It seems that I can successfully drop effects that “produce” sound onto the Return Track and then automate them on each track as desired, but when it comes to using effects that are meant to lower volume or “quiet-down” the desired tracks via the Return I get no results.
Is there any other way to achieve effects of all kinds, including EQ Three, and others while keeping them isolated on a return channel or other channel?
I do not want to use clip envelopes or envelope automation within the track.
Any help would be appreciated!
Is there any reason why you don’t want the use automation within the track you want to ‘quiet down’? The Utility plugin is great for this, leaving your track volume control for mixing.
[quote]djbis (03/06/2010)[hr]
Is there any other way to achieve effects of all kinds, including EQ Three, and others while keeping them isolated on a return channel or other channel?
[/quote]
You can drop an EQ on a return channel but its not going to EQ any of the original track. EQ on a return channel is used for EQing other return effects, commonly cutting the lows of reverb and delays.
[quote]Kieran Mach (03/06/2010)[hr][quote]djbis (03/06/2010)[hr]
Is there any other way to achieve effects of all kinds, including EQ Three, and others while keeping them isolated on a return channel or other channel?
[/quote]
You can drop an EQ on a return channel but its not going to EQ any of the original track. EQ on a return channel is used for EQing other return effects, commonly cutting the lows of reverb and delays.[/quote]
I see that. Please see on my next reply…
[quote]Kieran Mach (03/06/2010)[hr]Is there any reason why you don’t want the use automation within the track you want to ‘quiet down’? The Utility plugin is great for this, leaving your track volume control for mixing.[/quote]
Yes, maybe if I describe my situation you guys can suggest other options OTHER than the use of a return track.
I am working with a drummer in my live DJ shows. In order to design mixes for us to play I am using Ableton for now as it allows me to easily export the full DJ set and send it to the drummer. Ableton also allows me to take out OR add songs (some sets have up to 50 songs) to the mix without having to actually do waveform editing, like I used to, in a non-destructive way I can shorten a song simply by dragging the edges of a clip, add fades, etc (which you’ll find is undesirable for my situation, see below).
Since the sets keep evolving I was having to constantly split the previous FULL DJ set/waveform I had recorded and re-record/insert the new music I wanted to add in order to create “updated versions” of the DJ mixes and send them to the drummer so that he could practice and keep up to date on changes that were made to the mix. Ableton does away with all of that which is extremely helpful. In addition I take advantage of warping which keeps the tempos across the mix more consistent for the drummer.
When I am done arranging the tracks in ableton and the drummer has heard/approved the FULL mix that Ableton exported of the master output, all I do is export each channel/clip separately and add it to my DJ software in the order I will need to play the songs. This allows me to do a traditional live DJ set with each track (I am not playing a pre-recorded set) with the music I arranged in Ableton.
Here’s where I need help:
When it is time to export each channel to .wav files I would like to export the whole UNEDITED song without fades, delays, etc. That way I can apply all the FX, EQ’s, fades, etc when I am DJing at the show. Applying envelopes (fades/EQ/etc) and FX on a separate channel dedicated to just FX and Envelopes would save me tons of time when it is time for me to EXPORT each channel as I won’t have to go erasing the valuable data I created on each automation lane or changing the clip endings I created to allow for the drummer to hear the complete mix the way it would be heard when I am mixing it live. All I would have to do is TURN OFF the RETURN CHANNEL and done! - All the fades/FX would be gone and I could export each channel/clip unedited.
I have tried creating FADES throughout the mix by using EQ Three on the return channel to affect any track in the arrangement at any time, but this is not working. Only effects that “create” additional sound, such as a delay or reverb actually work as planned with the return channel concept.
Any way to GLOBALLY turn off effects in the mix would help me tons, yet I lack the knowledge to make this happen.
I hope this explains my situation clearly.
Thank you for the replies!
Didn’t mean to scare anybody which the long reply. :0(
Help please?
ok I’m not going to attempt to try to understand what you’re doing 
or why exactly 
it sounds very complicated and I had a very long day 
but it seems to me that you could achieve what you want by going in to I-O settings of a track and selecting ‘Sends Only’ in Output section, turn selected send to maximum, and remember to drop Dry/Wet mix of Delays, Reverbs etc
Alternatively apply EFX straight on to a track, then select them all, Cmd+G to Group in to the Efx Rack and now you should be able to switch them all on and off with the button on the rack
[quote]seanl (05/06/2010)[hr]ok I’m not going to attempt to try to understand what you’re doing or why exactly
it sounds very complicated and I had a very long day
but it seems to me that you could achieve what you want by going in to I-O settings of a track and selecting ‘Sends Only’ in Output section, turn selected send to maximum, and remember to drop Dry/Wet mix of Delays, Reverbs etc
Alternatively apply EFX straight on to a track, then select them all, Cmd+G to Group in to the Efx Rack and now you should be able to switch them all on and off with the button on the rack[/quote]
I understand, I went into too much detail. But its really quite simple.
I need to be able to automate fades (in/out) and other FX on a DJ mix containing 40+ tracks/clips and be able to turn them off globally from one location.
I need to put together this mix and then be able to export each track DRY, while also be able to export the whole mix with the FX/Wet all as one file.
That’s the summary.
I tried to achieve this by using return channels to keep the effects “global” and be able to turn off the fades on/off easily from one place, but since the effects I am using are not “CREATING” additional sounds because they are fade outs, etc and not (reverbs, delays, etc), the return channel does not have sound to output, so it does not actually effect the rest of the mix! The I-O settings that you mention sound intriguing but sound very much like what I already did.
Your alternative sounds good under normal circumstances, but that means that I would still have to go to each track (40+ songs are being mixed in this set) and turn-off the effects group for each track/clip.
[quote]seanl (05/06/2010)[hr]
but it seems to me that you could achieve what you want by going in to I-O settings of a track and selecting ‘Sends Only’ in Output section, turn selected send to maximum, and remember to drop Dry/Wet mix of Delays, Reverbs etc
[/quote]
That did it!!! Thank you so muuuuuuchhhhhh!!! :w00t:
no worries mate, glad I could help
btw, you can assign single key stroke / midi controller to many