Just getting into music production after an 8 year long hiatus and it all starts with reinstalling all the VST plugins and recreating the default template. This video gave me a lot of ideas on setting up the return tracks. Thanks!
Timestamps: 1:41 - Vocoder in a return track 5:56 - Overdrive in a return track 7:35 - Glue Compressor in a return track 10:35 - Frequency Shifter in a return track 11:52 - Redux in a return track 14:06 - Corpus in a return track 15:33 - Erosion in a return track
I've been using different software for years. I've been sitting on Ableton for a couple years. Just getting into it and actually enjoy the difference. Good content bud.
Creating that New York style compression on a return track is something that I'm going to be utilizing from now on as part of my template sessions. Thank you for that. Also useful with vocals. Normally I would have done the New York style compression directly on the track with an audio effects rack, but this seems more useful as it can be utilized by all of the tracks as well without having to set up audio effects racks in multiple instances and in conjunction lessons CPU strain.
Cool material..... It's pretty much NY.. It's something I often apply this way with compressor for a parallel compression, I've not really applied it to other types of effect in the same way before now though other then for standard reverb and delay send/returns.. Nice one Anthony😊
Interesting, love these concepts and honestly can't wait to test them out. I'm only halfway through the video as I write this but I'm really liking that vocoder trick for the kick
Hello! Thanks for the video! I have one question: You are about to record some vocals and you have some vocal tracks (lead vocals and vocal layers) that require the same default plugins to get started. For example, you might have a standardized plugin chain like EQ, DeEsser, Compressor, Saturator, Reverb and Delay with default settings for every vocal track you produce. To save CPU, instead of inserting this plugin chain in each vocal track, people usually suggest using a Return track and inserting the plugin chain there. Then, it's advised to increase the Send level of the vocal tracks to let the audio pass through the Return track and then to the Master. However, unless the output of the vocal tracks changes from Master to Send Only, you will have double audio going through the master (the audio from the vocal tracks and the return track). You could also group the vocals and send them to the return track, which leads to the same issue but with less flexibility in the individual tracks. My question is what is the best practice in the above example, considering the need for further effects per track down the road, as well as gain staging and mixing overall? Thank you!
Since you’re using each return for only one instrument, why not put the effects directly onto the particular instrument you’re effecting? Is there a functional difference or is this essentially just a different way of looking at the problem? Thanks, as always!
Amazing man! :D I have only one question. The real only reason for putting these effects for mixing on return tracks instead of on single tracks in groups (so that you can dile in the amount without touching the dry sound), is because it's just more handy right? For example, giving multiple instruments a touch of Erosion. So the real question being: Do you think using the same return mixing effect on multiple instruments also glues your mix a bit maybe, since you're routing multiple instruments through the same return effect? Hope that explains my question properly! Thanks for the great tips as always! Gonna sign up for your class if I have enough cash! :P
GREAT question. Much of these effects have a "dry / wet" control. Much of the time if you have an effect with dry / wet, when you dial in some of the wet signal, you are actually turning down the dry signal which can be annoying. In this case, you kinda nailed it. Sometimes for me I prefer to add for example saturation in a return because then im not worried about loosing the balance I had before. I also left something out in the video that I meant to include, but basically now all the volume sliders of the return tracks could be dynamically mixed with automation during the set to increase and decrease intensity for different parts. Maybe ill make another vid on that.
I use to put my effects on return track, but then noticed that they were not delay compensated. So for saturation, it created some phase issue when blending back with the mix. Do you noticed that too? Do you compensate manually? The only thing I do not mind letting as return tracks are delays and reverbs.
