of the desk is a knob labelled TRIM. Turning this to the right or left will turn up or down the gain on the channel you have highlighted.

• NB only have one channel highlighted at a time.

Turn this up or down, while you're speaking as you would on air, to get your voice so the marker needle sits around the 0dB mark on the left hand level monitor.

Then turn off the PFL light on your microphones channel strip, and do the same for the other people in the studio, if there are any.

CD Player

When PFL'ing a CD, skip forward on the cd player to a point where the song will be loudest, and PFL it from here. Again, as with microphones, keep the fader down and set the trim so that at it's loudest it is going up to 0dB on the monitor. With professional CD's, you shouldn't have to change it much, but with homemade records or new band demos, the levels can vary. Then turn off the PFL button, and you're ready to play the song, not forgetting to push the fader all the way up before you do!

Current Song Override

This is a JavaAplet written by Jordan Rodgers Smith.

It takes the information from Zara and puts it into a logging text file. It also ft's manual song input, where you are required to input both Artist and Track information into the program.

These are located on the left hand side of the program.

When you go back to playing through Zara, the song will update automatically.

Technical Assistance

If the program is unresponsive, and is not uploading any song information or has crashed, close down and restart. It is available on the desktop on the right hand monitor.

When opening (make sure two instances are not open at once) press the 'Choose current song' button, then on the task window which opens up choose the text file labeled 'Current song'. Then press the button below that 'Choose song log', where in the task window that opens up you should open the text file 'Song Log.' If you cannot find this file, make sure you look to the bottom or far right of the window on the scroll bar. It will be at the bottom of the list.

CD-R

Turn on. Check the levels coming through, and that the front panel is set to Analogue input ( on the right hand side). Press record.

When it comes to finishing your recording, press stop. Then press the 'Finalise' button on the right hand side. Then press the dial to the left of this in, which should start the CD finalising. NB If you do not finalise the CDR then it will not be able to playback on any other CD player or computer.

Technical Assistance

For more detailed advice or more technical assistance, see the CDR page.

Studio Phone

The studio phone number is 0131 622 6667.

If you have an interesting feature, interview or competition then feel free to shout out the studio phone number during your show. It's very simple to operate and adds another dimension to your show when used effectively.

Here's how to use the phone with the desk:

• When the phone rings, a bright white light will flash in the left hand corner of the studio. Just pick up the phone to the left of the presenter's chair and say something along the lines of “Hello, Fresh Air studio.”

• Make sure they're aware that they cannot swear and ensure they have something relevant to say if they are going on air.

• In order for the caller to be heard on air, you must connect the phone to the desk:
• Press the [CONNECT] button that's located on the top-centre of the 'Wizard' equipment above the CD Writer.
• A red light should appear which means you can now put the phone down on your end.

• By pressing the [PFL] button on the telephone fader, you should be able to speak to the person on the phone via the studio microphone and PFL them.

• To have the phone conversation, you will need to press a button on the right had side of the desk titled [TALK]. It should light up in blue.

• Now you're ready to go! Make them aware that the next time they speak they will be on air. Raise the fader and share some pleasantries for the pleasure of your listeners.

• To end the call, press the [CONNECT] button again. You can still talk to the person using the phone (perhaps to gather information for where to send prizes or to congratulate/thank/berate them for their on air appearance). Hang up!

Live DJing

Some simple instructions when using Fresh Air's DJ desk:

• On the mixer, the crossover is set to channel 2 & 3

• The vinyl decks go into the “phono” inputs, the CDJs go into line. You need not unplug anything! Merely flip the phono/line switch.

• The mixer goes into desk input “Deck” on the far left. Keep your Master Volume on the mixer to between 2-4dB. This will stop clipping on the stream.

• Do PFL before playing just to make sure you aren't too loud or too quiet.

• This is Fresh Air kit! Please treat it with the care you'd treat your own turntables/mixer/cat/Grandma.

Technical Consult

If you can't hear anything from a Microphone or PC

• Check that the [ON] button above the fader is, well, on!
• Still nothing? Press the [EDIT] button above the [PFL] of this channel.
• Make sure the two [STE1] and [STE2] buttons directly below the trim control knob are highlighted.
• Still nothing? Make sure the desk outs on the right-hand side, next to stickers (B) and ©, say [STE1], not [AUX] or [STE2].

• Is your control room monitor volume, on the far right, up?

• Is the magic button set correctly?

If neither of these steps solve the problem, e-mail head of technical & inform your producer.

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