Working With VCA's In PreSonus Studio One - Part 1 - VCA Basics & Setup

[@bodeghost]

As always THIS was one of my favorites yet. I cannot thank you enough. You have become my 'sole' go to guys for tutorials on my favorite DAW! Sláinte Chugat 🍀

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

Im glad this video helped!!

[@FelipeGruberTV]

Thanks again Mr. Huyskens. I've always wondered the difference between Bus groups and VCAs, at the begining I noticed that the Bus Groups support processing/Plugins and the VCA doesn't but now I can see that is more easier to manage the gain staging with the VCAs, so thank you very much.

[@nero008]

@@DeerCreekAudio You could just select the tracks you want to affect and it will do the same thing what a VCA does.

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

LOL "Mr Huyskens" to me - that's still my Dad.. hahah.. But - to answer your question, they're BOTH useful, and they are similar.. But the simple explanation would be: Set up 4 tracks, do a quick mix, then add volume automation on each of them, and send them each to a reverb (the same reverb) - get it to the point you are happy with the mix, and relative balance of dry to wet with your Reverb... NOW - lets say you start adding more tracks and run out of headroom??? Try to find a way to turn those 4 tracks down, (without using the master fader) whilst still maintaining the same wet/dry balance with your reverb... The simple answer is - Select those 4 tracks in the Console, and "Add VCA for selected Channels" pull it down by 4 or 5 db... Boom done in 2 seconds.. Hope this helps. Cheers, M

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

@@DeerCreekAudio Yess!!!! :)

[@beatkultr]

Bro the music is amazing

[@AlbertoDelacruz92]

You do an amazing job explaining your points and giving examples thanks for all the content. I do have one suggestion specifically to your channel... Can we get a mixing tutorial? All these tips you give have no real context and I would love for you to show us how you move throughout a whole mix.

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

Yes! I will be expanding my content in the near future, with both free and premium content. :) Cheers, M

[@MusicShed]

Great vids, thank you Marcus!

[@Kentavious444]

THANK YOU!!! This will save me a lot of time.

[@CptCoitus]

Thank you for all of the videos you do.

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

Thank you!

[@MarkHolden73]

Great work again you seem to hit the points I'm currently learning every time. Cheers

[@myphonevideos9179]

Thank you, great useful video!

[@TheSpokenWord38]

Hi Marcus, i seen a few of your vids over the years... my question is understanding "Bus tracks nature" ? do bus tracks primarily lift the volume of the fx on the tracks? seems my balancing act is trying to use the bus for maybe more than i should have, thats why i needed to understand vca group volume only ... by the way thanks the VCA tutorial Was very good!

[@Vowlume]

Great video Marcus :)

[@rickymolina7390]

Thank you again for your instructional videos. I have a follow-up question on subgroup busses and VCAs. Would it make sense, for example, to include the subgroup busses with the "Strings" VCA (under the same roof), or do you manage the sub-group buss faders separately? I like the simplicity of the example you gave in this video, because I've noticed with my mixes that the more layers of routing I add ("Brauerizing" e.g.) the worse my mix sounds. The more direct I can get things to the Master Out the fuller, richer and more natural things sound. Thank you.

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

To be honest - I'm not "locked" 100% to a specific way of doing things... For example: Sometimes I just need a simple VCA to control a group of tracks that are routed directly to my Mix Bus (or Main Outs) Sometimes those tracks may be routed to a Drums BUS Channel, and ill use the VCA to push them into the compressor harder for the chorus.. Sometimes I will have a VCA Subgroup Master for each of my BUS Channels (that I ride) because I want all my dynamics to remain in tact (Compressor thresholds) In those cases I may just want to be able to bring everything up or down... And sometimes I'll have VCA Subgroup Masters that are connected to more than 1 BUS Channel ie: Drums / Percussion / Bass.. In the end, I never like to make things more complicated than they need to be, and I am continuously revising my mixing templates to "remove" things that make it more complex than it needs to be.. Not sure if this answers your question or not, but - I hope it does?? LOL Cheers, M

[@su4691]

Thats a really nice Song, what's the name of it ? I shazamed it but no results ???

