In response to last week's Tech Tip (see TTOTD 12/05/2001) about printing effects to disk to free up processing power on DAW systems we've had a few readers inquire about how to do that.

Each system is a little different in terms of how routing is accomplished and the language used to define various parts of the system: one system's aux track is another's virtual track, for example. So to further clarify we're going to have to dance between broad concepts and literal attributes, which vary from system to system.

Almost every application used in audio recording has some way to bring in and monitor tracks (channels) that are not recorded. Whether these happen to be called aux inputs, aux tracks, aux channels, virtual tracks, or anything else is immaterial. Any mixer track you can listen to and route a signal in or out of qualifies. Further - and this is true of any mixer - there are at least two major ways to patch effects such as reverb into the system: inserting it on a channel or bussing through an aux send. Things like reverb are rarely used on inserts, because most engineers want easier flexibility with levels than is provided there. Not to mention you are limited to only putting the effect on that one signal. Instead it is common to bus one or more signals to one aux send, which then feeds into the effect, and then a 100% wet signal is returned to the mixer, either at some type of aux return input or to a dedicated channel or track. It is this dedicated channel or track we are concerned with here. In most DAW systems the practice is to create such an aux channel for returning effects to be mixed in with the program. Usually these aux channels cannot be recorded to disk, and are only used to mix in such a signal.

In order to free up computer resources we want to record this 100% wet effects signal to disk and play it back with the rest of the tracks. This means we either need to return the effects signal to a real track that can be recorded, or temporarily bus the aux track over to a second track we can use to record it. In some systems this may require you to use some type of "bounce" or "mix to disk" function. Exactly how you need to accomplish this part of it varies pretty significantly from system to system, but hopefully understanding the goal as well as the thinking behind it will help you get there.

Once the recording is complete, the plug-in can be disabled along with all the routing/bussing used to get it recorded. Now, all you have is a simple stereo (or two mono) track(s) with your effect ready to be mixed into your music.

Clear as mud? If not, your Sweetwater Sales Engineer will be able to shed some more light on how this might work in your specific system.