send/return mixer signal flow?

[clevodrummer]

I have been at this for a while and I am still having a difficult time grasping the sig flow and application on a typical send/return set up on a mixer. My mixer is a Yamaha MG 16/6fx.

I have on the "Send" control portion of the mixer an aux1/ send and aux2/ send knobs. The Return portion is the same aux1, aux2 returns....

each channel strip has aun aux1 pre, and an aux2 (post fader) knobs. I get the pre and post controls, but what Im not getting is the real signal flow of the entire loop.

does the send control on the control section control how strong a signal is sent from the mixer to the effects unit input Im using and the return knob control how much of the return sig from the effects unit brings back to the mixer?

than I assume the channel strip aux send knobs control how much of the effect is mixed into the channel strip? Or does that control how strong a sig is sent to the effect unit?

totally confused and really would like to grasp this concept......I feel like Im pretending I know what Im doing....

thanks

[Massive Master]

You pretty much have it - Send controls what's going out, return controls how much of what comes back would continue to the main outs (assuming the returns are routed to the main outs).

I'd keep the returns at unity for the most part...

[bigtoe]

"does the send control on the control section control how strong a signal is sent from the mixer to the effects unit input Im using and the return knob control how much of the return sig from the effects unit brings back to the mixer?"

yep

"than I assume the channel strip aux send knobs control how much of the effect is mixed into the channel strip? Or does that control how strong a sig is sent to the effect unit?"

the later...sort of. you first have to go through the master aux send...which combines all the channel aux sends going to the effects unit.

generally:

Channel Aux Send -> Master Aux Send -> Effects Unit -> Master Aux Return -> Stereo Out

you can also return on individual channels. i usually do.

Mike