Send / Return track help please!

[theviewer1985]

Hi guys

I am hoping that this is just a simple case of me being an idiot. But i have had a constant annoyance when using send / return tracks

I will draw out a simple scenario and hope that it makes sense and somebody can help.

1. I put a reverb on a return track with the intention to send many different drum hits to it. A "global reverb" I name it.
2. I put all my drum hit channels into a group. (I do not use drum racks, so its just a group of separate simplers and wav loops)
3. I put a filter into that group channel and filter it out during transitions in my song
4. When it is filtered completly out, i don't want to hear anything.. but the return track is still picking up the signal from the individual tracks within the group and returning back a completly wet reverb sound.

One work around would be to put the same filter effect on the return track to run simultaneously but it isn't ideal.

The problem i guess is my signal chain is wrong, and my individual channels send to a return track before going through the group

Hope someone can help

[JuanSOLO]

This is just how sends work.Sometimes you want it sometimes you dont.
I have a similar issue with DrumRacks on sends.
The easiest workaround is to have the volume of the returns follow the filtering parameter.
In other words, what ever your filtering knob is mapped to, also map that to the volume of your sends or returns somewhere.

Otherwise, do as you suggested and duplicate the filtering on the return track.

You might be able to get creative with fx chains in some way.

[Vios]

One option is to insert a new audio track and send all of your drums to that audio track, and then use its return sends for your reverb. Or are you applying a different amount of reverb to each drum sound? There's also a setting when you click the I/O button in session view for pre-fx or post-fx sends to your return tracks.

[theviewer1985]

One option is to insert a new audio track and send all of your drums to that audio track, and then use its return sends for your reverb. Or are you applying a different amount of reverb to each drum sound? There's also a setting when you click the I/O button in session view for pre-fx or post-fx sends to your return tracks.

Thanks Juan, I guess its good to know it's not just me doing something wrong.

Vios - I tied switching pre and post FX first, but that did not solve the problem. And yes i do tend to put a different amount of send on each drum hit so I cant do your other technique. Thanks though!

Unless anyone else knows a way around this, i guess it's not me at fault and just something i have to work with

[andydes]

Yeah, in this case your sends are on the individual tracks, before being grouped together for the filter. So pre and post settings won't make a difference as you want individual amounts on each track, but the group track must always be treated as one. Youcould trying routing both the group track and send to another audio track and put the filter on there. Getting a bit messy though.

[synnack]

Create audio track. Name it "Drum Mix". Set the Monitor to In.

Turn on track routing (little i/o button on right). Route "Audio To" from your group track with all the drums in it, and from the Send track both to "Drum Mix". Apply your filter to "Drum Mix" track instead of the group track.

If i understand you correctly, that should do it.

[theviewer1985]

Create audio track. Name it "Drum Mix". Set the Monitor to In.

Turn on track routing (little i/o button on right). Route "Audio To" from your group track with all the drums in it, and from the Send track both to "Drum Mix". Apply your filter to "Drum Mix" track instead of the group track.

If i understand you correctly, that should do it.

Thanks! That sounds about right to me

It's actually one of the first things i tried, but it didn't work... the "drum mix" was getting some kind of loud feedback sound. SO i gave up and thought i was wrong.

However i gave it another shot after you said it also and it turns out if i switch 'Audio from' in the "Drum mix" to 'no input' it cures the problem.

And of course putting the filter in the drum mix after this sorts out my initial question too... so thanks everybody for the assistance!!

[synnack]

Create audio track. Name it "Drum Mix". Set the Monitor to In.

Turn on track routing (little i/o button on right). Route "Audio To" from your group track with all the drums in it, and from the Send track both to "Drum Mix". Apply your filter to "Drum Mix" track instead of the group track.

If i understand you correctly, that should do it.

Thanks! That sounds about right to me

It's actually one of the first things i tried, but it didn't work... the "drum mix" was getting some kind of loud feedback sound. SO i gave up and thought i was wrong.

However i gave it another shot after you said it also and it turns out if i switch 'Audio from' in the "Drum mix" to 'no input' it cures the problem.

And of course putting the filter in the drum mix after this sorts out my initial question too... so thanks everybody for the assistance!!

No problem. That feedback was likely from the mic on your laptop. By default when you switch Monitor to In often it's running your mic through the channel. Looks like you figured it out.