Meter Bridge - what is used for?

Guitar Gaz · Post by **Guitar Gaz** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:29 pm

I realised today on the rare occasion when I looked at Consolidated Windows that one window I had never used - the Meter Bridge. I can't figure out what I would use this for. What do DP users on the forum use this window for and why would they use it instead of the Mixer?

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:48 pm

I use it to check levels to be sure they are broadcast or production correct. To see them you have to expand the window, otherwise it makes no sense.

They are extremely useful is seeing what is happening where in the chain.

sprout · Post by **sprout** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:25 pm

I use it for checking busses, auxes, inputs, etc., so I can make sure I'm not inadvertently clipping somewhere that's not showing up in the mixer.

bayswater · Post by **bayswater** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:32 pm

You can't always get all the mixer channels on a screen, but you can wrap the meter bridge to rows and see all of them. You can also change the db range that the meter bridge shows by dragging it up and down. Or make it really big so you can see it well from a distance. And it monitors channels that won't be in the mixer. All of this can be handled some other way, but the bridge can be more convenient.

Alfred Zigoma · Post by **Alfred Zigoma** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:13 pm

I use at record, especially at multichannel.
It is very convenient to track an overload

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:51 am

I typically FORGET to use it when I'm troubleshooting. At some late stage of the game I will accidentally click on the Meter Bridge, or I'll actually remember to do it, and voilá, the problem becomes evident based on the activity in the I/O and/or busses. It's a very nice addition to DP. I wish I had a separate monitor just for the meter bridge, so I could just leave it open all the time.

My problem with the meter bridge is that it's in the way when I'm not using it. Maybe if it could be a full-screen click-thru transparency, then it might be more useful to me. But I have to open it to use it, because I have no place for it. Yeah, I could add another space for it, but I'd still have to GO to that space to see it, and the problem isn't about getting to it. It's about "out of sight, out of mind." I forget about it when I'm not using it.

Shooshie

FutureLegends · Post by **FutureLegends** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:13 am

I sometimes use them when micing up drums for example... then I can sit at the drums at hit things and see from afar that there's signal in the correct input.

Guitar Gaz · Post by **Guitar Gaz** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:21 am

Thanks guys - that has given me food for thought - I will start using it as I really had no idea it was even there. I can now see why it might be useful to me - thanks for the feedback.

Prime Mover · Post by **Prime Mover** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 1:27 pm

Yeah, I've never used it either. If I'm recording, I either monitor CueMix or the LEDs on my 8pre (which suck, btw). And I really don't see what the point of monitoring busses is. If everything is 32bit floating point, then it really doesn't matter if you're peaking until the master fader. I know it's just good practice not to peak anywhere, and I make sure I'm not peaking on any channels... but if it peaks on a buss IN, I really don't care. I only rarely boost an aux out above 0dB, and if I'm not peaking the channel, I know that I'm not peaking the aux. And really, who cares anyway... ya know what I mean?

What bothers me is that Meter Bridge would be the perfect place for various different kinds of meters: VU Meters, RMS Meters, etc. If it had those, I'd be using it every day.

Radiogal · Post by **Radiogal** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:35 pm

Im ALWAYS using the meter bridge. I find it one of DPs best features. Multitrack recording, mixing and mastering. Don't know when Im NOT using it. Gain staging tool number one IMO.

rodger1811 · Post by **rodger1811** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:11 pm

Radiogal wrote:Im ALWAYS using the meter bridge. I find it one of DPs best features. Multitrack recording, mixing and mastering. Don't know when Im NOT using it. Gain staging tool number one IMO.

Same here!!!!! +1,000,000

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:34 pm

I wish the meter would remember, and open with the channels that were last in view.

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:52 pm

MOTUnation.com