Bussing Tracks for Compression/EQ?

scarboro78

scarboro78

NYC HIP-HOP AMBASSADOR
Hey Guys! Long Time No Write.. :D

I've got a question about bussing tracks in Cubase SX 2. I know for example in Pro Tools I can set the output of a track to go into a Bus Created with a Compression and EQ effect. Doing this sends the signal directly to the Bus instead of having an FX Insert which kind of creates a copy of the track with whatever effect you have it. (done through an Aux track in Pro Tools or a FX Track in Cubase). Using an FX insert I find sounds good on reverb and delay... But when using it for compression or EQ, it seems leaves the underlying track untouched kind of defeating the purpose.

My question is, is there a way in Cubase to route a signal to an 'FX Bus' and be able to route the buses to a master fader? I remember not being able to mix down to more than one Bus in the past, but I may be mistaken.

Thanks for your help!
 
wow... I guess either I wrote that in Chinese or noone has a clue what the hell I'm talking about.. ::sigh:: :confused:
 
I'm no expert, nor do I have the software in front of me. But you can create a group track or FX track and asign the channel you want to effect to it. Is that what you want to do?
 
Thats the way the FX tracks work. Basically an Aux send to a Master output bus.
If you are wanting to use a dynamic type of effect across multiple tracks, your best to send those tracks to a group channel and place your effects on the inserts of the group channel.

Not sure if that's what your looking for. My Chinese isn't very good. :D
 
Yep. Create a Group channel, route your audio channels to the group channel, and put your compressor and EQ as inserts in the Group channel. Dun.
 
Oddly enough, I use group channels as FX channels. That way I can, for example, compress the drum reverb with the drums. I almost never use FX channels.
 
Ahh Thanks Guys but let me see if I got this straight..

1)The 'FX Channel' creates the kind of copy of the track as I mentioned which might be good say for reverb or delay's...

2) The 'Group Channel' routes the signal through this channel and out to the master fader? And then this would be good for compression. eq, etc?

If that's so thanks very much guys! If not... please explain where I went wrong..

PS: I'ma play with the group channel when I get home.. thanks again!
 
That is one way of looking at it. The big difference for me is that the FX channels can only be routed to the outputs, the group channels can be routed to the outputs or any group channel to the right of it.

You can select a group channel as an aux send in the audio channel strip.
 
The problem with routing your tracks to a group channel for their dynamic effects is that you can't use that group channel as a fader anymore because it will change the input level of the signals you want to process. You could either create another group channel for the group channel with dynamics or you could put your dynamic controls on the main tracks and use the group channel for eq and fader control.... (that's what I do).
 
glagola1 said:
The problem with routing your tracks to a group channel for their dynamic effects is that you can't use that group channel as a fader anymore because it will change the input level of the signals you want to process.
Click to expand...
The fader is after the inserts on every program I've ever seen.
 
Well, if you take say a kick track for example, and you put compression on it, if you move up the fader it will drive the input on the compression higher. I really wish it wasn't that way but is sure the heck is on SL2.0.
 
You can use the group channel as fader, but I can see why you might not want to adjust the faders on the channels that are being routed into the group track too much if you have compression or something on the group track.
 
glagola1 said:
Well, if you take say a kick track for example, and you put compression on it, if you move up the fader it will drive the input on the compression higher. I really wish it wasn't that way but is sure the heck is on SL2.0.
Click to expand...
You are using the track insert? or are you using the auxes? The track inserts are not affected by the fader
 
I think he means the fader on the kick channel. If that's the case, the idea is you should balance your drums first by using their own faders, then after sending them to the group channel, you should be using the group channel's fader to adjust the overall level of all the drums. In Cubase SX the first 6 insert slots are pre-fader and the last 2 are post fader. So if Farview's assumption was correct, then make sure you put the compressor in one of the first 6 slots, as if you put it in the last 2 the position of the fader in the group channel will act as a second threshold knob.

Oh, and functionally, the group and FX channels are very similar, the main difference being the group channels also have their own send slots while FX channels only have insert slots.
 
noisewreck said:
Oh, and functionally, the group and FX channels are very similar, the main difference being the group channels also have their own send slots while FX channels only have insert slots.
Click to expand...
The other difference is you can send the output of a group channel to another group channel. Like if you want want to send your drum verb to the drum buss (group channel) so they can get compressed together. FX channels can only be routed to output busses.
 
I'm using SL2.0 if there is a difference. If it's true that the first 6 slots are pre-fader, that would rule! I'll have to look into that when I get home. I just assumed all the inserts were post fader.
 
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