Since its arrival some 18 months ago, Digidesign's VENUE has found acceptance on major tours with more than 300 systems in use worldwide. This modular system comprises the D-Show console surface, the FOH Rack (housing the system's mix engine), the Stage Rack recallable, remote-controlled preamps, and a multichannel digital snake. Here are a few tips I've learned and discovered in using VENUE during the past year while mixing front of house for Nine Inch Nails and AFI (November 2006 “Tour Profile”).

If there are plug-ins installed that you know you definitely won't need, disable (but don't remove) them from the Options/Plug-ins list. The console will boot more quickly. You can always enable any of them again without re-installing their software.

As an old-school engineer, I like to keep my input faders around the unity (0) mark while mixing. I also like to run my input-channel gain as hot as possible, especially if I'm multitracking to Pro Tools via HDx. In the digital world, if you're running a full band's worth of inputs, this scenario will inevitably cause the console's outputs to clip pre-fader (in the “summing amp” stage), and no matter where you have the master fader, you'll see a lot of red on the meter. To combat this, I keep one VCA with every input fader (except any effects returns) assigned to it — a “master trim,” if you will. This way, I can keep my input faders where I like them, and if things are getting too hot at the output stage, then I just back off the master VCA by 3 to 4 dB and raise the output fader by the same amount. Don't forget to make up the gain you've lost to your effects sends, and so on.

I always try to set up the console with more input faders than I have inputs from the stage (unless you have a 96-input stage). In other words, if you have a full 48-input Stage Rack, then select 64 inputs in the Options/Config page. That way, you can have effects returns and external sources coming in on regular input channels with full EQ and dynamics, etc., instead of the more limited options on the stereo effects returns.

I normally use the onboard oscillator to line up system processing and to “noise out” the main P.A., but when it came time to put pink noise on a channel, I realized I would need to insert the signal-generator plug-in. I didn't understand why I could hear it, despite the fact that it wasn't showing up on the input meter. Eventually, I found the solution: Don't “insert” it. Assign the plug-in's output and its “input” (although technically speaking, this plug-in has no input) to the top of the channel. This way, the channel sees this as an input.

There are two mic preamps on the control surface/FOH Rack. One is the talkback, located on upper-right-hand corner of the main control surface. The other, called “Comm,” is on the back of the FOH Rack on the left side of the I/O card. I thought it was for Clear-Com, but it's actually a mic pre and less noisy than the talkback, and is also assignable to the monitor/headphone section as a proprietary talk-over.

For example, if your monitor engineer or stage manager needs to reach you quickly, plug them into this input (use a mic with an on/off switch), and they can automatically speak to you on top of whatever you may have going on in your monitors/'phones. Or, if you're like me and you EQ the P.A. with a Shure SM58 and your own voice, your dulcet tones will never have sounded better. The only slight hitch is that the gain control for this mic pre is right next to the XLR input on the rear, but what's a few more minutes on your knees, anyway? Both mic preamps can be found and soft-patched in the FOH tab of the patchbay inputs folder.

I use an iPod for playback of walk-in and walk-out music, and now also for storing backups of my D-Show files and plug-in software. The iPod acts just like a USB drive. You need to put the plug-in software in a folder named “TDM Plug-Ins” or the plug-ins won't be recognized. The USB port on the FOH Rack is faster than the one on the console, by the way. Hey, you can charge your iPod, too!

The D-Show System Support page on Digidesign's Website is a great resource, with software updates, compatibility information, FAQs and useful technical documentation. One recommended application is D-Show stand-alone software, which is available only for Windows XP.

If you have a laptop, you can pre-configure performances, assign hardware I/O and D-Show routing, name channels, create a library of D-Show setups, store and recall setups, set channel input/EQ/dynamics/pan and more — from the tour bus, airport or hotel. It also offers a way to learn the basics of the D-Show software interface in preparation for working at a full D-Show system. Best of all, it's a free download at www.digidesign.com.