Aux and Groups Explained

aux-groups

In audio, “aux” (short for auxiliary) and “groups” refer to essential concepts used in audio mixing and signal processing. They play a crucial role in managing and enhancing the sound in various audio production scenarios.

Aux and Groups Explained

Aux:

Auxiliary channels, often called aux tracks or aux sends, allow audio engineers to route a portion of a track’s signal to a separate processing chain. This is commonly used for adding effects like reverb, delay, or chorus to individual tracks without affecting the original signal. For example, in a live sound setup, the lead vocalist’s signal can be sent to an aux track with reverb applied, creating a sense of space and depth without altering the original dry vocal signal. Aux sends are also used in creating monitor mixes for performers on stage, allowing them to hear a customized mix of the overall performance.

Groups:

Audio groups, also known as subgroup or busses, involve grouping multiple audio tracks together to process and control them collectively. This grouping enables the audio engineer to apply processing and adjustments to multiple tracks simultaneously, streamlining the workflow and maintaining a consistent sound. Groups can be used to balance and compress drum tracks together, EQ multiple background vocals simultaneously, or control the overall level of various instruments in a mix. By doing so, it helps achieve a more cohesive and balanced sound across the entire mix.

In summary, aux and groups are powerful tools in audio production and mixing. Aux tracks allow the application of effects independently of the main signal, while groups provide a means to manage and process multiple tracks together. Understanding and skillfully implementing these concepts are essential for audio engineers and producers to create professional-sounding mixes with depth, clarity, and cohesion.

Sound Engineer Jokes, Puns and Memes

Buses Vs. Subgroups, Aux Sends/Returns, VCAs & Groups

Key Differences in Audio Bus, Subgroup, Auxiliary Track, Auxiliary Send, Auxiliary Return, and VCA:

  • Bus: An audio signal path that combines or “sums” different signals to be processed together.
  • Subgroup: A group of instruments or tracks mixed into the main mix as a composite signal.
  • Auxiliary Track: A type of bus used for creating auxiliary mixes or applying common parallel processing.
  • Auxiliary Send: An aux bus that sends audio to auxiliary effects and processors.
  • Auxiliary Return: A mixer channel receiving the output from auxiliary effects and processors.
  • VCA (Voltage-Controlled Amplifier): A voltage control source acting as a master control over channel volume levels in the VCA group. VCAs do not pass audio.
  • Group: Linking of user-defined functions, such as level, between tracks, with additional options like editing, automation, alternative/playlist select, panning, solo, mute, and record arm.

In this video by MarlonV we show you everything you need to know about Aux (Auxiliary) and Groups.

Video Text:

