|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
OK, it's been a couple of years since I had to deal with a Yamaha mixing desk, but this latest one I had to use at church takes the cake for the most irritating missing feature on a board. Model # MC-32 http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,6373,CNTID%253D2216%2526CTID%253D228100,00.html Issue: There is no light for the 'on' button for the channels. No visible indication except the small 1/8" difference of whether or not the button is pushed in. I don't like that Yamaha call the mute button the 'on' button. But the fact that I'm supposed to manage about 20 of the 32 channels on this board without a light and have to do it by 'braille', is just ridiculous. At least other Yammie desks will actually light the entire button. It still should be the reverse, lit red when off, but I can deal with it being 'on' instead of mute. I found myself unmuting the 'pfl' buttons a couple times last weekend, which are just below the 'on' button on each channel strip! Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!! The person who spec'ed this board for our church doesn't attend there any longer. We hold church in a nice high school auditorium and the lights are kept pretty low, so helper idiot lights are appreciated. I trade mix duties with about 3 other folks, so I haven't gotten used to this lack of a basic feature, and I'm not sure that I ever will. I'm a visual person. Also, the surface of the board is printed in a rather glossy metallic gray, with white text on them. Try reading that in those lighting conditions. Gimme an old Peavey or Mackie, or Allen & Heath (except they make the mistake of only labelling channel # at the fader end of the strip). End of rant. -Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 98
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 98 |
I agree completely! This stuff drives me nuts.
On a related rant: I have several devices which use rather small LCD menus, and a number of these things don't have a backlight for said menu. This is also remarkably irritating. Makes using them in any low-light situation very difficult.
Ahhhhhh....I feel better now.
Fire, the wheel, and the I IV V -- foundations of civilization.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021 |
You guys just ain't got the bucks to get the good stuff. Some of the lower cost stuff is indeed not so great.
The Yamaha PM 3000 VCA FOH console was/is one of the most requested units by pros on riders for small to medium sizes shows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199 |
Scott, I can understand your frustration. I wasn't quite sure that I understood the issue, because I have a Yamaha MG16/4 and both my 'ON' buttons and 'PFL' buttons all light up when pressed. By the way, I like having the ON button for a channel, instead of the mute. That way, if I don't want an input active, all I need do is make sure there's no light on for that channel, and I don't have any issues. I do wish I had an AFL for this, though, so I could send stuff to the C-R/Headphone output without going to the main mix. Oh well, such is life. All I can do is suggest you get your church to spring for a couple of these: http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Littlite-BNC-Lamp-with-Base-and-Dimmer?sku=638008Attach them to the mixer, plug them in, and your problem is solved...or at least lessened. John, if I recall, Scott has just relocated from the Detroit area to Colorado, so the mixer was there before he got there, and he probably had no say or even input in the purchase. Plus, it may very well have not been in the Church's budget to get something 'pro.' Even a used one on ebay is listing at $2,500US, is massive, has some noise coming out of one group, and is missing a knob. Plus, of course, the PM3000 is no longer available, the replacement PM5000...USED...on ebay, in a 40 channel setup, was asking 21,000 POUNDS, and a no sale at that. Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Gary is right - Nobody attending our church currently is responsible for the spec. and purchase of this board - and it isn't just the board, if we decided to buy a different board, then the custom made case that converts into the table for the board wouldn't work, etc.
The littlelites may or may not help. Because the paint finish on the desk is shiny and makes the white text on the board surface very difficult to read.
I've used littlelites on many boards - but those boards had a more flat appearance.
The church operates on a very tight budget. Until more channels drop on this board (there's already one gone and it isn't really serviceable so I'm told) we will continue to use it. My next day behind the console is on the 14th.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
Until more channels drop on this board (there's already one gone and it isn't really serviceable so I'm told) ...
I find that assessment hard to believe.
However, due to labor costs for disassembly, troubleshoot and reassembly time, what they might have been told is that it is not "cost effective" to go after the one bad channel at the time.
One trick I've seen done to boards with no LEDs on the Solo button might work for you -- the fellow very carefully darkened the side edges of the Solo buttons such that he could tell whether they were in the Up or Down position a bit easier. He used a permanent felt tip marker and something to mask the tob of the board such that only the sides of each button ended up being colored darker.
Might work for your particular board, might not, just something to consider...
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
You know, I might just try that. I'll talk to the other tech folks to make sure they agree before plowing ahead.
One problem with using slightly older gear like this - it's discontinued, so in order to do a thorough job, whomever would probably have to send us something different for a week - which means learning a different board and setup and soundcheck, all by 8:00 AM on a Sunday. A slightly tall order - not insurmountable, but tall nonetheless.
-Scott
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,206
Posts801,936
Members40,068
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean