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Old 03-23-2019, 01:39 PM   #1
Powermac
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Default How to use Bus and folder tracks while keeping pans, etc intact

I have searched everywhere for a direct answer to this question, but still haven't found a solid answer.

I want to create a Bus/folder track from 5 guitar tracks. I would like to keep the individual pans, compression and EQ settings of each track that's going into the bus/folder. I've read a lot on the subject and still can't get a concrete answer where all of this is considered.

I've used a Roland 2480 for a few years and in order to create a bus track (stereo) where all the pans, etc were written, I had to use two tracks to accomplish this. Do I need to use two tracks in this case with Reaper?

In the end I'm a bit confused on how to accomplish this, and am not 100 percent sure whether to use the Bus or the folder option.

Any advice is much appreciated.
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Old 03-23-2019, 01:49 PM   #2
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Folders will keep all pan settings, as will post-fader sends to busses. You do not need two tracks.

I would personally use a folder for this, but there might be reasons to prefer a bus, it's up to you really.
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Old 03-24-2019, 10:56 AM   #3
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Thanks for the info Judders. Will Effects, EQ etc also be transferred to the folder track? What I really need is to free up some of the effects on the individual tracks as I'm running my CPU at about 30 percent while using them. I just purchased The Chris Lord Alge CLA package along with the Waves Vocal Rider and they are big time CPU hogs. At least seemingly.
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Old 03-24-2019, 11:35 AM   #4
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Thanks for the info Judders. Will Effects, EQ etc also be transferred to the folder track? What I really need is to free up some of the effects on the individual tracks as I'm running my CPU at about 30 percent while using them. I just purchased The Chris Lord Alge CLA package along with the Waves Vocal Rider and they are big time CPU hogs. At least seemingly.
Yes, all audio goes to the folder parent track just as it would going straight to the master (ie. not being in a folder).

Vocal rider definitely shouldn't be a CPU hog. I don't have the CLA plugins so can't comment on them.

Do you know what your audio device block size (audio buffer) is set to? Setting it to a higher number of samples might help take some strain off your CPU. There is some information on this on page 20 of the REAPER user guide: https://www.reaper.fm/userguide.php
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Old 03-24-2019, 12:08 PM   #5
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Judders, thanks for the link. I'll check it out, just having a time understanding all the configurations at this point. My buffer is set to 256 by the way.

The CLA plugins are really what's killing the CPU. I've read up on it and it's pretty unanimous that CLA is a CPU hog.

One more question... By creating the multitrack folder am I able to shut off the effects of the individual tracks?
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Old 03-24-2019, 12:19 PM   #6
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Judders, thanks for the link. I'll check it out, just having a time understanding all the configurations at this point. My buffer is set to 256 by the way.

The CLA plugins are really what's killing the CPU. I've read up on it and it's pretty unanimous that CLA is a CPU hog.
Try 512 or 1024 sample buffer. I always mix at 1024 so I don't have to worry too much about plugins and CPU.

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One more question... By creating the multitrack folder am I able to shut off the effects of the individual tracks?
No, but what you can do is freeze the tracks (right-click on the track header and select mono or stereo freeze, you can shift-select all the tracks and they will all be frozen), this will render the tracks to audio and turn off the plugins, and at any point you can unfreeze them if you want to make changes to the plugin settings.

If you are happy with the balance of the folder you could freeze the folder, then bypass all the plugins on the folder child tracks.
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Old 03-24-2019, 01:58 PM   #7
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Thanks so much for the time and explanations. I just found a video by Kenny that I believe is saying the same thing your advising. Just thought I'd include the link for anyone else that's new to DAW recording and facing the same conundrum I am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0go48h_LM8
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Old 03-24-2019, 02:43 PM   #8
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Thanks so much for the time and explanations. I just found a video by Kenny that I believe is saying the same thing your advising. Just thought I'd include the link for anyone else that's new to DAW recording and facing the same conundrum I am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0go48h_LM8
Cool, Kenny's videos are great!
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Old 03-24-2019, 03:48 PM   #9
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Just a quick follow up