Aux and Groups on Mixers

this video will describe using

auxiliaries and groups on mixers to

begin let’s describe a basic mixer setup

Basic Mixer Setup

in our setup we have a mixer and two

powered speakers we have a microphone

that is connected to the channel input

and then the output of the mixer is then

sent to the left and right outputs if

you look at the back of the mixer we are

connecting the outputs of the left and

right which are on the left side of our

video and if we look at the right side

these are the channel inputs we have a

mic in a line in an insert and a direct

out if we look at the mixer from the top

the main sections that will be adjusting

would be the gain or the trim making

sure that our signal is strong enough as

it comes in we can then use the fader to

adjust the level that is sent to the

main faders the main faders set the

general output that finally goes to the

speaker’s again this is a very basic

mixer setup but let’s do something a

little bit more advanced let’s use the

Using Aux Sends and Output Basic Monitor Setup

auxilary stands and outputs in a basic

monitor setup if you look at our basic

setup you’ll notice that we have added

two powered floor monitors if we look at

our mixer these are the areas that we

will be adjusting each channel in this

mixer has six sends but they all operate

the same way by adjusting this send we

are sending the signal that has already

come into our channel input and we will

be sending it to a master section this

master section also has controls very

similar to the master faders if we look

at the back of the mixer there are six

auxiliary outputs and inserts these are

but we’ll be using to connect to our

powered monitors if we look at our setup

again our microphone goes into channel

one and the outputs of the main are set

to the left and right main speakers but

we’re gonna make an adjustment on our

Channel and make

that our auxilary one is sent to

auxilary one output which is then

connected to a powered floor monitor and

the same thing is done with auxilary 2

now let’s use auxilary sins and outputs

Using Aux Sends and Output Basic Monitor and Dual FX Setup

with a basic monitor setup and now we’ll

add some effects

here is our mixer again our main

speakers are auxilary one auxilary two

for our floor monitors but now we’re

going to add a reverb unit and a delay

unit and this time on our channel strip

we’re going to make sure to send a

signal using auxilary v which will

connect to the input of the reverb unit

and it is also set back in auxilary vi

is sent to the delay unit and it is also

set back in to connect the ins and outs

of an effect unit we’re going to utilize

a special section of our Zilla

it’s called the insert the insert

actually acts like an input and an

output by using a TRS connection also

known as a tip ring sleeve connection

part of it will act as a send and part

of it as a return so let’s look at our

setup once more we have our powered

speakers our powered monitors and our

microphone we connect the microphone to

channel 1 the output of left and right

are sent to the main speakers auxiliary

1 & 2 are sent to our powered floor

monitors auxiliaries 5 is sent to the

reverb unit coming back in on the insert

an auxilary 6 is sent to the delay

coming by also back in on the insert so

that now when we adjust 5 & 6 we will

here echo reverb that is now being sent

out to our main mix and even to our

monitors as well there are two ways to

send auxilary signals the first is

called pre fade the second is called

post fade and the word fade is referring

to the fader on a pre fade the channel

Channel Fader does not affect Aux level Send

fader does not affect the auxilary

level send meaning that whatever

adjustments you make at the auxilary

level on the channel the fader if it’s

all the way down does not affect the

signal however in the post fade setup

the channel fader will affect the

auxilary level send almost acting

a second master control for the auxilary

send a singer typically wants to hear a

solid signal throughout their

performance so using the pre fade is

preferred so that when you make

adjustments to their fader they will not

hear those adjustments and have the

confidence they need to hear themselves

accurately however in the post fade one

typical use is to use it with an effects

processor which means the stronger

signal you send in the fader more of

that signal will be sent to the effects

unit therefore creating a more dynamic

response please note exhilarate can also

Note: Aux returns can come back in on a channel input.

come back in on a channel input and some

engineers like to have their effects

ends not be processed through an insert

but the output of the effects unit will

actually come back on another channel

allowing them to control the amount of

effect that’s sent to the main mix

through a fader here again is our setup

that we’ve described now let’s go onto

something different let’s talk about

Setting Fader Groups

fader groups

the basic idea of a fader group is this

you set levels of multiple channels with

faders and then you combine them into a

group that is controlled together as a

unit by another master fader if we look

at our mixer from the top the fader

section is highlighted here next to each

fader is a series of buttons that we can

assign groups the first group that we

most basically use is the left and right

main section the second button is to

assign the fader two groups one and two

and the third button is to assign the

groups two three and four if we look at

the back of the mixer these are the

outputs that the faders will be sending

through let’s describe how to assign a

Assign a Fader to a Group

fader to a group let’s take a closer

look at our mixer channels one and two

will be assigned to groups one and two

and now these groups are colored green

showing that they will now be controlled

by the master groups one and two

Channel seven and eight will be assigned

to groups three and four and they two

now colored blue will be controlled by

group fader three and four the remaining

channels will assign to left and right

and they will go directly to our main

mix using faders left and right

let’s assign a fader group now in a more

Assigning a Fader to a Group and using Panning

advanced setup and we’re going to be

using the panning system to help us get

more groups in our scenario we’re going

to assign channel 1 and 2 to group 1 & 2

but by panning them both left they will

now be controlled only by the odd

channel number 1

channels 3 & 4 will also be assigned to

group 1 & 2 but if we pan them right

they will now be controlled by the even

number Group fader number 2 if we go on

to channels 5 & 6 and assigned them to

groups 3 & 4 and pan them to the left

they also will be controlled by group

fader number 3 and channel 7 & 8 will

also assign to group 3 & 4 but if we pan

them to the right they will be

controlled by fader number 4 the rest

will be controlled by left and right

main faders two things should be noted

about group faders they can be sent to

the main left & right output or they can

be sent to the individual group outputs

this allows greater versatility in using

these outputs for other things like what

will look in the next sample we now have

our mixer our main speakers and our

monitors like before but we’ve added

three more vocalists we added a rhythm

section and we’ve added a laptop to

record the event and a video camera

possibly to stream the event let’s see

how the group faders can help us in a

mixing situation we’re going to assign

all the singers to Group one we’re going

to pan them left we’re going to assign

the rhythm section or the band to group

two and pan them all right

you’ll notice that Group one and two are

being sent to the output of the main

left and right speakers this is helpful

in case we want to achieve a balance

between the vocalists and the band

instead of adjusting each band member up

and down we set the band at a level that

works for them and then we adjust them

as a whole group to find balance between

the vocalists in the same situation

we’re going to take those same inputs

and we’re also going to select those

microphones and the rhythm section to

also be assigned to group 3 & 4

we’ll be using the outputs of the mixer

for group 3 & 4 to go directly into our

recording system to

laptop so this allows us to make some

adjustments to the signal that is going

into the laptop or the camera and it

makes it much easier we also have our

auxilary sense 1 & 2 going to our band

making sure that auxilary one fits well

for the singers auxilary 2 will be for

the band

some singers don’t like to hear a lot of

the band maybe just a keyboard some band

members only want to hear the vocalist

and more of themselves these adjustments

can be made on the individual channels

we’re also going to have auxilary 3 & 4

set up to use for our effects sense

I hope this video has been helpful if

you have any questions or comments

please post them in the comment section

and please subscribe thanks

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