SoundCraft Si Series User manual

Page 1Soundcraft® Si Series Quick Start Guide Issue 1010
®
Quick Start Guide

Page 2 Soundcraft® Si Series Quick Start Guide Issue 1010
INTRODUCTION
Firstly, thanks for choosing the Soundcraft Si Series!
This Quick Start Guide will give you a good overview of the main features
of the console and will allow you to get up and running in the minimum
amount of time.
This guide will show you how to:
1. Power Up the console
2. Create a new SHOW
3. Get familiar with the OLED displays
4. Connect an Input Source
5. Use GLOBAL MODE to adjust Gains and Pans
6. Apply EQ and Dynamics
7. Add Lexicon Effects
8. Create Aux and Sub-Group Mixes
9. Create a Matrix Mix
10. Create VCA and Mute Groups
11. Store and name Snapshots
IMPORTANT
Please read this manual carefully before using
your mixer for the rst time.

Page 3Soundcraft® Si Series Quick Start Guide Issue 1010
OK, let’s get started!
For this tutorial section we will assume that you have the Left/Right Master Outputs
of the console connected to an amp/speaker combination of some kind.
POWERING UP
Press the SYSTEM ON/OFF button on the console. Wait for the console to power up.
CREATE A NEW SHOW
Press the MENU button and then
select the SHOW tab on the touch
screen.
Now press the NEW SHOW tab.
Note! Pressing the NEW SHOW tab will clear the existing Show and Cue
List. All current console settings will be lost and the console returned to its
default state.
NAMING THE NEW SHOW
Press the EDIT SHOW button and scroll to the Show Name eld. Press the ADJUST
knob to call up the Alpha/Numeric keypad display. Enter the new show name.
Press the APPLY button to store the name of your new SHOW.

Page 4 Soundcraft® Si Series Quick Start Guide Issue 1010
Upper OLED Zone
A + sign indicated a
second function is
available by pressing
the encoder
Channel Name or ID see page 2-7
Displays LR_, __C, LRC or LCR depending on
channel type and routing/pan mode selected
THE OLED DISPLAY
The OLED display (Organic LED) is central to the operation of the console and gives
you a lot of very useful information about the input channels and the encoders
located above them.
The OLED display is divided into three
sections with the top section (the
ORANGE part) always describing the
function of the encoder situated directly
above it.
The bottom section (the GREEN part)
gives the name of the channel located
below it.
Note! If you press the ‘i’ button the name of the physical connector that
the input channel is connected to will appear. This is very useful if you
have renamed your channels and need to nd out where the input is
derived from.
The area in the middle (the YELLOW part) gives information specic to the channel
below it. This includes metering for Input Levels, Noise Gate activity and Com-
pressor Gain Reduction. There are also status icons for VCA assignments and any
switches associated with the input channel (48v active, Phase active, EQ In etc.)
The OLED displays allow the user to see
at a glance exactly what is happening on
any of the input channels.
The diagram explains
what is displayed
on the OLED.

Page 5Soundcraft® Si Series Quick Start Guide Issue 1010
Soundcraft Si2
Selected Layer Faders 1-16 Faders 17-24
AInputs 1-16 STE Inputs 1-4, Lexicon FX Returns 1-4
BInputs 17-32 STE Inputs 1-4, Lexicon FX Returns 1-4
CInputs 33-48 STE Inputs 1-4, Lexicon FX Returns 1-4
DInputs 49-64 STE Inputs 1-4, Lexicon FX Returns 1-4
CONNECT AN INPUT SOURCE Mic/Line Inputs (Soundcraft Si3 shown)
The Mic/Line Inputs on the rear of the console are arranged in 3 or 4 identical blocks with
16 Inputs and 8 Outputs on each giving a total of 64 (48 on Si2, 32 on Si1) Mic inputs.
Each block of I/O is labelled either A, B, C or D and these blocks of inputs are mapped to
the faders as follows:
Soundcraft Si3
Selected Layer Faders 1-16 Faders 17-32
AInputs 1-16 Inputs 1-16
BInputs 17-32 Inputs 17-32
CInputs 33-48 Inputs 33-48
DInputs 49-64 Inputs 49-56, STE Inputs 1-4, Lexicon
FX Returns 1-4
Soundcraft Si1
Selected Layer Faders 1-16
AInputs 1-16
BInputs 17-32
CInputs 33-48 (option)
DInputs 49-56 (option), STE Inputs 1-4
Lexicon FX Returns 1-4

