Would this be like having a vocal track's output route to a vocal bus then have that vocal bus's output go to another bus with a reverb plugin in the effects bin?
Just confused on the use of the send knobs on the prochannels in console view.
See, I know enough to be dangerous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPZl39yIcjM   This might help=-)

buses are typically used as "Sub Groups".
you can route all your drum kit pieces to one bus (kick, snare, hi hat, exc) = called: Drums
you can also route all your guitars to one bus = Called: Guitars
piano and strings could be routed to another bus. = Called: Synths
 
but..you can also have a bus with an FX like Reverb in the buses FX bin.
you can then take your vocal track and create a send on that vocal track, route the send to the bus you created with reverb.
 
This takes advantage of resources that being over used taxing your CPU.
so rather than having 4 vocal tracks and putting reverb in each vocal track,
you only use one reverb plug in (in your Reverb Bus) and create sends on those 4 vocal tracks...all those sends going to the Reverb bus.
see what I mean ?
 
The only time I use a bus send is to control a portion of the buses signal to another effect.
similar to doing Parallel compression. What exactly are you trying to do here ?

thedukewestern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPZl39yIcjM   This might help=-)

Perfect explanation. But this is only used for timing effects like reverb and delay right? Or could you do the same thing with something like CLA-Guitars plugin or a modulation plugin?
Wait - I think I get it - it's so you do a wet/dry mix with the effects. And the output on the effects bus would go to the master fader?

chuckebaby
buses are typically used as "Sub Groups".
you can route all your drum kit pieces to one bus (kick, snare, hi hat, exc) = called: Drums
you can also route all your guitars to one bus = Called: Guitars
piano and strings could be routed to another bus. = Called: Synths
 
but..you can also have a bus with an FX like Reverb in the buses FX bin.
you can then take your vocal track and create a send on that vocal track, route the send to the bus you created with reverb.
 
This takes advantage of resources that being over used taxing your CPU.
so rather than having 4 vocal tracks and putting reverb in each vocal track,
you only use one reverb plug in (in your Reverb Bus) and create sends on those 4 vocal tracks...all those sends going to the Reverb bus.
see what I mean ?
 
The only time I use a bus send is to control a portion of the buses signal to another effect.
similar to doing Parallel compression. What exactly are you trying to do here ?

Just looking for ways to be efficient at not taxing my CPU.
I have one song that uses CLA Guitars plugin - 4 guitar tracks (two playing lower sounding notes, two playing higher sounding notes - and they are panned left and right).
So I currently have those 4 guitar tracks outputs going to my Rhythm Guitar bus. Then in the effects bin of the Rhythm Guitar bus, I have the CLA Guitars plugin turn on.
Would it be better to go through the sends?

The difference is this. 
 
If you send 4 tracks to a sub bus, that bus  is now the level control for your mixing.
So if the effects are in the  sub mix buss BIN  or sent using a send to a effects buss,   the sub mix buss wet/ dry mix will follow the sub buss level adjustment. 
Note that if you use the Bin you will be adjusting the wet/dry inside the effects GUI. This is  PITA unless you want the signal being 100% processed. ( fully wet)  Otherwise your having to re open the GUI all the time while mixing.
 
If you use a send from the Sub Buss to a effects buss  the effects wet/dry follows the sub mix. Isn't that nice now.. 
 
If each of the 4 tracks is going to a sub buss and each track has it's own send to an effects buss then your wet signal is now controlled by that effects buss. Turning down the sub mix buss will only lower the dry signal.  Example muting the sub mix buss you will hear the wet signal still from the effects buss.  A PITA as now your messing with 2 faders when you could be using one.  
 
So you can see why using effects sends on a sub buss makes it easier to do your mixing. 
 
Note that you should use the default "post"  sends for effects so they follow the faders. A pre effects send is not adjusted with the level. POST means post or after the fader. 
 

