a few Mbox questions

[anton]

Hey Everyone,

I just got an Mbox and am running Pro Tools on a Windows XP machine. Getting around in Pro Tools isnt to hard, but i am having trouble grasping the mixing concepts. Maybe a few of you who are familiar with the Mbox can answer my questions.


Is it possible for me to connect an external effects processor to add reverb during the mixing stage? My Mbox has 1/4" analog outs, so i assume i just take the dry recorded track, route the output to the outs on the Mbox, into the reverb unit, then back into one of the ins on the Mbox, where the signal goes to an Aux input, and eventually to a recorded track. I am not sure how to do all this.

Another problem i am having trouble with is mixing down on Pro Tools. Say i have three finished tracks that i want to mix down to one stereo track so i can apply an overall plug in, such as a reveb effect. I have read the pro tools manual, but am not having much luck with it. As far as i can tell, here is what i do.

Route sends all three tracks to a stereo bus, say Bus 1-2. When i say sends i mean the ones right below the inserts. Should i instead be routing the signal to Bus 1-2 via the track outputs, right below the inputs?

Anyways, i then create an Aux Input, whose input is Bus 1-2, and add effects. Then i send that signal to another bus, say Bus 2-4 and route to a new audio track, so i can record the wet signal.



Does that sound about right. I know this probably hard to grasp. I have flipped through a few Pro Tools books and am currently ordering Producing in the Home Studio with Pro Tools Vol.2, which should hopefully answer my questions. Alot of the books i have read just dont explain all this stuff clear enough.




anton

 

[DonF]

Anyways, i then create an Aux Input, whose input is Bus 1-2, and add effects. Then i send that signal to another bus, say Bus 2-4 and route to a new audio track, so i can record the wet signal.

Just route the aux to the master L-R bus. You don't have to "record the wet signal" unless you want to, in which case mute everything else, do a "bounce to disk", then import the bounced track(s).

I don't have an Mbox, so I can't say for sure whether your effects loop scheme will work; but it sounds like you're on the right track.

 

[modson]

Why use outboard?

Theres no need to do all that, use an effect send (on the mixer) and route it to an internal bus with a reverb effect on it (using an aux in).

chris

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

Hey Everyone,

My comments in bold

Is it possible for me to connect an external effects processor to add reverb during the mixing stage? My Mbox has 1/4" analog outs, so i assume i just take the dry recorded track, route the output to the outs on the Mbox, into the reverb unit, then back into one of the ins on the Mbox, where the signal goes to an Aux input, and eventually to a recorded track. I am not sure how to do all this.

I *think* that works. The difficulty is in hearing what you're doing since you have to mute the output of your return in order to avoid feedback. If you have the Mbox 2 and an SPDIF i/o effects box you can set up the effect as a hardware insert.

Another problem i am having trouble with is mixing down on Pro Tools. Say i have three finished tracks that i want to mix down to one stereo track so i can apply an overall plug in, such as a reveb effect. I have read the pro tools manual, but am not having much luck with it. As far as i can tell, here is what i do.

Route sends all three tracks to a stereo bus, say Bus 1-2. When i say sends i mean the ones right below the inserts. Should i instead be routing the signal to Bus 1-2 via the track outputs, right below the inputs?

Anyways, i then create an Aux Input, whose input is Bus 1-2, and add effects. Then i send that signal to another bus, say Bus 2-4 and route to a new audio track, so i can record the wet signal.

File Menu- Bounce To Disk. Solo the tracks you want to bounce together and check "Import track to Session" (or whatever it is, can't remember). This is also how you press your final mix, just don't solo anything. What you're doing works, too, though, and its easier that way to make sure your new recorded track lines up with the rest of the song. I'm not sure why you would record the wet signal, though. I just leave it set up as an Aux track so I can mix with it. Once its recorded you can't change it.

Take care,
Chris