Configuring the SD-8 Surface

Today I spent some time adapting my Digico SD-8 show configuration for our SD-8 demo this weekend. When we buy one, we’ll be buying the 37 channel version (made up of three 12-channel fader banks plus a master). For the demo, they could only get me a 25 fader version (missing the left fader bank). It’s kind of a bummer, but I really want to get going on it, so I said, “OK.” When I started looking at my show, the real power of the system became apparent. I didn’t need to re-patch, or re-structure or re-do anything other than the surface layout. In fact, all I had to do was move some faders around and I was good to go.

Once this hit me, I realized that I don’t even need to come up with some magical fader layout that will work for every possible scenario; all I need to do is patch our “biggest-case scenario” and use that as my building block each week. I can then just shuffle faders around to meet the needs for the weekend. And the best part is that when I’m done with the surface, I can run a report from the desk that will give me my input sheet. So, it’s like a desk that was designed in this century! This will be so great for our setting in the church; I can create a layout that is easy to use every week.

So here’s a screen capture video I did today of the re-configuration of the surface. I hope you’ll be able to see the detail, but if not, you’ll get the idea.

Digico SD-8 Surface Configuration from Mike Sessler on Vimeo.