Apple Logic Pro X - Manual (Page 510)

Chapter 16 Mix a project 510
Use aux channel strips
Aux channel strips overview
Aux channel strips can be used to create subgroups, to submix, to route a signal to multiple
destinations, and as additional destination channels for multi-output instruments. Typically, you
create aux channel strips as you need them. There are three ways to do this:
•
An aux channel strip is created automatically when a send assignment is made from a
channel strip, except when the chosen bus is already in use as an input source on another
channel strip.
•
When a multi-output instrument such as the EXS24 mkII is inserted into an instrument channel
strip, several aux channel strip assignments are made “behind the scenes.” You then must
create the required number of aux channel strips by clicking the Add button (+) at the bottom
of the instrument channel strip. Each time you click it, a new aux channel strip is created (and
automatically assigned to particular instrument outputs).
•
You can also create aux channel strips by choosing Options > Create New Auxiliary Channel
Strip from the Mixer menu bar.
Create mix subgroups
You can group several channel strips and route them via a single bus to a single aux channel
strip. This provides you with one set of controls over the entire group.
For example, say your mix contains multiple drum tracks that you want to manage using a single
set of channel strip controls, or you want to put a compressor across the whole drum kit. You can
do this by sending each of the drum tracks to the same bus, which in turn sends their signals
to the same aux channel strip. You might then route your vocal tracks to a second aux channel
strip, providing a separate group control for these channel strips. Finally, you have the option to
output both subgroups (drums and vocals) to the same destination or to separate destinations.
Note: There are some similarities between using aux channel strips as subgroups and working
with channel strip groups. You can control the group/subgroup properties from one set of
channel strip controls. However, Mixer groups are used to control channel strip group properties,
and not the signal flow.
Create a subgroup using an aux channel strip
1 Select multiple channel strips by doing one of the following:
•
Shift-click the channel strips you want to group.
•
Drag over the background of the channel strips (drag horizontally across multiple channel
strips over the word Inserts, or I/O text, for example).
2 Click-hold the Output slot of a selected channel strip, then choose a bus from the pop-up menu.
The Output slots of all selected channel strips reflect the chosen bus. A new aux channel strip
is created, except when the chosen bus is already in use as an input source on another channel
strip. Its Input slot contains the channel strip signal flow coming via the chosen bus.
3 Click-hold the Output slot of the aux channel strip, then choose the output destination for the
main mix.
4 Use the aux channel strip controls to process the submix—adding inserts, setting volume and
pan, and so on.