Question about using BUSSES for effects. It doesn't make sense to me!

[mikehoman316]

As far as I can tell, if I set up a bus with a reverb on it and send three instruments to it, the sound from those three instruments all contribute to the overall sound level of the bus track. Consequently, if the bus track is panned centrally, I'm getting the sound of the three instruments (+the reverb) duplicated in the centre of the mix.

It seems to me that this is quite illogical. Am I missing something here? Is there a technique to use where the effect from the bus is simply sent back to the original instrument (like an effects loop in a guitar amp) without duplicating the sound? What techniques do you more experienced mixers generally practice when it comes to bus effects?

 

[Armistice]

What program/machine are you using?

An effect on an auxillary bus should merely have the effect applied to the track sent there in accordance with how that effect is set up by the amount applied to that track. Nothing should be duplicated. Perhaps you're not routing it correctly?

 

[mjbphotos]

In Reaper there is a pan control on the bus send for each channel you have going to it. In the song I just finished mixing, I had the guitars panned partial left and partial right, but panned the reverb for each to the far left and far right and liked the overall effect.

 

[mikehoman316]

What program/machine are you using?

An effect on an auxillary bus should merely have the effect applied to the track sent there in accordance with how that effect is set up by the amount applied to that track. Nothing should be duplicated. Perhaps you're not routing it correctly?

I'm using Logic Express 9. Basically, when I set up a bus it creates a new track in the mixer. Then, if I solo that track I can hear the cumulative sounds of all the instruments I've sent there. Is this normal?

 

[Massive Master]

LET'S START FRESH for a second here ---

We're hopefully talking about an AUX buss - Not a GROUP buss. You're not actually routing a group of tracks to a group, you're sending a volume-controlled copy to an aux buss with a 100% "wet" effect inserted on it.

If that's not what you're doing, then:

 

[RAMI]

You have to set your reverb to 100% wet.

Also, reverb is a stereo effect. So, leave the pan control for your buss in the middle and your reverb will come out in stereo as it's meant to do. You can pan the reverb on each instrument, as mentioned in an earlier post, if you want that effect. But, generally speaking, you want your reverb to be panned equally to both speakers.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Some reverbs actually reflect the panning of the signal that goes into them but most take a mono input and produce a generalized stereo output. This reflects reality in that the sound bouncing around the room comes from all directions more or less evenly regardless of where on stage things are positioned.