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