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592 Chapter 25 Mixing
 The third way to create aux channels is by clicking on the plus button at the left-
hand side of the Mixer window, or by choosing Options > Create New Auxiliary
Channel Strips. Both methods launch the dialog shown below.
This is very similar to the New Tracks dialog shown in the Arrange window.
Simply type in the desired number, set the required format, input and output routings,
and click the Create button. The Input and Output Ascending checkboxes, when active,
result in multiple, sequentially assigned or routed auxiliary channels being created. To
explain, if you type 6 into the Number field, and assign Bus 2 in the Input menu
(Ascending checkbox active) 6 aux channels—assigned to busses 2 through to 7—will
be created. The same applies for the Output pop-up menu.
Note: The number of physical inputs and outputs shown in these menus is limited by
your audio hardware.
Manually Choosing the Input Source for Aux Channels
The input source of an aux channel can be selected with the Input menu. Possible
input sources are:
 Buses—when the aux channel is used as a send return (see below).
 Inputs (dependent on the available physical inputs of the audio interface in use).
 Software instrument outputs provided by instrument plug-ins (Logic or Audio
Unit): These additional outputs are only available to multi output instruments,
inserted into an instrument channel (see “Accessing Multiple Instrument Outputs” on
page 223).
Using Aux Channels as Send Returns
The Send slot on audio and instrument channels is used to route part (or all) of the
signal to an auxiliary channel. Effects such as reverb and delay are generally inserted
into aux channels when used as effect send/returns.
Aux channels can also be set as the input source for other aux channels. When used in
this way, the sends of these aux channels can be returned on additional aux channels,
allowing the construction of complex effect routings. (In most cases, you won’t want to
monitor the signal twice, so set the respective aux channel output assignments to “No
Output”).
Note: When an aux channel is used as a send/return destination from another channel
strip, the Input menu will display Bus (number).