[@kidsplaymusic]

How can i set up me mm8 keyboard to make it work with virtual instruments in Studio 4 latest version. Thanks Dan

[@MrSkyTown]

I saw videos about balancing mixes to -18 0 Vu, should I be doing this. I also gain stage my tracks to -18 0 vu

[@Pdro78]

Great work

[@Yahoomediaclub]

Great Video... 💯

[@ryanedwardmusic]

I was hoping these videos would explain why I would use VCAs over busses. I still don't see why I wouldn't just do all of this with busses.

[@MistaTerps]

VCA faders adjust the volume in a different way to a BUSS.

[@ryanedwardmusic]

@@MistaTerps Yes I get that. So why would I use this way instead of a bus?

[@ryanedwardmusic]

Actually I see the use for writing automation then adjusting the balances.

[@MistaTerps]

@@ryanedwardmusicyes all the faders are independent from each other.

[@musicsynctank]

@ryanedwardmusic haha. Yes, I agree. People won't get what what you mean, but I do. I use busses for all of these purposes in the video, then group the busses with VCAs or a single VCA for all the busses to pull down all the gain staging at once before the master bus FX... makes so much more sense, but hey ho... Each to his own!

[@Russplight]

Nice

[@lmpcrew]

Hi Marcus, I'm a Pro Tools user making a a move to S1, In PT when i solo my drums VCA whilst working on the drums i'm able to solo for example the snare or kick within the vca group and soon as i un-solo the vca solo becomes active again, at the moment in S1 when i press solo, the solo in highlighted on the tracks in the vca group so i'm not able to solo any element within the group. Is this how the VCA work in S1 or i'm i missing out on a setting. The way the VCA works in pro tools to me is the normal way a vca fader should work, your guidance/reply will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kearon

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

If I'm understanding your question correctly - the simple answer would be that by holding Alt/Option and soloing any track thats linked to the VCA would allow you to freely solo whatever you'd like.. Let me know if this helps.. Cheers, M

[@lmpcrew]

@@marcushuyskensmusic thanking you

[@Fuiape]

Hi there Marcus, Could you please direct me or please advise how to do that automation reverb fx track? thank u in advance

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

what would you like to automate specifically? Any parameter can be automated by clicking it, and using Alt/Option + A - it will open up its automation lane in the track. Hope this helps? Cheers, M

[@trobadorsworld]

Oh sorry for that but U coming out with the specific stuff in the last quarte part of the video. If U want tell about your colours please make a vid with this topic °.^ And what is the difference between VCA and Busses?

[@ShivamVerma-vx9cu]

Can't the same thing be done using BUS, How will it be difficult?

[@KeithMarvK]

Is this the Artist version or Pro??

[@dannylharper6889]

Why are tracks all in stereo?

[@amperafamily4085]

Hi.. How to add new track to the current VCA?

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

If you click the wrench in the console option - make sure you have VCA Connections visible. Then you can go to the track you want to add to the VCA - and select the VCA at the bottom of the fader. Hope this helps! Cheers, M 🍻

[@amperafamily4085]

@@marcushuyskensmusic Got it. Thank you sooo much Marcus. For replying so quick and on point. 🙏🙏👌 Sub. 😆

[@josephsardone8971]

How do I totally delete > not hide < VCA faders that I no longer need?

[@marcushuyskensmusic]

Marcus Huyskens Music You can do that by "Right-Clicking" the VCA Channel in the Console. Hope this helps, Cheers, M

[@gitarman666]

Can’t color VCA faders?

[@JunkdafunkBoy]

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[@lafamilia1693]

👍🏼

[@tobbebergman7583]

I don't see any advantages using VCA's over busses You can put effects on busses but not on VCA's Am I missing something ?

[@stupidusername38]

Is there a way to add a VCA to the channel input gain controls? I want to be able to gain stage the volume going into the inserts.