Basic routing question for mixdown/bouncing

[dschmidt]

Hey all-

I know there are a couple of ways to do this, but here's how create a mixdown:

1. Create a new track with a bus input like Bus 1-2, record-enable it
2. Change the output of every single audio track to Bus 1-2
3. Press record
4. Change the output of every single audio track back to what it was before

There must be a better way than this...sometimes I have to manually change the output of a couple dozen tracks.

Is there any routing trick or "bundle" trick to be able to instantly change the outputs of all tracks to the mixdown bus? Are there any other better ways to do a mixdown?

Thanks for any tips!
-Dave

[Mr_Clifford]

Option-A to change multiple tracks to the same (or consecutive) outputs.

However, if you want to do mixes by recording to a track rather than 'bounce to disk' (ie. to be able to mixdown VI's etc.) here's a technique I use that is quite effective.

-Route the output of all your tracks to a bus (I name mine 'MIX').
-Create an aux track with the input set to the 'MIX' bus and the output set to your main output - use this for general monitoring.
-When you want to mix, create a stereo audio track with the input set to the 'MIX' bus (make sure you now mute the original aux track) and record your mix.
-If you want to go back to your tracks, mute the 'bounce' track and un-mute the MIX aux track.

The other advantage to this method is that if you want to change the main output (ie. using different hardware), you only need to change one track (the aux).

[monkey man]

I'll second Cliffo's ideas.

Don't know how others do it, but this works for me.
I like to know that there's no danger of inadvertent signal/noise on the mix bus.
Cassette decks, CD players, mac output etc stay out of the way, deactivated in a "Misc" folder.
As the song goes, I like to "Keep 'em separated".

Cliffo's point about being able to easily route the mix anywhere is the reason I explored this method in the first place.
The separation thing came later. It usually does.

Hope this helps; at the very least it confirms Cliffo's not nuts.
He's bananas!

[Tim]

-When you want to mix, create a stereo audio track with the input set to the 'MIX' bus (make sure you now mute the original aux track) and record your mix.

Why Mute the Aux Track when it's output is not in the "Mix" bus (thus should not affect the mix either way)?
Having that Aux Track is just for monitoring the Mix bus, and if muted, the mix will not be heard while going down.
I can see muting it when playing back the recorded mix track.

That is if I get your description right.

[Mr_Clifford]

-When you want to mix, create a stereo audio track with the input set to the 'MIX' bus (make sure you now mute the original aux track) and record your mix.

Why Mute the Aux Track when it's output is not in the "Mix" bus (thus should not affect the mix either way)?
Having that Aux Track is just for monitoring the Mix bus, and if muted, the mix will not be heard while going down.
I can see muting it when playing back the recorded mix track.

That is if I get your description right.

There's several different ways to do it. I suggested muting the aux track because if you're monitoring the record-enabled track then you're going to get two of the same thing being sent to your output which significantly raises the volume and can peak your output. Of course if you have the input monitoring set to off, then yes, you'd have to leave the aux bus on in order to hear anything - so it depends on how you rig it.

In fact, you can bypass the aux track all together and just click on the input monitor icon on your mix track while you work.

[Tim]

Of course if you have the input monitoring set to off, then yes......

Yeah, that's what I do, as I still mix through a console most of the time, and want to avoid feedback when I open a record track.

[dschmidt]

Thanks guys - this is a great simple routing idea.

I routed all outputs to a Mix bus, and monitored through an Aux track with the Mix bus input, then recorded on a stereo track with the Mix bus as input.

I also tried the even simpler setup where you don't use the Aux track, and just use input monitoring on the stereo track with Mix bus input. One thing though: you need to play-enable the track as well as turn on input monitoring, so this means you'll have to create a new take after you do your first mixdown, otherwise you'll double up the previous mixdown with the live tracks.

-Dave

[preb]

How do you rename a bus? If i get you correctly, you are saying that you can rename from 'bus 1-2' to 'MIX'. When i option click the bus and type in a new name - it doesn't stick.

I found this thread because i'm trying to mix certain sub groups.

When i enabled a stereo track to have a bus as the input and the feeding tracks outputs set to that bus. I get NO input to that track. Only when i use an aux track can i get the bus to feed input.

[Shooshie]

The name doesn't stick? Where are you trying to do this? Are you in the Bundles window? Those names always stick, as far as I know. If not, what version of DP are you using?

Shooshie

[tw_247]

When i option click the bus and type in a new name - it doesn't stick.

as shooshie said, you need to be in the bundles window to rename busses (studio menu). and i always leave the original numbers after the new name... i use mach5 a lot, and it doesn't show you anything but the bus numbers.


to the original poster:
my preferred method is also the input-enabled stereo track, minus the aux track.

[Tim]

Option clicking in the In and Out columns of the Tracks window pops up what looks like a re-name field, but it's for entering an i/o Bundle by it's (order in the bundles window) number .

[blue]

In fact, you can bypass the aux track all together and just click on the input monitor icon on your mix track while you work.

That's how I've been doing it since DP5.

[Shooshie]

Option clicking in the In and Out columns of the Tracks window pops up what looks like a re-name field, but it's for entering an i/o Bundle by it's (order in the bundles window) number .

Ah yes... that must be what he was talking about.

Shooshie

[ester]

i normally bounce to disc then open a new project and import that bounce into it. i do this to attempt to reclaim resources on my "fast" g4 1.25 while mastering. this method you all seem to share sounds great. but what are the benefits besides obviously streamlining the whole workflow. thanks.... i never even thought of doing it like that.

[preb]

Yeah, i was doing what Tim said.
I'm in the know on the Bundles window now though.

But i still can't seem to get a bus to register input into a audio track. It works on a AUX but not when i set it up exactly the same on a Audio track. I feel like it must have something to do with Audio patch through or something. But i've tried different settings and still no input.

There must be something simple that i'm missing.

I'm on DP 5.11