You could also try using Aux tracks. Insert an Aux track called "Rhythm Gtrs", put your CLA in the FX bin of the Aux track, then "send" all your rhythm guitars to that Aux track, with the Aux track outputting to the Rhythm Gtr buss, which outputs to the master buss. Similar to using a Rythm Gtr buss, but you have the Aux track in the Track View, right underneath the actual guitar tracks (or next to the guitar tracks in Console View). For me it's a little more convenient. Then I just use the Rhythm Gtr buss to control the levels of the guitars for mixing. Make sure you have input echo enabled on the Aux track to hear the CLA effect.
 
But putting the CLA on the buss is fine too. Just personal preference.
 
The whole "routing' thing in Sonar used to make my brain hurt. But once you understand it, it's pretty simple actually, and opens up a whole new world.
 
~Jeff

Sam4246

chuckebaby
buses are typically used as "Sub Groups".
you can route all your drum kit pieces to one bus (kick, snare, hi hat, exc) = called: Drums
you can also route all your guitars to one bus = Called: Guitars
piano and strings could be routed to another bus. = Called: Synths
 
but..you can also have a bus with an FX like Reverb in the buses FX bin.
you can then take your vocal track and create a send on that vocal track, route the send to the bus you created with reverb.
 
This takes advantage of resources that being over used taxing your CPU.
so rather than having 4 vocal tracks and putting reverb in each vocal track,
you only use one reverb plug in (in your Reverb Bus) and create sends on those 4 vocal tracks...all those sends going to the Reverb bus.
see what I mean ?
 
The only time I use a bus send is to control a portion of the buses signal to another effect.
similar to doing Parallel compression. What exactly are you trying to do here ?

Just looking for ways to be efficient at not taxing my CPU.
I have one song that uses CLA Guitars plugin - 4 guitar tracks (two playing lower sounding notes, two playing higher sounding notes - and they are panned left and right).
So I currently have those 4 guitar tracks outputs going to my Rhythm Guitar bus. Then in the effects bin of the Rhythm Guitar bus, I have the CLA Guitars plugin turn on.
Would it be better to go through the sends?

it all depends really, if they all have the same effect on them. sometimes when building guitar tracks
(especially when there are 3 or more) you want to change the FX, EQ, Exc. to build some depth/recognition.
but I have in certain cases, run 2 guitars (using a send) to CLA as a dual lead part.
I just wouldn't send every guitar there if you know what I mean.
 

Well, I was still in production and had the CLA Guitar plugin set up just for tracking so the vocalist could get an idea while tracking. But now, all the tracking is done.
Cactus Music - let me make sure I have it correct - because it sounds like what you suggested would be the most efficient way.
On the track view - set up my outputs on the guitars to the "Rhythm Guitar Bus".
Then on the Rhythm Guitar Bus use the send to make the signal go to the R.Guitar Effects Bus. Is that correct? Then I can use one slider to control both volume and effects saturation (the wet to dry ratio).

Seems like this would be really good to do with vocals.
Thanks for you help everyone. I have learned a ton since I converted everything to software.

l lot of how we route a signal depends on what it is. 
I certainly treat vocals a little different than guitars.
As a example my typical set up:
Vocals- compressor on each track bin and then 2 effects sends for reverb and delay.
Main vocals are comped into one complete track and output to master bus.
Backing vocals a sub mix buss then to master.
Guitars I am all over the map because this depends on the zillions of sounds I might need for a particular sound or style of music.
I'm often pretty traditional and lay down 2 identical acoustic parts panned L?R. Or a more rockin tune use a  Tele and pan left right. I find this will drive the song. If they have overdrive this will have come from the amp.  These will actually go direct to master. I try to avoid too many sub busses.
They will also share the vocal effects to eliminate soundscape clutter.  
 
Lead guitar anything goes but once again I mostly use my pedalboard and amp because after 46 years I know what I want and how to get it. Ampsims are great if you don't own the right pedals and certainly if you haven't made up your mind about the sound yet. 
I sometimes record a dry track along with my processed one but most times I like what I recorded using the effects. To me you play along to the effects,they are part of how you play a part. 
When I use a sim it goes in that guitars track bin. Like Chuck said I would not share a guitar sim.. I like each lead or fill guitar part to be unique. 
So my above effects sending is more about vocals than guitars sorry I missed that in your original post that you where asking about guitar sims.