I am gonna copy that parallel compression glue comp return trick. Adding a bit of body/decay to sounds is something i frequently find myself doing. This should work great. There are however some complications with using returns like this. I've used bitcrusher and distortion as returns on drums before, and when you want to lowpass the drums in the song at some point, the lowpass will only affect the drum sounds before going into the sends, thus leaving you with the redux grit. Any ideas on how to circumvent that? Dropping all send outputs to zero using automation isn't a good solution..
it depends how many and which kind of tracks are affected by your return tracks, but you could group your tracks and send the output of your return track to the group aswell (usually the return tracks are going directly into the master track) and filter everything with only one automation
So I'm wondering if you could get a similar effect by creating a parallel chain with an audio effect rack with one dry signal and another with the audio effect.
@@SeedtoStage What's the difference of using the send knobs to control the level of the processing being fed to the channel by leaving the return track slider at 0 db, instead of leaving the send knob all the way to 100% and using the volume fader to control the level of the effect? What are the advantages of using this last approach? (The one you are using in this video) I hope I made myself clear on this question
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It's all great but that Erosion trick is just ace! Thanks a bunch!
I love the vocoder trick, has a nice gritty sound.
Just getting into music production after an 8 year long hiatus and it all starts with reinstalling all the VST plugins and recreating the default template.
This video gave me a lot of ideas on setting up the return tracks. Thanks!
Timestamps:
1:41 - Vocoder in a return track
5:56 - Overdrive in a return track
7:35 - Glue Compressor in a return track
10:35 - Frequency Shifter in a return track
11:52 - Redux in a return track
14:06 - Corpus in a return track
15:33 - Erosion in a return track
You should put them on the description so it shows up on the actual video itself, or pin the comment, as it gets lost by the other ones. Cheers :)
I've been using different software for years. I've been sitting on Ableton for a couple years. Just getting into it and actually enjoy the difference. Good content bud.
Creating that New York style compression on a return track is something that I'm going to be utilizing from now on as part of my template sessions. Thank you for that. Also useful with vocals. Normally I would have done the New York style compression directly on the track with an audio effects rack, but this seems more useful as it can be utilized by all of the tracks as well without having to set up audio effects racks in multiple instances and in conjunction lessons CPU strain.
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Love these tips for the return channels. Best of luck with all your work 🤟
loved what you did with the vocoder on the drum track. Grate trick!!
Love that vocoder move. Going to try that on my hi hats
that freq shifter is trippy - nice tip !!
always great ideas, i appreciate. I often look for a someting as to switch off and on all effects with one click.
Always top quality information! You have really helped me a lot grow as a music producer, so thanks!
Thanks for the video(s) Anthony! Great ideas you're sharing. Your content is gold. Love Yah, Earthcry, and Papadosio!
So glad RUclips recommended this to me, and even more glad I decided to watch it!
Cool material..... It's pretty much NY.. It's something I often apply this way with compressor for a parallel compression, I've not really applied it to other types of effect in the same way before now though other then for standard reverb and delay send/returns.. Nice one Anthony😊
This is like a whole spice rack in one video :) Great tips man!
These returns are kind of Blessing xD so thanks!
didn't even know about Erosion. Would be cool if you went over all the effects and what they do and how to use them.
Interesting, love these concepts and honestly can't wait to test them out. I'm only halfway through the video as I write this but I'm really liking that vocoder trick for the kick
God I love Ableton and I love your videos
thank you and congrats on the microdosio album it's incredible!
These are some very interesting approaches, I usually don't use return tracks, but this might get me into them.
Hello! Thanks for the video! I have one question:
You are about to record some vocals and you have some vocal tracks (lead vocals and vocal layers) that require the same default plugins to get started. For example, you might have a standardized plugin chain like EQ, DeEsser, Compressor, Saturator, Reverb and Delay with default settings for every vocal track you produce.
To save CPU, instead of inserting this plugin chain in each vocal track, people usually suggest using a Return track and inserting the plugin chain there. Then, it's advised to increase the Send level of the vocal tracks to let the audio pass through the Return track and then to the Master.
However, unless the output of the vocal tracks changes from Master to Send Only, you will have double audio going through the master (the audio from the vocal tracks and the return track).
