Sends, Busses, etc....

[landtitles]

Was hoping some could share some insight into mixing. 

I've been thinking lately about how others might be setting up their mixers.

Not mixing conventional music ie. guitar, bass, vocals, drums. Are you still grouping tracks together under different busses,

or just using busses for fx.



Is anyone eschewing busses and sends altogether and just having fx on single tracks?

I would love to hear how some are setting these up, any sort of tricks used or just some ideas would be great.

Thanks

lt

[taylordeupree]

for me, it totally depends on what the mix calls for.

i don't often group a selection of tracks under a separate bus, but sometimes.. in fact, i did it on a recent mix because i had 3 similar tracks that all had volume automation and very specific balances between them. i then needed to affect all of them and it was easier to route them all to a bus to change level than it was to go in and edit all of the automation. this way they all stayed the same in relation to each other.

as for effects busses.. i will almost always buss reverbs and delays, no reason not to, really... since i don't like to use too many different verbs or delays in any particular song i like to have them available for whatever tracks i need them. i'm also fond of UAD's Roland Dimension D chorus effect on acoustic guitar, but it's too strong for me straight (and there's not wet/dry mix on the plug in) so i'll bus that on an aux as well so i can control the wet level.

again, it depends on the effect and how and where i want to use it in any particular mix....


t

[landtitles]

Thanks for the info Taylor.

I like the idea of sending a track to an aux if the plug-in doesn't have and wet/dry mix, cool trick.

Some great insight there, just curious where things like compression or saturation plug-ins might come in.
Is this and instance where individual channel plugs might work better?



Others wanting to chime in their mixing techniques would be advised to do so now.

Thanks all.

[Koda]

mixing...there's no right answer. Yeah, you should always bus reverb and delays and any other effect. but I don't see it where it says not to drop the effects right on the channel. me, I prefer the former (greater control, better work flow). but it doesn't mean I am right or wrong.
Also, I'm not all that in favor of using pugins. I'd much rather hit the tape (hardrive) wet from my direct signal (fx pedals), that way, there's no battling infinite choice later on. But mixing down and finding that cohesion between tracks requires reverb and/or delay to sweeten it up the end product...sometimes.

[taylordeupree]

first, as Koda says... there's no right answer.. there's no rules, so don't be afraid just to try stuff out.

as for your specific questions.. re: compression + saturation

compression isn't typically put on an aux send.. not that it's not ever.. but, the reason you'd use compression is to smooth out a signal, bring some peaks down... if you put that on an aux you'll re-introduce dry, loud peaks back into signal, thus defeating the purpose of compression.... but... then why do some high-end outboard analog compressors have wet/dry knobs? because there are no rules!

saturation: i often put this on an aux, depending on the effect, because maybe i want to lessen the effect a bit... but, almost every saturation plug i've seen has a wet/dry or amount control... so there's not really a reason to put it on the aux... especially because the better saturation plugs respond differently to different signals... sending a bunch of bussed signals into one saturation plug in will yield different results than sending each individual sound through individual saturation plugs.... which one is "better" is only your choice when mixing...

[oootini]

sends for individual instruments are also a useful way to add interest to the stereo field, i like panning a delayed signal  on a send to another part of the stereo field sometimes...

[Koda]

Also, if you are applying the same plug in to multiple tracks, just send them all to one aux. very time saving...

[landtitles]

Thanks all, really helpful stuff.
I think i was over using some plug-ins maybe, so this info has been great.
Especially as I am using an older computer, so not to many plug-ins allowed.

lt

[Koda]

Especially as I am using an older computer, so not to many plug-ins allowed.

Perfect example why you might want to bus multiple tracks to one fx aux. Delays and reverbs can really be taxing on a computer.