Sends and busses

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Level 1

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Sends and busses

Hi,

I have read the soundtrack pro manual from cover to cover, twice, and still don’t know what ‘sends’ are or what ‘busses’ do.

Generally the FCS manuals are very good but on these two points its almost as if the writer of the manuals didn’t know either.

Can someone please explain in simple terms what ‘sends’ and ‘busses’ are and how or why I might need them?

Many thanks,

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Dec 19, 2008 1:52 PM

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Answer 1

EdSF

Level 1

5 points

Dec 19, 2008 1:57 PM in response to 1w2detc

This post proved to be extremely enlightening on the subject matter:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8160475

Hope this helps...

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Answer 2

1w2detc Author

Level 1

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Dec 27, 2008 12:46 PM in response to 1w2detc

Sorry to repeat my question, but I can’t believe that there isn’t a simple answer to this question.
If I mess about with the programme long enough I can probably work out what ‘sub mixes’ are and why I might need them and ‘busses’, and maybe also what ‘sends’ are, but surely that’s what user groups are all about ??????
I am flabbergasted that all the Soundtrack Pro manual says about ‘sends’ is the following on page 39.
“you can add sends only to tracks not to busses or outputs”.
Amazing, what the **** IS a ‘send’?
Does it send something somewhere and if so what to where?
And, given that I can ‘mix’ a bit of sound add infinitum in either in its ‘track’ by varying its volume/pan or manipulating the sound with various clever ‘effects’ or by using the waveform editor, why would I need a ‘bus’!!!???
Could somebody please explain ‘in simple English’ what a ‘send’ and a ‘bus’ is?

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Answer 3

Dec 28, 2008 11:28 AM in response to 1w2detc

Did you read the thread that EdSF posted?

A send is a way to divert part of a signal to usually an aux track that contains an effect. Most commonly used to add varying amounts of reverb to a bunch of tracks.

In STP a buss and submix are the same thing. you can send a bunch of tracks to a submix - let's say all your vocal tracks and apply a common effect, let's say a compressor to all of them - as well you can control the volume of all of them without affecting the premixed volume all with one fader.

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Answer 4

1w2detc Author

Level 1

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Dec 29, 2008 2:46 AM in response to 1w2detc

Many thanks for the reply.

I had followed the link and I have read all the posts many times.
You probably don’t appreciate just how simple minded I am, only bits of the posts make any sense to me!

However, I think I have pieced together enough to answer my own question.
Would the following statement be an accurate description of what a ‘Bus’ and a ‘Send’ are?

The function of a ‘BUS’ is to enable changes to be made to multiple tracks with a single command, i.e. as if the tracks were one.
A ‘SEND’ is simply the command that adds a given track to a given BUS.

Given that the Soundtrack Pro manual devotes multiple pages to simple well known PC controls like ‘copying’ and ‘pasting’, its remarkable that it is totally silent on defining ‘Sends’ and ‘Busses’, features that no first time user will ever have heard of!

Cheers,

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Answer 5

Dec 29, 2008 4:51 AM in response to 1w2detc

In the simplest terms, a 'send,' 'return' and a 'buss' are merely ways to route the incoming audio signal for a variety of reasons/purposes. There's a wealth of information available on the web that define and detail the uses of each.

Mackie's web site is a good place to start. They have a glossary of commonly used terms in the audio recording industry written in easy to understand verbiage: http://www.mackie.com/support/Glossary/index.html

Also check out their FAQ section.

-DH

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