2013/04/04 22:51:59
davdud101
Hey, everyone. So I've been thinking about this for a while;

What REALLY separates a Bus from a Send? Which is better in what circumstances? What purpose does each serve?
The documentation really isn't all that great on them, they seem the same

But MUCHA IMPORTANTE-LY, why can't I get the Send to output JUST what sends through, as with a Bus? It always layers the original audio on top of the add FX. What I'ma do?
2013/04/04 22:55:10
davdud101
WAIT. I think I may have it.

Is Send designed to go INTO a Bus? Cuz if so, I feel like an idiot. Although I still would love the other questions answered.
2013/04/05 03:16:42
Jeff Evans
One thing that is important about these two things. When you route a signal to a buss the signal only goes to that buss hence it can only be directed to one output at a time.

When you use a send, yes you are routing or directing a signal to a new buss and a new output but the signal is also being sent to its original output at the same time. So using sends allows a signal to effectively be sent to two places at once. (or more depending on the number of sends involved)

This is an important difference.


2013/04/05 17:24:51
jacktheexcynic
i use a bus strictly for routing. for example, i have 3 background vocals, and want to apply the same EQ, compression and reverb to all of them. so i send all 3 tracks to a single bus (say, "BGVs"), and i add EQ and compression.

but i don't add reverb directly, i create another bus called "reverb" and then i add a send to the "reverb" bus from the "BGVs" bus. i go back to my "lead vocal" track, and add a send to the "reverb" bus as well, but i dial back the send level because i want the lead vocal to be more present.
2013/04/07 21:16:02
davdud101
Ah, I guess I never thought of its own application (being adding effects that land after the actual source track) !  I'll have to give that one a try for sure. Thanks guys, I'll have to have a deep look around the use of busses and sends.

I do use busses a lot especially when I'm adding the same FX to multiple tracks, mostly vocals stuff. I also use them to put all my instruments (or non-vocals) through to create an instrumental and seperate vox bus, which send through a bus called Out to master or directly to master.
2013/04/07 22:02:29
RobertB
Hmm.
Yes, you send to a bus.
Pre and post fader send makes a difference.
A pre-fade send is unaffected by track output volume or effects. You can mute a track, and an associated pre-fade send to bus will still be at full volume.
A post-fade send will be affected by the track output volume.
Either way, as Jeff noted, a send provides a secondary signal path.
My personal favorite use for sends is to define the space around my instruments.
I'll route the track outputs to the master bus (or possibly an intermediate bus), and insert sends to a reverb bus.
This gives me a good deal of control, and I can pull the relatively dry instruments forward in the space defined by the reverb bus.
Take a look at this:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1302521

It is pretty basic, but it may shed some light on sends and busses.
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