Organizing a Pro Tools session: Groups or busses?

[AudioGeekZine]

the solos can be linked in your group setup

The aux is your final drum level, + another 10 inserts
My submix faders are usually near 0 until I need to rebalance. If I adjust it I usually link the reverb return aux so it comes down proportionately.

automating all the drum tracks volume is different than the sub mix volume

 

[jval]

No sorry you misunderstood, what I mean is this. If I have an aux channel called Drumbus with all my drumtracks bussed to it, I want to be able to hit solo on the aux track and hear just my drums. Instead, I have to hit solo on the kick, kicktrig1, kicktrig2, snare top, snare bottom, snaretrig, tom 1, tom 2, tom 3, overheads, hats, ride, etc. I can group them all yeah and solo them that way, but then what is th point in having an Aux to control overall drum level when all the faders are linked in the mix group anyways? I still hate logic but that was a cool feature. Reaper let's me do it too, with it's track folder structure which I always thought was a brilliant and very intuitive way of handling submixes.

solo-safe all your drum tracks and then hit solo on the aux.
IMO much easier to just group your drum tracks and hit solo there, with your aux solo-safed.

 

[Trevoire520]

but then what is the point in having an Aux to control overall drum level when all the faders are linked in the mix group anyways?

Because you shouldn't be using the aux to adjust overall level as it'll mess with your wet/dry mix for any reverbs/delays you're using on those tracks.

Just use the groups for level and use your aux for group processing.

 

[::XeS::]

If you solo-safe all the track and all the aux, you can solo both tracks and busses

 

[C_F_H_13]

sorry to go off topic here

but can you change pan law in protools?

not that I'm aware of.

 

[AdamWathan]

Because you shouldn't be using the aux to adjust overall level as it'll mess with your wet/dry mix for any reverbs/delays you're using on those tracks.

Just use the groups for level and use your aux for group processing.

I have a drumverb bus specifically for drums and have the output of that routed into the drum bus itself so any time I lower the level of the drum bus aux it is bringing down the reverb as well, not an issue.

Busses are just so much faster for controlling levels of related tracks than groups. If I have a drum group and a snare group, I have to toggle back and forth enablig and disabling each group depending on what I want to adjust... An aux track summing those signals is so much easier and faster.

Either way I will get used to it and establish a workflow that works for me I'm sure. Thanks for the tip about solo safing backwards Jordan, didn't think of that and it should work pretty well actually. Cheers!

 

[joeymusicguy]

not that I'm aware of.

thats not good...

 

[AdamWathan]

thats not good...

Yeah can't change it, it's 2.5 I think. Don't worry about it Joey, the best sounding records of the past 15 years were done on HD wihout changing the pan law and no one else had trouble with it, you'll be alright dude.

 

[joeymusicguy]

Yeah can't change it, it's 2.5 I think. Don't worry about it Joey, the best sounding records of the past 15 years were done on HD wihout changing the pan law and no one else had trouble with it, you'll be alright dude.

i know that but im used to setting my levels this way

i dont want to get used to a new way

 

[JeffTD]

-3db and -2.5db won't be a huge change by any means - I'd be surprised if you notice it at all.

 

[C_F_H_13]

i know that but im used to setting my levels this way

i dont want to get used to a new way

the surround mixer is -3db...you could always mix using that engine and put nothing in the rear channels or the center.....

 

[jval]

adam, maybe you already know this but you can really quickly suspend and enable all groups with command+shift+G. Really useful if you just need to adjust one track in a group, a lot faster than clicking on the group name to disable it...

 

[AdamWathan]

adam, maybe you already know this but you can really quickly suspend and enable all groups with command+shift+G. Really useful if you just need to adjust one track in a group, a lot faster than clicking on the group name to disable it...

Hey Jordan yeah thanks I know that one, even quicker is to just hold Ctrl while you adjust something. The problem for me lies with nested groups, like a snare group within a drum group. If I want to adjust the overall level of my snare but keep the levels between my three snare tracks the same, I have to disable the drum group but keep the snare group on... It's easy to do wth command focus in the mix window set to groups since I can toggle specific groups on and off just by pressing the associated alphanumeric key for that group so I will just have to get used to doing it that way.

Do you use groups for fader adjustments Jordan? I know you mentioned before just mute and solo and I know that HD allows you to select which mix attributes are actually grouped whereas in LE you are forced to have the fader levels linked...

 

[joeymusicguy]

-3db and -2.5db won't be a huge change by any means - I'd be surprised if you notice it at all.

-3 db and 0 db is a huge difference
and thats whats different between other pan laws and equal power pan law

*sigh* no worry, another thing i'll just have to accept

 

[jval]

Do you use groups for fader adjustments Jordan? I know you mentioned before just mute and solo and I know that HD allows you to select which mix attributes are actually grouped whereas in LE you are forced to have the fader levels linked...

Nah I don't usually... since I have the command 8 I honestly just grab 2 or 3 faders and move em together when I have to do that. But if I want it precise when moving multiple faders, I've been using VCA faders as they do exactly what you're talking about... but hd only!! :Smug:
For me all that extensive grouping seems really cumbersome, i just have 1 drum group not multiples for kick/sn/toms etc. I suppose with HD if you spent time setting up all the attributes properly it could be helpful though... but most of my sessions are pretty simple.
You really can't change the group attributes? wow, totally thought you at least had mute/solo/volume/pan options.

anyone ever messed with region groups?? I saw a guy using it once and I didn't understand it at all... still have no idea what they are.

 

[AdamWathan]

I can only toggle mute, solo and send related stuff in group assignments, the volume is linked no matter what :/

Dude I want PTHD just for stupid things like this haha... One day. Or maybe we'll get native HD in January and I'll be the one who gets to laugh at you!

 

[digitaldeath]

I can only toggle mute, solo and send related stuff in group assignments, the volume is linked no matter what :/

Dude I want PTHD just for stupid things like this haha... One day. Or maybe we'll get native HD in January and I'll be the one who gets to laugh at you!

Are Digidesign gonna have a strong presence at Winter NAMM?
I thought they weren't really making an appearance except for staff on the floor. If so, I couldn't see them making any big announcements!