[Ardour-Users] bus strain on computer resources

[Jörn Nettingsmeier]

On 12/12/2012 08:00 PM, Paul Davis wrote:
> 3 busses (or even 4) for 1 track ... this i can fathom
>
> but 3 busses per track ... this i cannot ..

well, it's one way of working, but certainly not the most efficient one.

for instance, the standard way of applying reverb is to create a global 
reverb bus and feed it via post fader auxes, rather than plugging a 
reverb into every single channel. people usually do that because they 
can, but i don't find much to enjoy in mixes with five different rooms 
for five different instruments.

parallel compression currently requires a double-bus hack with most 
implementations (i know sampo has great-sounding one in the pipeline 
that doesn't need it, but i think has been suffering from 
real-life-related release slippage for several years now). but you could 
also add a pre-compressor send to the next upstream bus if you want to 
conserve screen space.

i doubt that "parallel eqing" as a technique makes sense. if this way of 
working inspires you (i can see how the two faders provide a very direct 
means of shaping the sound) _and_ you find musical use for the heavy 
coloration that results from combining a zero phase signal path with a 
non-linear phase one (the eq), then fine, but this is a rather 
idiosyncratic way of working, and the results won't be entirely 
predictable. i would venture than most engineers wouldn't be happy with 
such an arrangement.
anyway, the great thing about ardour (and open source tools in general) 
is that you can experiment with workflows that most people consider 
quite weird, if you find that it works well for you.

-- 
Jörn Nettingsmeier
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