Groups, folders, buses, VCAs, FX Channels - Which should you use?

Grouping your tacks can help you organize your sessions and stay in the creative flow. Let's go through 5 different ways to handle groups of tracks inside Studio One.
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[@ehdforlife]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The folder thing is a life changer for my workflow.

[@KennCrawford]

Thank you Joe. I already knew what a bus was, and I knew about folders from using Reaper and from watching your videos on Home Studio Corner (you and Forest Whitehead are the reason I recently switched from Reaper to Studio One) but learning I could quickly turn a folder into a bus was a game changer. That and dropping an effect on a send automatically creates a bus for me is a game changer too. Great video. Thanks again.

[@garnetbey4227]

always a pleasure learning so much, thanks JOE 💯💯💯💯💯

[@grantguitarcovers]

Awesome Job as always. Thanks and keep the videos coming!

[@rutlandboy]

Thank you Joe for a very clear and helpful video.

[@spikesguitarcamp]

Folder/Bus...love it. Great vid! 🤘

[@Beastmode-hk3fj]

Excellent video Joe, really enjoyed this one👍

[@jonbirmingham6005]

Thanks Joe! Will use the folder and buss for grouping things.

[@michaeltablet8577]

Thanks so very much! All your videos are so helpful!

[@RODAREZconAmor]

Thank you for uploading this video. It really helps.

[@robertparker3580]

great video Joe,thanks for sharing this!!!!!!!!!!

[@richardbates2825]

Very well structured presentation. Very logical and easy to follow. Kudos.

[@rbroach68]

Great video, thanks! I've been experimenting with different options for our live stream template and this gave me some ideas.

[@nedim_guitar]

Pretty basic, but very important knowledge! Helpful!

[@Owl-qh2rh]

Hi Jo, Very cool! Just wanted to mention that you've mentioned before that you don't use vca's and like to shift the busses together to balance the mix towards the end of the mixing process. I experimented and after the group bus (say cymbals or drum) adding a vca to that bus and having it set to be at the far right of the mix window saves moving the busses and can make those final tweaks before mastering. I know youd know this possibility but it seems to work great for what you mentioned.. and has made life easier for me (as well as all your great vids 👍) Love the vid keep rockin it brother 🙏🕊️

[@MrMoogman1]

Nice one Joe!

[@jammer777]

Great info! Thanks.

[@glb322]

Now that I've been using S1 for so very long (months & months!), I've been through all of these different things, but I'm still using quite a few. Almost never groups, but I really like Gregor's macro to create "folder-busis." When assigned to a keyboard shortcut, that one saves a LOT of time.

[@themarcos150591]

Great to see the Fender improved S1 so much, and heard their customers.

[@Drumman]

Great video thanks

[@chrisaitkenmusic]

Thanks, Joe. Nice to have that all neatly cleared up. Good to do mixing in a clutter-free setup. And I don't mind your "asides" at all. I'm embarrassed to say I did not know that 'X' does a crossfade, or that doing a highpass on a reverb send would make the effect more attractive.

[@joev4483]

THANKS!

[@anonw3829]

Thank you.

[@barendstapelberg1582]

The folder/bus combo is absolutely brilliant. Really puts Cubase to shame...

[@springofbliss3971]

Finally 👌🏿

[@gonzalodiazgallardo9540]

The option to mute the sends into the bus channel (like the video) could be a great idea to a future update. On the other hand , the option to do sends to other tracks could be a great option too!. For example send a "Kick in" track, and a "Kick out" to other track called KICK, because now the only option is create a bus only to the kick, and that its not really friendly to the workflow. Cheers! And thanks for the video!

[@parkadams8879]

Thank you, Mr. Gilder. I have been exploring the orchestral cinematic music of late, and I think I am on template number 3 attempting to create a good signal chain/ workflow... with so many routing options, my head gets spinning really quick. Actually my heads already starting to spin with the folder being able to be a buss or vca. Hmm can you mid/side set up a folder too? Oh boy...thanks Joe!