You could also group the vocals and send them to the return track, which leads to the same issue but with less flexibility in the individual tracks.
My question is what is the best practice in the above example, considering the need for further effects per track down the road, as well as gain staging and mixing overall?
Thank you!
Great work, such an inspiration!
Another very helpful video...cheers!
What is the difference in using it in a send bus vs putting it directly on the track and just mess with the dry/wet? Thank you.
Very ingenious use of the returns. Great work and super informative. Plus the track itself is cool.
More and More and More)))your video helps me alot, thank you
Interesting, like the vocoder one ;)
can you let a sidechain listen to a muted return track? in that case you could send and mix different signals for the compressed tracks to duck from
Since you’re using each return for only one instrument, why not put the effects directly onto the particular instrument you’re effecting? Is there a functional difference or is this essentially just a different way of looking at the problem?
Thanks, as always!
Beautifully creative! Thanks a lot, will try this stuff
i enjoyed this! thank you
really useful stuff 👍thank you
Amazing man! :D I have only one question. The real only reason for putting these effects for mixing on return tracks instead of on single tracks in groups (so that you can dile in the amount without touching the dry sound), is because it's just more handy right? For example, giving multiple instruments a touch of Erosion. So the real question being: Do you think using the same return mixing effect on multiple instruments also glues your mix a bit maybe, since you're routing multiple instruments through the same return effect? Hope that explains my question properly!
Thanks for the great tips as always! Gonna sign up for your class if I have enough cash! :P
GREAT question. Much of these effects have a "dry / wet" control. Much of the time if you have an effect with dry / wet, when you dial in some of the wet signal, you are actually turning down the dry signal which can be annoying. In this case, you kinda nailed it. Sometimes for me I prefer to add for example saturation in a return because then im not worried about loosing the balance I had before. I also left something out in the video that I meant to include, but basically now all the volume sliders of the return tracks could be dynamically mixed with automation during the set to increase and decrease intensity for different parts. Maybe ill make another vid on that.
@@SeedtoStage I was thinking about that last part as I was watching the video, please do make that video on automation for sends!
Enhance. Enhance.
You're a god
I use to put my effects on return track, but then noticed that they were not delay compensated. So for saturation, it created some phase issue when blending back with the mix. Do you noticed that too? Do you compensate manually? The only thing I do not mind letting as return tracks are delays and reverbs.
You might have to turn on Delay compensation in the preferences for this to work
I am gonna copy that parallel compression glue comp return trick.
Adding a bit of body/decay to sounds is something i frequently find myself doing. This should work great.
There are however some complications with using returns like this. I've used bitcrusher and distortion as returns on drums before, and when you want to lowpass the drums in the song at some point, the lowpass will only affect the drum sounds before going into the sends, thus leaving you with the redux grit.
Any ideas on how to circumvent that? Dropping all send outputs to zero using automation isn't a good solution..
it depends how many and which kind of tracks are affected by your return tracks, but you could group your tracks and send the output of your return track to the group aswell (usually the return tracks are going directly into the master track) and filter everything with only one automation
Drums go Phhaaa!!
Good stuff!!
What is the benefit of using these effects on return tracks instead of just putting them on a particular track and changing the dry wet?
You can eq or add anything you want to control in that bus, separately from the original sound
So I'm wondering if you could get a similar effect by creating a parallel chain with an audio effect rack with one dry signal and another with the audio effect.
of course. This just gives you a volume slider thats quick to access
@@SeedtoStage What's the difference of using the send knobs to control the level of the processing being fed to the channel by leaving the return track slider at 0 db, instead of leaving the send knob all the way to 100% and using the volume fader to control the level of the effect? What are the advantages of using this last approach? (The one you are using in this video) I hope I made myself clear on this question
Return tracks?? I've just been calling them sends my whole life
Was that a subtle Friday The 13th reference at 3:45?
i like
🔥🔥🔥
👌