Page 6 Soundcraft® Si Series Quick Start Guide Issue 1010
Before we go on, here’s a quick word about GLOBAL MODES
In GLOBAL MODE the encoder above each channel fader can be used to simulate
the facilities found in the horizontal plane of a traditional analogue console
e.g. Gains, Filters, EQ, Aux Sends and Pans.
Pressing the appropriate GLOBAL MODE button will assign that function to the
encoders and the top section of the OLED display will let you know what the en-
coder is about to do.

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ADJUSTING THE GAIN AND PAN OF THE INPUT SIGNAL
Connect an audio source to Mic/Line Input A1.
Press the GAIN button in the Left hand section.
You can now adjust the GAIN control (encoder) just as you would on an analogue
console and monitor the amount of input level on the Input Level Meter in the
associated OLED display.
If the input level is too high the CLIP arrow symbol will appear next to the
Input Meter. If this happens back off the input gain a little until it extinguishes.

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The following functions are available for selection via dedicated buttons:
• GAIN
• FILTERS/DELAY
• GATE
• COMPRESSOR
• EQ
• PAN
• BUS 1-8
• BUS 9-16
• BUS 17-24
In the example below the GAINS button has been selected and therefore the
encoders are adjusting the input gains for the associated channels.
ADJUSTING THE PAN POSITION OF THE CHANNEL
Press the PAN button in the GLOBAL MODE area. This will cause the row of
encoders to function as PAN controls for their associated input channels
You may now adjust the PAN position by rotating the encoder. The top section of
the OLED display will conrm the actual numeric value for the chosen position.
Now experiment with other GLOBAL functions. Note that for functions with more
than 1 parameter, the SCROLL keys illuminate, allowing you to control those
parameters.

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DO YOU NEED 48V PHANTOM POWER?
Press and hold the 48V button in the CHANNEL MODE section (this will put the
control surface into INTERROGATE mode – see below for further details) and then
press the SEL button above the channel (or channels) that you want to turn that
function on for. You will see that the SEL buttons will illuminate ORANGE and the
48V icon will appear in the OLED display for the relevant channels.
INTERROGATE MODE
This mode is very useful for making multiple switch assignments for the input
channels just as you would on an analogue console. For example, on an analogue
console you might want to switch 48V power on for several channels, or you might
want to switch on the EQ IN buttons for a number of channels and this would be
achieved using dedicated switches on each input channel strip. On the Si Series
the INTERROGATE mode allows you to do the same thing.
Press and hold the button you want to switch on for a number of channels (for
example 48V), and then press the SEL buttons on the relevant channels. The OLED
display will conrm the selections you have made.
INTERROGATE mode is only relevant for the currently displayed input fader bank
and you cannot switch between banks while making selections. This mode is also
useful for checking assignments for input channels. By pressing the relevant but-
ton (e.g. EQ IN) the SEL buttons will illuminate for any input channel that has that
button assigned to it allowing you to see at a glance what assignments have been
made. Any of the buttons in the CHANNEL MODE area can be used to
INTERROGATE the control surface.
Note! When you are using Interrogate mode you can also press the
CLEAR button to clear any current selections. This should be used
carefully though!

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APPLYING EQ AND DYNAMICS
There are a couple of different ways to control the EQ and Dynamics for the input
channel you are working on. In this example we are going to use the encoders in
the Centre Section of the console.
The 24 encoders are used in three modes:
• UPPER ROW (these are the ones at the top!)
• LOWER ROW (the ones at the bottom!)
• BOTH ROWS (This is where both Upper and Lower rows are used together)
UPPER ROW Section for EQ
Select INPUT EQ and OUTPUT EQ in the UPPER ROW section. You will notice that
one of the buttons will illuminate GREEN and the other ORANGE. This is because
the GREEN button is the active one and the ORANGE one is in standby or ‘primed’
mode. See below.
Select an input, and its EQ will be displayed and may be controlled from here.