User manual

127
The mixer
Using group channels
You can route the outputs from multiple audio channels to
a group. This enables you to control the channel levels us-
ing one fader, apply the same effects and equalization to all
of them etc. To create a group channel, proceed as follows:
1. Select Add Track from the Project menu and select
“Group Channel” from the submenu that appears.
2. Select the desired channel configuration and click OK.
A group channel track is added to the Track list and a corresponding
group channel strip is added to the mixer. By default the first group chan-
nel strip is labeled “Group 1”, but you can rename it just like any channel
in the mixer.
3. Pull down the Output Routing pop-up for a channel
you want to route to the group channel, and select the
group channel.
The output of the audio channel is now redirected to the selected group.
4. Do the same for the other channels you wish to route
to the group.
Settings for group channels
The group channel strips are (almost) identical to audio
channel strips in the mixer. The descriptions of the mixer
features earlier in this chapter apply to group channels as
well. Some things to note:
• You can route the output of a group to an audio channel
(see “Recording from busses” on page 71), to an output
bus or to another group.
You cannot route a group to itself. Routing is done with the Output Rou-
ting pop-up menu in the Inspector (select the subtrack for the Group in
the Track list) or in the Routing section at the top of each channel strip.
• There are no Input Routing pop-ups, Monitor buttons or
Record Enable buttons for group channels.
This is because inputs are never connected directly to a group.
• Solo functionality is automatically linked for channels
routed to a group and the group channel itself.
This means that if you solo a group channel, all channels routed to the
group are automatically soloed as well. Similarly, soloing a channel
routed to a group will automatically solo the group channel.
• Mute functionality depends on the setting “Group Chan-
nels: Mute Sources as well” in the Preferences (VST page).
By default, when you mute a group channel no audio will pass through
the group. However, other channels that are routed directly to that group
channel will remain unmuted. If any of those channels have aux sends
routed to other group channels, FX channels or output busses, those will
still be heard.
If the option “Group Channels: Mute Sources as well” is activated in the
Preferences (VST page), muting a group channel will cause all other
channels directly routed to it to be muted as well. Pressing mute again
will unmute the group channel and all other channels directly routed to it.
Channels that were muted prior to the group channel being muted will
not remember their mute status and will be unmuted when the group
channel is unmuted.
One application of group channels is to use them as “effect
racks” – see the chapter “Audio effects” on page 150.
About output busses
Cubase uses a system of input and output busses which
are set up using the VST Connections dialog. This is de-
scribed in the chapter “VST Connections: Setting up input
and output busses” on page 13.
Output busses let you route audio from the program to the
outputs on your audio hardware.
Routing audio channels to busses
To route the output of an audio channel to one of the ac-
tive busses, proceed as follows:
1. Open the mixer.
2. Make sure the routing panel is visible – see “Normal
vs. Extended channel strips” on page 112.
3. Pull down the Output Routing pop-up menu at the top
of the channel strip and select one of the busses.
This pop-up menu contains the output busses configured in the VST
Connections window, as well as available group channels (provided that
the busses and groups are compatible with the speaker configuration for
the channel – see “Routing” on page 18).
!
You can select a group channel as an Input for an
audio track, e.g. to record a downmix of separate
track outputs routed to a group (see “Recording
from busses” on page 71).
!
The option “Group Channels: Mute Sources as well”
does not affect how mute automation is written. Writ-
ing mute automation on a group channel only affects
the group channel and not channels routed to it.
When writing the automation, you will see the other
channels being muted when this option is activated.
However, upon playback, only the group channel will
respond to the automation.