Wave track or group track to catch direct outputs of synth?

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dailybug2
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Wave track or group track to catch direct outputs of synth?

Post by dailybug2 »

Hello again, no bug this time, just a question:

If I have a synth track with multiple outputs (drum synth, multi sampler), what is the best way to provide different effects for the separate outputs?

I used group tracks because this seems to be their purpose, even if there is just one input track. Then I saw a tutorial related to DrumGizmo and there are used wave tracks for the same purpose. Which is the better solution? Wave tracks are consuming more memory, by this is not really an issue.
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Tim E. Real
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Re: Wave track or group track to catch direct outputs of synth?

Post by Tim E. Real »

It depends on whether you want to actually record the effects, or just on playback or 'live' monitored.

Each (pair of) synth extra output beyond channel 1+2 can be fed directly into a separate wave track.
But the effects rack in a wave track only applies to playback or monitored material - the effects are not recorded on the wave track.
So the synth outputs will be recorded 'as-is' directly into the wave tracks.

If you want to record the effects, you'll want to put group tracks between the synth and the wave files - or wherever else it is being routed to.
Each group track will have its effects rack which can be used to alter the sound before it arrives at the wave tracks or other destination.

If all our track types become true multi-channel, that would not help here. The rack would apply the same effects to all channels.
So even with all-multi-channel tracks you'd still want a separate strip for each set of synth outputs because the channels may be diverse
and require separate effect processing.
Having separate effects for each channel on a single strip is something I have considered in detail before.
Might be worth supporting. No extra strips hassle. All different channel effects on one strip.
Part of the problem, as always, is displaying and accepting this extra info for the user.
For example instead of one set of controls and a single UI for all channels of the effects rack, you would have them for each channel !
Another problem is the matching of number of inputs and outputs of a plugin vs. number of channels vs. number of instances of the effect
required to satisfy all channels. Like, if you want to use a stereo effect on each separate channel we'd have to ignore the second channel
of each plugin and just use the first channel. Details like that.
dailybug2
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Re: Wave track or group track to catch direct outputs of synth?

Post by dailybug2 »

Thanks for this detailed explanations; this would be worth a paragraph in the Wiki too.
My conclusion is that a group tracks should be used to add effects to the discrete outputs of a multi-synth. Recording the dry synth outputs to a wave track is next to useless and the group track consumes less resources. The great function "bounce to wave track" can be used any time to freeze one or more group tracks including all their different effects. I was not aware of this function when I posted the question.
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