Using Sends and Automation

[anselm]

I sm not highly advanced in the ways of mixing and I am constantly trying to figure things out. I have run into another one of those items that I have to figure out and I am here to get some help.

I am using DP 8.07 on a Mac Pro with 2x3.2 Intel processing and 20 GB of memory, OS X version 10.10.5.

I have a vocal track that has processing within the track. I want to add a delay at certain points that is affecting the dry vocal. I was attempting to do this by using the sends to an aux track with the delay processing the aux track. I tried to apply the effect with automation, first using the mute on the delay, and then using the sends on the vocal track. The problem that I have using the aux track is that it is applying additional gain to the vocal that I don’t necessarily want and I had to balance accordingly. In the first case, when the effect would become unmuted, the vocal track would lose gain (I don’t understand this). In the second case, bringing the sends in added gain to the vocals. I have concluded that I am doing this all WRONG. It doesn’t seem to me that using an aux track is the same procedure that is normally implemented on a mixer that uses returns.

Please, offer up any procedures or suggestions you may have, and excuse my ignorance . TIA.

[HCMarkus]

Turn the mix control on your delay plugin to 100% wet.

[anselm]

Turn the mix control on your delay plugin to 100% wet.

Thanks for the response. I did not mention that, but yes I did do that.

[kassonica]

are you sending pre fader or post fader...

I'd send it pre fader in your case.

[HCMarkus]

Something is messed up if you are getting a gain change on your dry sound. DP does work just like an analog console, and I do as you are describing all the time with results as expected. I'd look closely at your delay plug. The "losing gain" phenomenon suggests a bit of out-of-phase dry signal leakage.

[Tritonemusic]

Something is messed up if you are getting a gain change on your dry sound. DP does work just like an analog console, and I do as you are describing all the time with results as expected. I'd look closely at your delay plug. The "losing gain" phenomenon suggests a bit of out-of-phase dry signal leakage.

Yes, which plug-in is it and do all delays behave the same way, or just one specific plug?

[anselm]

Something is messed up if you are getting a gain change on your dry sound. DP does work just like an analog console, and I do as you are describing all the time with results as expected. I'd look closely at your delay plug. The "losing gain" phenomenon suggests a bit of out-of-phase dry signal leakage.

Yes, which plug-in is it and do all delays behave the same way, or just one specific plug?

The delay I am using is just the stock MOTU stereo delay plug in. I set it to 100% mix, and I am using the beats option. If I use the sends for automation, it increases the gain. If I use the mute function, it decreases the gain when plug-in is activated. I can't make any sense of it.

[waxman]

Set to always run in real time

[anselm]

The problem is essentially more about the sends than it is the effect. Using the sends and bussing to a separate aux track produces additional gain. As long as the sends is enacted it will produce added gain. Setting the effect to 100% causes a cut in the gain.

[HCMarkus]

Dude... something is messed up, and I doubt it's DP, unless its corrupted, in which case you should reinstall.

Look at your bundles and make sure you understand the signal flow. I can offer no other advice.