not quite...dave.
i agree that almost every mixer sends out a mono signal to the effects send.
However, almost any effects unit, above a stomp box, has a STEREO output...meaning different information is contained on the 2 tracks. left and right are not necessarily equal.
if you record only 1/2 of the information, or the MONO track, then that is what you have...1/2 of the effect. Now, some effects it us really un-noticable. But, a STEREO CHORUS is a STEREO effect.
The stereo returns feed back out the main bus of the mixer.
If you mix all sources at 12 oclock panning, then basicall you will have a MONO sound at mixdown, meaning that there is no stereo imaging in the sound.
When you convert to the stereo wave file, you are converting the product of all of the tracks into the file, not just the one. even though you can move the MONO track around in the image, it is still a mono track per say, with only half of the information that was available.
You can use tracks 1, 2, 3, and 4 individually. Individually they all receive the source from input A.
But, you can also use tracks 1 and 2 together, where 1 will receive from input A, and 2 will receive from input B. Same with 3 and 4.
What i was saying is, he is coming out of the board in stereo, and dumping into a mono input.
I can assume he is leaving 7&8 emtpty for bouncing the stereo wave file into. So, that leaves 6 tracks for recording. That is only 3 stereo input sources. Not much room.
So, what i do is this.
I record the guitar effects in stereo, into tracks 1&2, hard panning each.
I put my stereo drum machine in on 3 & 4, again, hard panning the inputs
I then mix these 4 channels, and bounce them onto 5&6
Then i go back and record vocals on 1 (centered), rythm giutar on 2 (at about 9:00), bass guitar on 3(at about2:00), and a back up vocal on 4(usually at 12:00, but reverbed into the back ground).
i remix all of this together, and bouce the 6 channels to 7&8
where i do the wave file conversion.
i hope this made some sense.....