Effect sends/returns in a DAW

[Schwarzenyaeger]

I don't understand the concept of effect sends and returns in DAWs. I'm using PT 10.

Mike Senior writes in one of his books:

...
"That your reverb plug-in is only outputting processed effect ("wet" signal) and not any unprocessed sound ("dry" or "direct" signal), otherwise sending to the effect from a channel will also alter that track's level in your finely poised mix balance.

What am I supposed to do here? Should I also just go 100% on the dry/wet setting on a chorus or delay? Do I need a seperate track for the effect?

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Create an aux track and insert your reverb, chorus or delay there. Yes, set the effect to 100% wet. Set the input of the track to some unused stereo (or mono, depending on your needs) bus. It's helpful at this point to rename the bus to something relevant, like "Vocal Reverb Bus". Create a send on any audio track you want to put that effect on and assign the send to the bus going to the aux track. Pull the aux track's fader down, bring the send(s) up to the 0 mark and then bring up the aux track fader until you have the right amount of the effect.

 

[Schwarzenyaeger]

Now my whole project is muted when the Aux track is active. When I mute it, everything but the track I'm sending to it is unmuted.

What did I do wrong?



Edit: mono/stereo issue, fixed it.

Thanks for the help !

P.S. how do I rename a Bus?

 

[bouldersoundguy]

P.S. how do I rename a Bus?

Right-click on the current bus name on the aux track I think.