7 <dfn>Auxilliary sends</dfn> are <a
8 href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box/">processors</a> in a bus or
9 track channel strip. They tap the signal at a specific point in the signal
10 flow (pre-fader, post-fader, before or after EQs and other plugins, etc.)
11 and send a copy of that signal somewhere else, without affecting the
12 normal signal flow downwards to the channel fader.
15 Usually, aux sends from several tracks are collectively sent to a
16 dedicated <dfn>Aux bus</dfn> in Ardour, to create a monitor mix for a
17 musician, or to feed an effect unit. The output of such a bus might
18 be routed to separate hardware outputs (in the case of headphone or monitor
19 wedge mixes), or returned to the main mix (in the case of an effect).<br
21 Aux sends are not JACK ports, with <a href="/signal-routing/external-sends/">
22 External Sends</a> Jack ports are created so it is also possible to
23 send the tapped signal somewhere else directly, which is not usually
24 possible on hardware mixers.
29 <a href="/signal-routing/comparing-aux-sends-and-subgroups/">compare and contrast</a>
30 the use of aux sends with <a href="/signal-routing/subgrouping/">subgrouping</a>.
33 <h2>Adding a new aux bus</h2>
35 Choose <kbd class="menu">Session > Add New Track or Bus</kbd>. In the
36 <kbd class="menu">New Track & Bus</kbd> dialog, select "Busses" in the Track/Bus
37 selector at the upper right.
40 <h2>Adding a send to an aux bus</h2>
42 Context-click on the processor box for the track you want to send to the bus, and
43 choose <kbd class="menu">New Aux Send</kbd>. From the submenu, choose the bus you
44 want to send to. A send will be added (and will be visible in the processor box).
45 Note that the submenu may be empty if you have not created a bus yet.
48 <h3>Pre-fader and Post-fader Aux Sends</h3>
50 Depending on whether you context-click above or below the fader in the processor box,
51 the new aux send can be placed before or after the fader in the channel strip.
52 <dfn>Post-fader</dfn> aux sends are typically used when using an aux for shared signal
53 processing (FX), so that the amount of effect is always proportional to
54 the main mix fader. <dfn>Pre-fader</dfn> sends ensure that the level sent to the bus
55 is controlled <em>only</em> by the send, not the main fader — this is typical
56 when constructing headphone and monitor wedge mixes.
59 <h2>Adding a new aux bus and sending a Track Group to it</h2>
61 You can add aux sends to all members of a group and connect them to a new aux bus
62 with a single click. After creating the track group (and adding tracks to it),
63 context-click on the group tab and choose either
64 <kbd class="menu">Add New Aux Bus (pre-fader)</kbd> or
65 <kbd class="menu">Add New Aux Bus (post-fader)</kbd>. A new aux bus will be created,
66 and a new aux send added to every member of the track group that connects to
70 <h2>Altering Send Levels</h2>
72 You can alter the amount of the signal received by a send that it delivers to the bus
73 it connects to. There are three approaches to this:
75 <h3>Use the Send Fader</h3>
77 Every send processor has a small horizontal fader that can be adjusted in the usual way. It is
78 not very big and so this can be a little unsatisfactory if you want very fine control
81 <h3>Mapping the Main Fader</h3>
83 Double-clicking on the send in the processor box will allow you to use the
84 big fader of the mixer strip to control the send. The visual appearance of
85 the mixer strip will change to reflect this. Double-click the send again to
86 revert back to normal function for the strip.
88 <h3>Map Aux Sends To Main Faders</h3>
90 Pressing the button marked <kbd class="menu">Aux Sends</kbd> on a aux bus will
91 alter the channel strip for every track or bus that feeds the aux bus. Many
92 aspects of the strip will become insensitive and/or change their visual
93 appearance. More importantly, the main fader of the affected channel strips
94 will now control the send level and <strong>not</strong> the track gain.
95 This gives a larger, more configurable control to alter the level. Click the
96 <kbd class="menu">Aux Sends</kbd> button of the aux bus again to revert the
97 channel strips to their normal use.
99 <h2>Disabling Sends</h2>
101 Clicking on the small "LED" in the send display in the processor box of the
102 channel strip will enable/disable the send. When disabled, only silence will
103 be delivered to the aux bus by this track. When enabled, the signal arriving
104 at the send will be delivered to the aux bus.
106 <h2>Send Panning</h2>
108 Send panners can be configured to either be independent of the main
109 panner, or to follow it. The latter could be useful for Reverb effects, or
110 for in-ear monitor mixes delivered in stereo.