Grouping Return Tracks together

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mjwalker
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:28 pm

Grouping Return Tracks together

Post by mjwalker » Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:45 pm

Hello! I've learned from Pensado's place that he likes to create AUX sends for

ALL VOCALS
ALL DRUMS
ALL MUSIC
BASS
ALL EFFECTS

and I've started trying to organize that way. I did this by creating a bus track for each AUX and sending all of the proper tracks through.

It seems to work fine for everything but the effects.

When I choose "ALL EFFECTS" routing from the Return tracks (replacing their "Master" routing), the effects start sounding strange. They sound like they gain volume, but when I lowered the ALL EFFECTS volume, something still seemed off.

Is there an easier way to achieve this? I would try grouping all the Returns tracks together, but there is no option.

Thanks,

Michael

skylerf85
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:34 pm

Re: Grouping Return Tracks together

Post by skylerf85 » Mon Nov 02, 2015 11:47 pm

I've seen producers do this, but with audio tracks with active monitoring on and not multiple return tracks. I suggest learning how to group tracks, as it's a lot easier and the way Live is designed. That said, try to following...


~I don't have Ableton upon in front of me, so I might be a little off

- Create 4 new audio tracks. Name them All Vocals, All Drums, All Bass, All Music.
- Create 1 return track called All Effects.
- Turn input monitoring on for each of these new tracks, but not the return track
- Change the output each "regular" track you have to one of these new complication audio tracks.
- Have the output of All Vocals, All Drums, All Bass go to the All Music track.
- Use the send level from the All Music track to send audio to the effects return

mjwalker
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:28 pm

Re: Grouping Return Tracks together

Post by mjwalker » Tue Nov 03, 2015 2:38 am

I would love to use groups, but I don't know if that would be the best solution since they can't be nested in each other.

I figured I'd use groups on more of an individual level (oohs, backing vocals, etc.) and output everything to the AUX tracks.

The ALL EFFECTS aux would include all of the reverb, delays, distortion, etc. But I would want to keep the individual sends at the same relative ratio. Using the ALL VOCALS send would put the same effects on every track, rather than keeping the backing vocals, piano, drums, etc. sends separate.

The idea is that I could automate the effects through the mix, so at the beginning of the song, I could have it all very dry, and adjust it to taste throughout the song.

Stromkraft
Posts: 7033
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:34 am

Re: Grouping Return Tracks together

Post by Stromkraft » Tue Nov 03, 2015 1:28 pm

mjwalker wrote:Hello! I've learned from Pensado's place that he likes to create AUX sends for

ALL VOCALS
ALL DRUMS
ALL MUSIC
BASS
ALL EFFECTS

and I've started trying to organize that way. I did this by creating a bus track for each AUX and sending all of the proper tracks through.

It seems to work fine for everything but the effects.

When I choose "ALL EFFECTS" routing from the Return tracks (replacing their "Master" routing), the effects start sounding strange. They sound like they gain volume, but when I lowered the ALL EFFECTS volume, something still seemed off.

Is there an easier way to achieve this? I would try grouping all the Returns tracks together, but there is no option.
This is a phasing issue. The solution is to turn off other sends on the buss/aux. See what I wrote earlier and my quotes from Nico here: Subject: setting up a drum bus??,

I organize like this more and more, all my drums, pad keyboards, vocals and so on. I make groups only occasionally and groups have the same issue.
Make some music!

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