Busses - What are you using them for?

[Tuviel]

Hi Guys,


New here. Been scouring the wealth of knowledge in this forum and have actually had most of my questions answered. You all are awesome! Thumbs up!

Anyway, Still haven't received my DM yet but keep pouring over the manual until it arrives next week. Since there are no "direct outputs" and it appears you can route any input to any output (physical or virtual) what's the purpose of the busses?

I did see one line in the manual saying you could use "busses" to route FX but what's the advantage of that since there are 8 dedicated aux sends? I'm coming from an analog background so I'm trying to wrap my head around the DM routing. How are you guys using your busses? Curious...

 

[Headroom]

The busses are the mixing points in any mixer, analog or digital. If you want to add two or more signals, you'll need a buss. It's not possible to route more than one signal to a 'send' output. You have to mix the signals to one of the aux busses and assign that buss to the output.

 

[captdan]

The term 'bus' is used liberally in 'DM-ese.' But if you're referring to the Bus faders (the 24 fader modules in the 'Bus Layer'), these can be used for a number of things. They can be employed to route discreet signals to alternate monitors, headphones, or capture devices. I like to use them in a mix as 'sub-bus' elements which can be combined into other channels for extra 'beef,' or to attenuate a section with too much of it. Drums are particularly controllable this way.

CaptDan

 

[Tuviel]

@Headroom Yes. I know what a buss is and what it does. I have a 32 channel analog desk sitting in front of me. But I guess based on your reply you can't route any input to any other point on the desk. At least not direct? That's what was confusing me. The manual describes the desk as a "large digital patch bay". It says there are 16 busses. But I suppose you are saying you use them for parallel processing by grouping signals together? I was just under the impression that was redundant based on the "large digital patchbay" description? Thanks for clarifying. Makes perfect sense now.

@captdan Yes. Parallel processing of drums. I understand now. I just thought based on the manual that you could send multiple signals to multiple destinations "direct". Makes perfect sense now. Thanks captan. Your posts have been super helpful.

 

[Arjan P]

Personally, I never found a need for the buses on the DM, with 32 channels to and from Cubase..

 

[Tuviel]

Arjan...how do you set up your parallel busses for processing? Whenever I did hybrid mixes incorporating my analog console, I would just group the channels in the DAW, say drums on a stereo pair. Then duplicate the group and just assign them out to the DA on two separate pairs. From there I could bring them back up on my desk for parallel processing. So I do see what you're saying. Seems like that might be an easier way than all the routing you have to do on the DM using busses.

 

[captdan]

In a parallel processing scenario, the Bus Faders are easily assigned with a single button push from the SELected channel module. That assignment button can also be automated, like most other mix elements and efx.

Then again, if there aren't that many tracks in play, the console's full-featured modules can be used as auxiliary/parallel processing channels instead. It just depends on the mix and what you're trying to accomplish.

Another handy 'trick:' - if you have a mono source that would be better treated as dual mono, the source track can be panned left, assigned to - say - Bus Fader 1 - and that bus fader's module panned hard right. Instant ersazt-stereo/dual mono.

CaptDan

 

[Tuviel]

Brilliant Captdan! Didn't realize you could buss tracks so easily on the DM. The manual certainly doesn't make it seem easy. :O/ Can't wait to get my DM in the mail. I've been reading all your posts and they are extremely helpful. Thanks!