X32 / M32 Keys starting point
Beginner Skill level for the five steps below. Optional intermediate and advanced tips are in Going further.
Dial these in, then adjust by ear in the full mix. Ask for the player's loudest patch at soundcheck; patch volume changes are the main live problem with keys.
1High-pass filter
40-80 Hz
Illustration in the style of the X32 / M32 low cut / HPF, not a screenshot. Drawn at 12 dB/oct; the shaded area is what gets cut. Drawn at 60 Hz, the middle of the card's 40-80 Hz.
Higher if the keyboard player's left hand clashes with the bass; lower for solo piano.
On the X32 / M32: Config/Preamp section of the channel strip: press LOW CUT and turn FREQUENCY (M32 label) to set it, 20-400 Hz. Screen: VIEW > Home > config, encoder 2 (also Home > eq, page 1). Need a cut above 400 Hz? Set EQ band LOW to LCUT mode with the MODE button.
2Gate
- Use
- No
Not needed.
On the X32 / M32: GATE section: press GATE to engage and turn THRESHOLD (-80 to 0 dB). Press VIEW for Home > gate: Range 3-60 dB, Attack 0-120 ms (1 ms steps), Hold 0.02-2000 ms, Release 5-4000 ms. Page 2 has the key filter (20 Hz-20 kHz) and key source. The protocol lists the modes EXP2, EXP3, EXP4 (expander 2:1-4:1), GATE and DUCK; check the names on your firmware's screen.
3EQ
- LC 60 Hz, 12 dB/oct
- 1 Bell 300 Hz, -2.0 dB, Q 0.9
- 2 Bell 3.5 kHz, +0.5 dB, Q 0.9
Illustration in the style of the X32 / M32 EQ screen, not a screenshot. Curve shows the midpoint of the suggested ranges; HPF drawn at 12 dB/oct.
| Frequency | Gain | Q / width | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200-400 Hz | -1 to -3 dB | Wide | Keys, guitars and vocals pile up here; a small cut makes room. |
| 2-5 kHz | 0 to +1 dB | Wide | Presence. Keyboards are usually already bright. |
On the X32 / M32: EQUALISER section (EQUALIZER on the X32): pick the band (LOW, LO MID, HI MID, HIGH), then GAIN (+/-15 dB), FREQUENCY (20 Hz-20 kHz) and WIDTH (labelled Q on the X32; Q 10 narrow to 0.3 wide). The MODE button, or VIEW > Home > eq, sets the band type: LOW = LCUT, LSHV, PEQ or VEQ; LO MID and HI MID = PEQ or VEQ; HIGH = HCUT, HSHV, PEQ or VEQ. There is no separate low-pass filter on input channels: for a high cut, set the HIGH band to HCUT.
4Compression
Attack ~20 ms · Release ~150 ms (timing, not shown on graph)
Illustration in the style of the X32 / M32 compressor screen, not a screenshot. Compression is optional here (None or 2:1); the graph shows 2:1 in case you use it. The threshold is an example only: it is set so a −6 dB peak gets about 1 dB of gain reduction, the middle of the card's target. Set yours by ear while watching the gain reduction (GR) meter. Drawn hard-knee with no makeup gain. Attack and release shape timing and don't change this curve.
- Ratio
- None or 2:1
- Attack
- ~20 ms
- Release
- ~150 ms
- Gain reduction
- 0-2 dB
Keyboard patches are usually already level-controlled.
On the X32 / M32: DYNAMICS section: press COMP to engage and turn THRESHOLD (-60 to 0 dB); the LED meter shows gain reduction. VIEW > Home > dyn: Ratio (1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 20, 100), Attack 0-120 ms, Hold, Release 5-4000 ms, makeup Gain 0-24 dB, Knee 0-5, Peak/RMS and LIN/LOG. Page 2: pre/post EQ position, key filter and key source.
5FX send
None
Keep dry: no FX send.
Illustration in the style of the X32 / M32 sends view, not a screenshot. Bus numbering depends on how the venue file is patched; set the level by ear.
Patches come with their own reverb.
On the X32 / M32: Common practice is to feed FX from mix buses (e.g. Bus 13-16, set to pre/post as needed) patched to FX1-4 in the Effects rack, and return them on FX Return channels. Only FX1-4 can be fed this way; FX5-8 are insert-only and can't run reverbs. Check how your venue file is patched before assuming.
🎧 What to listen for
Ask for the player's loudest patch at soundcheck; patch volume changes are the main live problem with keys.
Going further (2 optional tips)
Not needed to get a good start. Try these once the basics above sound right.
- IntermediateLink stereo keyboards
One set of controls for both sides.
On the M32: Home > config, tap encoder 1 to link the pair.
- AdvancedSafety limiter for sudden loud sounds
Catches a patch that is much louder than the rest.
On the M32: dyn Ratio 20 or 100, fast attack, threshold set just above the normal loudest level so it rarely works.
Common gear for Keys
- Radial ProD2 · Stereo passive DI
Scene / preset file
Coming later: downloadable X32 / M32 channel preset for this card.
Sources
- Sweetwater InSync: EQ Frequencies of Musical Instruments Explained (Music Instrument Frequency Cheatsheet)
- Sweetwater InSync: 8 Essential EQ Tips for Live Sound
- Behringer X32 User Manual (PDF, channel strip: Low Cut, Gate, EQ, Dynamics)
- Midas M32 User Manual (PDF; official download on the Midas M32 product page)
- Unofficial X32/M32 OSC Remote Protocol (P.-G. Maillot), parameter ranges, pp.24-26 (not a manufacturer document)
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