Don’t Let the Avid S6 Intimidate You: A Re-Recording Mixer’s Tour

Summary

Re-recording mixer Joel D. Catalan gives a practical tour of how he uses an Avid S6 on a TV mix stage. He emphasizes that the console is easier to learn when approached one function at a time. A second mixer handles dialogue, music, and ADR; Catalan works on sound effects, backgrounds, Foley, and walla.

Workflow and features

• Pro Tools session and console layout: His template groups tracks into “food groups,” such as effects, music, backgrounds, hum, and Foley/walla. The S6 can show all tracks or filter them by type, including audio, folders, MIDI, and VCAs. Catalan suggests learning one channel strip at a time, since the others work the same way.
• Preview mode: Catalan’s preferred feature for safely adjusting levels, pan, or sends without immediately changing existing automation. Once he is happy with an adjustment, he records it for the whole selection or for selected tracks.
• Sends and returns: His effects setup includes interior and exterior reverbs, a 5.0 reverb, LFE/“boom,” and delays. He generally adjusts reverb levels for effects using returns, while using sends for background tracks.
• EQ and channel controls: He maps EQ parameters, using a Pro-Q setup, to the S6 controls and expands the view when he needs more detail. He mainly works with faders, panning, sends, and EQ rather than using every insert or channel-strip feature.
• Automation tools: He regularly uses “write to all” or “write to selected,” along with copy-all and paste-special when transferring automation, particularly for backgrounds. Although the console offers many deeper functions, he notes that mixers do not need to use them all.
• VCAs and track access: Catalan uses VCAs to control groups and can spill a VCA to display its member tracks, make changes, then return to the VCA view. He also creates track layouts for particular effects groups.
• Visual feedback and touchscreen: The meter bridge can show track names, waveforms, and recorded automation. The touchscreen provides another way to adjust parameters, including pan, sends, and EQ.

Overall assessment

Catalan likes the S6 for its flexibility and customizability, contrasting it with older, more specialized control surfaces such as the D-Command/Icon. His central advice is not to be intimidated by the console or feel obliged to master every feature.

Guide and review content

This is a hands-on workflow guide and personal overview of the Avid S6, not a formal product review. It demonstrates the features Catalan relies on and explains which functions he tends to skip.

Main speaker

• Joel D. Catalan — Emmy-nominated re-recording engineer and industry coach; presenter and S6 user.