How does something like this work efficiently?

Ok, look at this picture below. It's part of a studio and is just full of racks. The first thing that comes to mind is, how does it all work together? I have only a few pieces of equipment, and am changing cables around all the time! How does something like this work in a professional studio? Are the cables and everything set just right, so that all an engineer has to do is move a fader on a mixer? It all looks so complicated, yet so organized in a way that portrays an ease of use. Any one care to explain how it all comes together?





...or http://www.mtsu.edu/~record/images/faci ... oArack.jpg

I can't see the picture, but from your description I think it's a fairly good guess to say that they're using patch bays in order to make everything accessible from the same spot.

yup, patchbays and lots of channels, sends, returns, and inserts on mixers.

Don't be fooled, some of that stuff is rarely used and is just there as storage, or just in case. Also gear with multiple inputs and such are usually only hooked up basically unless it is a go to workhorse.

elmacaco wrote: Also gear with multiple inputs and such are usually only hooked up basically unless it is a go to workhorse.

huh?

I guess patchbays, but damn.

say you have a DP4 with 4 ins and outs, many times they will just hook up one or two pairs.