RE: Gate on return or single channel
March 25, 06 0:29 PM
(permalink)
Dave,
Here's my .02...
*Control* fx(such as gates, limiters and compressors) work best on the individual tracks you want to *control*, but there are always exceptions to the rule. For example, I typically have compressrs/limiters on Kick and Snare and then another compressor/limiter on the whole drum submix(with very "soft" settings).
When you are trying to *effect* the sound, using an fx bus(AKA an aux send) as a "wet" mix to balance with your dry track can be effective(vocals, synths, etc), but adding fx to a particular track "inline" can also be used(guitars, basses, etc). For things like chorus and/or reverb, where multiple tracks will probably end up using a complementary effect, it is both organizationally, sonically and cpu efficient to use a send and fx bus. For example, I may have 10 tracks of vocals where I have a send on each track that goes to bus with a reverb inserted in it's fx bin. This would be a "vocal reverb" in my mix. I could adjust the level of this bus to get the effect I desire. This is analogous to how you would use a hardware mixer and outboard fx. Having given that as an example, Personally, I am shying away from using that method nowadays on vocals since I tend to use PerfectSpace for "reverb space". I tend to insert it on the "vocal bus" itself and adjust the wet level to taste. Try what sounds best to you. A DAW gives you tons of ways to try things out.
BTW...are your tracks really so noisy that you need a gate? A gate has to have it's parameters customized to the specific signal source going through it or you could be cutting off important sonic info. Not saying don't use it, but I rarely use gates anymore with the high quality signal paths you can typically get for low dollars in this day and age. I see value in gates for live setups but for recording...I would lean strongly toward slip-editing and envelopes to control track noise level.
Perhaps you are using a gate in a way I am not used to...
Finally...if a gate plugin is costing you visible CPU changes I recommend upgrading your computer! A gate is probably the least cpu intensive effect... ;)