![]() So tape recorder/interface ins and outs routed to a traditional console’s or DAW’s ins and outs would likely follow the outs-over-ins approach, while i/o connections from individual rackmount processors might not. Now, while the output-over-input paradigm is common, it may not apply to every type of patchbay connection-it’s most applicable to semi-permanent connections that may need to be re-routed only occasionally, rather than connections that have no common routing, and would be constantly patched to different destinations. The back panel connection for the bottom front-panel input jack then connects to the corresponding input on the destination device. A connection from the output of the console/interface or a particular piece of outboard gear is hooked up to a top rear jack that signal then appears at the corresponding top front jack, where the most common input for that particular signal is located right below-output over input. The usual layout approach for a patchbay is referred to as “output over input”, referring to the pairs of connections in a patchbay row. Typical 1/4” & TT (bottom) patchbays Patchbay Signal Flow Professional TT (“tiny telephone”) jacks and patch cables are probably the most common format. Some high-end bays employ smaller front-panel jacks to allow more patch points in the same space. Another rear-panel option is DB25 multipin connectors-some consoles and high-end interfaces utilize these for i/o (to save space). Some higher-end bays utilize solder terminals round back instead-the idea is that since the rear-panel hookups are usually permanent, soldered connections are more reliable in the long term than jacks and plugs, which may be more likely to oxidize or develop intermittent connections. Smaller, more inexpensive patchbays typically utilize 1/4” connections-ideally TRS-for both front and rear panel jacks. Some of these connections may be completed even without the use of patch cables-more on that in a minute. ![]() The corresponding front-panel jacks provide access to the connections, via short patch cables for signal routing. Studio gear would be plugged in to the rear connections, in a more-or-less permanent hookup. ![]() The smaller 19” rackmountable bays that would most likely be used in a DAW-based studio might typically have 24 pairs of jacks, front and back. Most patchbays consist of dual rows of jacks. The idea of the patchbay is to bring connections between equipment-that would otherwise have to be made by plugging and patching cables using the jacks and connection points on the rear panels of all the studio gear-out to the front of the bay, with all patch points in a single central location, making routing access far more simple and efficient. Whether the patchbay in use is a small basic one or a large comprehensive setup, there are a number of standard features and conventions. I’ll briefly touch on both applications-a smaller patchbay setup for a virtual studio, and a larger one for a more traditional room with analog mixing-in a minute. In a larger studio however, one that incorporates a traditional analog mixing console-especially a classic large-frame console-patchbay routings would be far more extensive, supplying connections between the console and other outboard gear that would be handled inside-the-box with a virtual mixer. In a mostly in-the-box DAW studio an analog patchbay’s routing and connection options are primarily limited to signal flow in and out of the DAW interface, making connections between gear in the studio and the virtual mixer in the DAW. As a result, while most modern users are well-versed in signal routing, the setup and layout of a traditional patchbay is probably much less familiar. But the majority of DAWs make those connections without the visual reference of the actual signal flow-a cable from point A to point B-that a traditional patchbay provides. And of course many virtual synths-especially those that emulate analog models-also incorporate patchbay graphics with virtual cable connections. Some programs-like Reason-use graphics that replicate traditional patchbay connections, complete with virtual hanging cables. ![]() Inside the box, most signal routing in virtual mixers is done computer-style-an output selector is normally a popup menu where the destination of the signal is chosen, completing the “patch”. Let’s take a brief look at the ins and outs of the classic studio patchbay. Nowadays, most of the equivalent routing is done inside the box, via the use of menu selections for source and destination, but patchbays still provide plenty of utility even in a modern DAW room. Almost everything was routed through it, allowing for maximum flexibility when selecting audio sources, switching modes from recording to mixdown, and patching in outboard rack effects for all studio operations. In the heyday of the analog studio, the patchbay was the center of all signal flow. ![]()
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