Behringer X32 for Beginners. The Basics

Behringer X32

(The numbers on this page correspond to the numbers on the picture “X32 Basic 1”found at the bottom of this page.)  

1.   (Blue) This is an “audio channel” or “Channel” for short. In short, channel is an input regulator. Every single device that is being amplified through your sound system has a channel. For instance, when someone uses “Mic or pac 1” their voice (the input) is electronically transmitted from their Mic to the soundboard and “plugged into” channel 1. The sound is then filtered through the channel and sent out the speakers as sound.  All aspects of a mic/instrument/pac (volume, gain, Equalization, ect.) are changed and managed through its channel.

PARTS OF A CHANNEL.

2.   (Light Blue) This is a “Fader”. A fader is the “nob” that changes the volume for its respective channel. Think of it like the up down for volume on a TV remote.

3.   (Dark Green) This is a fader that has  been moved to “Unity” , “Zero”,  or “Balance” (the spot where it the fader looks like it should go). The fader can be moved above or below the zero space depending on how loudly or quietly the input is into the Mic. Moving the fader closer to the top makes the input louder while moving to the bottom makes the input quieter.

4.   (Dark Blue) This is a “Volume gage” for how loud the input is coming to the mic. If someone speaks normally  into a mic, a few green lights should appear on this gage. If someone shouts or sings loudly into a mic, a few yellow or even red lights will appear on the gage. These light will help you indicate how much you need to bring up or drag down the fader to either increase or decrease the volume of  the speaker. *Why These Gages Are Extremely Helpful. If someone is speaking into the mic and no sound is coming out of the sound system CHECK THE GAGE! If no green lights appear this person’s mic may, have dead batteries, be turned off,  unplugged, going to another channel,  or in the worse case be broken. If the green light DO appear, the mic is likely to be muted somewhere on the soundboard (see Mute Button, Mute groups, DCA Channels, Solos, and Master channel)

5.   (Red) This is a “Mute Button”. Oddly enough it mutes its respective channel.  When a channel is muted the mute button will glow red.  When a channel is muted in this way, no matter what else is done this channel will remain muted until it is un-muted. *(press once to mute, press again to un-mute).

6.   (Orange) This is the “Solo Button”. When the solo button is pressed it will glow orange. When pressed the channel it corresponds to will be the only channel that will give output to the sound system (It will be the only channel that comes out of the speakers).  Solos are like a reverse mute button, when pressed everything but the channel that has been “solo-ed” is muted. *(press once to solo, press again to remove the solo.) (see Clear Solo)

 7.   (Light Green) This is the “Select Button”. When the Select button is pressed it will glow green. When pressed you are able to view and change all aspects of the selected channel. After a channel as been selected all of its different aspects (volume, gain, equalization, ect.) can be viewed on the high resolution LCD screen (the board’s computer screen). (see View Button). *(When you select a channel you cannot un-select it, you must either take another action on the board or select a different channel.)  

 8.   (Pink) While “Page Buttons” are not technically part of a channel they are still very important to how the Behringer X32 Board works in relation to channels. The two page buttons that are boxed in pink, will when pressed, glow green. When the top page button is press, the board will automatically change to represent channels 1-16. Thanks to the motorized fader gears, the faders will move to the position they were last left in. This allows you to run 32 channels with having only 16 fader slots. When the second page button is press it will show channels 17-32.   * (Remember to check what page you are on before you change a fader.) 

 9.   (Purple) Boxed in purple are four different “Channel Display Screens”. A channel display screen is used for visual purposes and does NOT change the quality of the sound in any way. While channel display screen have no effect on audio they are one of the most useful components of the board. Every channel (as mention in number 8 “page buttons”) does NOT have its own fader slot. However, the channel display screen allows you label each and every channel. When a page button is press  it will change just as the faders do. The display screens are fully customizable, and you can change the color, the text, and even add a graphic if you want to. * USE EFFECTIVE CHANNEL DISPLAY SCREENS! Channel display can be used wisely or unwisely, here are a few good tips on what to set your Channel display as:

1.   Pick Good Names. If you are running a play or a band, do NOT use numbers to label your channels. It is far to hard to remember “who has mic one?”. It is better to label them as things or people like, “Guitar” , “Choir Mic” or “Sarah K”. If running a play with many wireless Mic pacs it maybe best to use the actors name or stage name.

2.   Have A Color System. If you are doing sound for a play there are usually a few main charters that are almost always together such as in “Hello Dolly” or “Peter Pan”. Firstly, make sure that the characters that are always together are together on the board. Go out of your way to have those people in channels 1,2,3,4 or 20,21,22,23 (see Sound Set Up). Placing them close together also helps in dancing and singing numbers where you may have to adjust the sound as you go. After you set them all together change all of their colors to be The Same. This way if something goes wrong with one the Mics in the middle of a dance number, you can just look for the clump of red or blue or whatever color channels you picked. *(This method is also helpful in situations where not ever channel is being used.) You can simply change the color on channels that are not being use or “Empty Channels” to black so you’re only looking at useful channels. (see How To Change A Screen Display Label)

3.   Use Graphics Wisely. While the Graphics can be a great alternative to writing long labels like “Electric Guitarist” that won’t fit well on the Display screen, they sometimes can be confusing. Writing out what or who the channel controls is much more specific then a symbol. Be weary combination of a graphic and text. When this combination is used the text size becomes smaller. It maybe wise however to use graphics for music control, auxiliary channels or DCA channels. (see DCA Channels and Auxiliary Channels.)