This type of bus routing is typically known as a subgroup because it groups together similar instruments. Rather than adjusting 12 faders-risking messing up the balance-and adding and adjusting 12 EQs, we could simply assign all the drum tracks to a bus, adjust the level of that bus channel, and EQ it once as desired. Maybe we’d like to adjust the level of all the drums, and perhaps we’ve also noticed that they could all use some similar EQ adjustments.
Let’s imagine that we have a full multi-tracked drum set’s worth of 10–12 channels, and we’ve got a balance between them all that we really like. Another typical application is to use buses for send and return effects where a portion of the signal is duplicated for effects like reverb and delay. One of the most common ways to use a bus is to collect a number of similar channels together so that you can process them and control their level in a unified fashion. Now, let’s look at a few common ways we can use the buses we’ve just created.
Check out the videos below to see some of the easiest ways to create a bus in your DAW of choice. But before you get too comfortable, keep in mind that some DAWs can create buses in multiple ways, or may even combine bus creation with track grouping or foldering functions. Ableton and REAPER are examples of DAWs that work in this fashion. Instead, you can just route the output of one channel directly to the input of another. In yet other DAWs, there are neither explicit buses, nor specific bus channels. Cubase and Studio One both work more or less along these lines. You can then route the output of the bus channel to your master bus, or often even another channel. In other words, you create a bus channel and then route the channels you’d like to be included in that mix bus to that channel. In other DAWs, buses are essentially their own channel type. Pro Tools and Logic Pro are two DAWs that work in this fashion. You can then assign the output of a channel to a mix bus that you wish to send it to, and additionally assign that bus as the input to another channel. In some cases buses exist explicitly, independent of any channels. Generally speaking, there are a few different ways that buses are implemented inside different DAWs. Unfortunately there’s not room here to go into detail for each DAW, but here’s the general concept, followed by some links to videos that show the process for some of the most common DAWs. How you go about creating a mix bus-and indeed even the wording used to describe it-is going to be a little different in every DAW.
We’ll look at these in more detail shortly, but first let’s look at how to create a mix bus. There are at least two other ways to utilize mix buses that can significantly help with organization and control in your mix: subgroups and aux channels. However, the master bus isn't the only mix bus you can create in a mix session.
The master bus could also include things like EQ and compression for tonal shaping and “glue.” More on this later. This could be as simple as adjusting the overall level to properly utilize headroom and avoid clipping-although you shouldn’t get in the habit of using your master bus fader to control your monitor gain, rather, use the level control on your interface. The master bus gives you a way to make final adjustments to your full mix before the audio leaves your DAW. It’s also typically what’s routed to your speakers or headphones. Ultimately this is where your entire mix is funneled down to two channels and it’s what’s used to create the final stereo export, render, or bounce. It’s also usually a stereo bus-unless you’re working in surround-with left and right channels. It’s almost always created by default and is where any new channels you create in your DAW will be routed. The most common mix bus is the main stereo bus, also called the “2-bus,” or "master bus." If you only have one bus in your mix, it’s this one. What’s the difference between a mix bus and a master bus?