I took your advice Judders and it worked like a charm. After rendering/freezing the tracks going into the folder my CPU load dropped by 10 percent, and my high track count is much easier to manage... Thanks again. This is a great forum.
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Old 03-24-2019, 08:59 PM   #10
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a few weeks ago, I've created a list pointing out the differences in functionality between folders, busses, groups and VCAs because I'm not always aware of the nuances between them:



click here for a large version (corrected/updated on 2019-03-27)

.
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Last edited by SonicAxiom; 03-26-2019 at 08:53 PM.
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Old 03-25-2019, 01:46 AM   #11
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Just a quick follow up

I took your advice Judders and it worked like a charm. After rendering/freezing the tracks going into the folder my CPU load dropped by 10 percent, and my high track count is much easier to manage... Thanks again. This is a great forum.
You're welcome, glad to help!
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Old 03-25-2019, 05:02 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SonicAxiom View Post
a few weeks ago, I've created a list pointing out the differences in functionality between folders, busses, groups and VCAs because I'm not always aware of the nuances between them:



click here for a large version.

.
I just copied that file SonicAxiom. That's a great help.
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Old 03-25-2019, 06:16 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Powermac View Post
I just copied that file SonicAxiom. That's a great help.
hope it makes it easier for you to pick the appropriate method for a given task

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Old 03-25-2019, 09:36 PM   #14
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hey Sonic.... your chart says a VCA Master cannot mute or solo VCA Slaves..... but yes it can. you might wanna edit that?
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Old 03-26-2019, 06:26 AM   #15
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hey Sonic.... your chart says a VCA Master cannot mute or solo VCA Slaves..... but yes it can. you might wanna edit that?
thanks for the hint, hopi!
My phrasing of this entry was unclear. What I actually meant is that if you mute or solo a VCA master track its VCA slave tracks will not get muted or soloed with it. You were refering to its ability to mute and solo VCA slave tracks via automation which it can do of course. I just updated the chart behind the above link to reflect this. I can't seem to find a way to make a VCA master track solo another track besides making the VCA slave track a solo slave via the regular grouping feature but not by means of VCA.

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Old 03-26-2019, 10:56 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SonicAxiom View Post
thanks for the hint, hopi!
My phrasing of this entry was unclear. What I actually meant is that if you mute or solo a VCA master track its VCA slave tracks will not get muted or soloed with it. You were refering to its ability to mute and solo VCA slave tracks via automation which it can do of course. I just updated the chart behind the above link to reflect this. I can't seem to find a way to make a VCA master track solo another track besides making the VCA slave track a solo slave via the regular grouping feature but not by means of VCA.

.
what I meant is that the VCA master can mute and solo all the slaves it controls... but of course not individual slaves... it's and all or nothing proposition
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Old 03-26-2019, 02:13 PM   #17
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Quote:
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...I've created a list pointing out the differences in functionality between folders, busses, groups and VCAs...
Thank You, Sonic.


~john~
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Old 03-26-2019, 03:30 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SonicAxiom View Post
a few weeks ago, I've created a list pointing out the differences in functionality between folders, busses, groups and VCAs because I'm not always aware of the nuances between them:



click here for a large version.

.
Du geile Sau!

Vielen Dank
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Old 03-26-2019, 08:03 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by tonybeepbeep View Post
Du geile Sau!

Vielen Dank


Ich hab' noch mehr von sowas, wenn du was brauchst ...


Quote:
Originally Posted by jp65535 View Post
Thank You, Sonic.


~john~
you're welcome, John!

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Old 03-26-2019, 08:37 PM   #20
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what I meant is that the VCA master can mute and solo all the slaves it controls... but of course not individual slaves... it's and all or nothing proposition
you are "partly" correct for muting, hopi
A VCA master track will adjust a VCA track's mute status if you automate the VCA master track's mute status. However, if you simply mute a VCA master track by clicking its mute button, VCA slave track's won't get muted. I updated my chart linked to in post no. 10 accordingly.

Now, solo control is not part of VCA functionality. It's just grouping functionality and solo can't be automated either.

.
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Last edited by SonicAxiom; 03-26-2019 at 08:54 PM.
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