Buses and Effect inserts? Logic5.5.1

[Starstreams]

Here is a simplified version of this question and then a long version of the same question below:

1. Do the mix level sliders on the plug-ins themselves control the signal coming into the main channels much like an effects return button would? so then all these plug-ins are already inserted?



---Here is the long version if the above question didn’t make sense---


When you add an effect to a channel on a real physical mixer you would set your effect to totally wet and control how much wetness comes in to the direct signal using the effects return spinner.

But in Logic 5.5 I noticed that even if I turn my bus level to zero, the Logic reverb Gold still comes through. Now I admit that I have the mix slider on the reverb plug-in to over 50% as a test. But this is the part I don't get:
If the plug-in is set to almost full wetness then shouldn’t I be able to control how much wetness comes into the main channel by using the bus returns.
I’m looking at these bus level return buttons as effect returns. Is this a wrong way of thinking?


What are the busses for then?

 

[Stealthtech]

The control in the plugs themselves increases or decreases the effect.
If you dont intend to use the effect on a given channel then dont activate the bus. The purpose of the bus in the mixer window is for one effect to be used in several tracks without loading up the CPU with individual effects, especially reverbs.
It also controls how much of the effect to be applied to each track.

 

[Starstreams]

Hi Stealthtech, Makes sence now. thank you!
you mind me asking another question?

I was reading somewhere that some of the lower end cards that are OHCI compliant use the windows built in drivers which is convenient I think. However I was also reading reading something that said these cards do now allow advanced features such as real-time- capabilities for when your doing video editing. now I know i'm not doing video edting, but what about sound?
Would that cause a latency issue on with an M-Audio Firewire 410?
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=5f35def5b4107998b11119907053a313


Here is that article I was reading.
http://desktopvideo.about.com/library/weekly/aa062802a.htm

 

[TexRoadkill]

There will be latency no matter what because the computer is having to process the audio and they just aren't fast enough yet. If you use a card dedicated to DSP like the UAD Powercore then that can cutdown the processing time.

It sounds like you are understanding the routing correctly. I hated the way they do it in Logic and most DAWs. They should just let you route things they way you do on a real mixer. Always set the buss effects to 100% wet so you don't mix in the dry signal again. That is where the latency will cause you have phase cancellation problems.

When you insert an effect then you can set the mix how you like on the plugin. Be warned that the entire track will now be affected by the latency of the plugin.