Rodecaster Pro 2 Back Channel | Setup & Demo

11 months ago

6 min read

This article will show you everything you need to know to unlock and set up the back channel mode inside your Rodecaster Pro 2 Audio mixer. We will show you three different ways to set it up, tips and tricks, and when not to use it.

Quick Answer: Back channel mode is a new feature that allows you to take your guest offline and talk to them. You can set the mode in three different ways. One, by setting the smart pad button to back channel mode. Alternatively, you could press the mute and solo button for each channel to automatically put them in back-channel mode. Or you could just drop the faders of the guest channels.

Rode Rodecaster Pro 2 Audio Mixer: https://currentprice.io/rodecaster2

What Is Back Channel Mode?

Back channel mode allows you to divide your productions into two halves: one will stay on-air, and the other will be off-air in a private back channel.

Whether you are recording or live streaming, the on-air aspect of your production will go on as normal while still being able to access the off-air aspect. This means the host can go into a back channel to bring in remote guests or communicate with somebody off-air without making it into the stereo mix.

This is a wonderful tool for privately communicating with your guests. You could use this to bring them up to speed, add context to the discussion, ask for their opinion or tell them to dial it down. As a result, your recording will have a higher production value.

The back channel mode is a new feature not included in the Rodecaster Pro.

Back Channel Rules For Setup

There are certain rules you need to consider when using the back channel mode on the Rodecaster Pro 2:

Any back channel mode you create must include the host.

If you need to go into the back channel, ensure you are on mic input #1 because the host has to be involved in the back channel.

USB output #1 cannot be used in the back channel

This is the audio mixer’s way of protecting you from putting your main stereo output into the back channel.

This exclusion prevents your main content from accidentally getting left out of your stereo mix.

You can still use the back channel mode for USB output #1 chat channel, Bluetooth, and USB output #2.

Option 1 – Smart Pad

Time needed: 5 minutes

How To Setup Back Channel Mode on Rodecaster Pro II

Select Settings (Gear Icon)
Top right corner.
Select Smart Pads
We want to assign the back-channel mode to a smart pad.
Select [+ ADD ] On An Empty (Unassigned) Smart Pad
If your smart pads are full, you must clear an existing FX out of a smart pad.
Select Mixer
This is considered to be a mixer effect.
Select Back Channel
Scroll to the right on the touchscreen to find this option.
Select Latch or Momentary
We recommend “latch”
Select the inputs that you want to be included in the back channel.
You must include the host (Channel 1).

How the back channel mode works:

Let’s say you want two channels in the back channel mode: the host and a selected channel.

When the back channel mode is turned on by toggling on the smart pad, the meter of the host and the selected channel will be moving, but the stereo mix will go dead.

This proves that the host and the selected channel are in back-channel mode because they have been separated from the stereo mix.

If you had other channels that were not in back-channel mode, you would hear them in the stereo mix.

When the back channel mode is turned on, the touchscreen on the Rodecaster Pro 2 will show which channels have been isolated from the stereo mix by highlighting them with a yellow gradient.

Back channel mode can be turned off by toggling the smart pad button.

Option 2 – Manually Set The Backchannel

Press the solo with the mute button of one channel at once.

Repeat this for the other selected channel(s).

This is a quick and manual way to go offline with your guest.

The host will always be involved in the back channel mode, so make sure you press the solo and mute buttons of the first channel before doing this for the other buttons.

To exit back channel mode, simultaneously press the solo and mute buttons as the host and the selected channel(s). Make sure the host is out of the back channel mode otherwise, you will see a red highlight on the first channel on the touchscreen.

You can also use this option to pre-select which channels you want in the back channel mode by pressing their corresponding mute and solo button simultaneously. The back channel does not open until you press the host’s mute and solo buttons. The touchscreen will highlight the host and selected channel(s) in yellow once the back-channel mode is active.

Option 3 – Use The Faders

Turn down the faders of the guest channels.

Press the mute button on the guest channels.

This works in a full-size podcast studio with separate rooms for the producer, host, and guests.

This manual option allows the host to continue with the show without the participation of the in-person guests. When the host is ready to bring the guests back in, they can bring up the faders or unmute the guest channels.