[@aansunepal32]

NICE

[@nathanclave]

If I’m using a daw controller, would there be a fader routing change if I minimize the folder?

[@custommelody7091]

Thanks. If i have midi drums (sd3) routed to the mixer how to pack it in the folder?

[@YigitDiri]

So whats the solution if i prefer to use bus channels and when i mute the bus i want to mute also send fx channel??? Maybe using vca and bus together?

[@team.studioone]

How about Aux channels? You skipped that one. ;)

[@lb2696]

Aux tracks in S1 are for monitoring external sources, not for dealing with groups of tracks. Unlike “Aux” tracks in Protools, which are used for Busses and FX returns. Right?

[@angelomiller6266]

Actually I actually like you and you seem like a really decent person but I think you have forgotten that a lot of people don't know what the hell you're talkin about first of all you talk too fast because it's just your personality and I get it you need to slow down and pretend that you're talkin to children who are lost and need your direction I have learned several things from you but this particular video has really put me through the ringer. I'm very frustrated right now. And your buddy Gregor. He actually does the same thing. Share the knowledge. But do everything in layman's. Term. I'm not going to give up on you. But I just wanted you to know

[@davidlorentz7248]

You can always adjust the playback speed faster or SLOWER (if that’s what you want. Just “tap on the Cog Wheel” (top right of the video you are watching you’ll see a drop down menu & select Playback Speed. Personally I mostly watch Tech Info vids at faster speeds, normally 1.5 x faster so i can skip thru faster & save a whole lotta time!!) Peace!

[@Luke-ot6mk]

Just like Logic! Thanks

[@EzraExan]

Is there a way to create a “bus” folder with sends options without having to create a VCA track. I saw this wasn’t done automatically. It seems one has create a VCA track to get this result.

[@philfallway]

Tell me the kid is not your son without telling me the kid is not your son… Doo doo… doo doo… 🥁 🪩 🌔🚶🏾‍♂️🕺🎶😎🙌 Great video! And beat!😉

[@shayvalenz]

HELP!! When I create a folder and then add a Bus, it won’t allow my panning of the individual tracks to pan. They all stay center…?

[@dek10157]

is there any difference when routing effects to a bus channel instead of a fx channel

[@kippb]

Is there any use to having the tracks in a BUS folder and then send the BUS to a VCA? Or can that even be done?

[@demonkoryu]

I think of a VCA as a secondary fader for a channel or a group of channels (or a bus even), that leaves the existing fader relationships intact. I mostly use this to automate some channels for mixing as I don't want to automate the main fader of a carefully balanced channel, because if I'm going to rebalance said channels I would have to adjust the automation again.

[@lessonsingrandeur]

Thanks for that, very helpful, I wasn't so familiar with folders. I find VCAs particularly useful in live mixing scenarios (e.g. for a live stream), when you have an MC talking 'over' a band. You can e.g. bring down all the instruments and drums during that time without affecting any of the mix relationships, and then bring the VCAs all back up again when the MC is finished, and you are back at exactly the same mixing point.

[@joev4483]

so what happens (in the folder/bus case) when you use FX on bus (folder) ... then how do you render so that each channel gets Bus FX baked in, etc ... thanks, people!

[@marcpinion]

Hi I have followed both you and Gregor for years now. I started of as someone who had used Reason for 10 years but was no longer happy with it. I used a Seck 24 channel desk and looked at your Presonus desk with envy and thought I would never be able to have one. Well I severed for several years and at studio one 4 I got the free version of studio one. After a short time I bought Artist and then went on to get 5 pro. All because of you and Gregor. Then the fantastic day came. I got a 32s and it is every bit as good as I hoped it would be. I make electric music with Synths and drum machines. I get a fantastic sound through the desk using the stock plugins but when I record them they are recorded dry and I can’t get the exact sound I have though the desk. What am I doing wrong and how can I set up studio one and my desk to record what I am playing in my studio. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Marc Pinion.

[@alexchad98]

Have you checkout the buffers in the options? 🤔

[@officialWWM]

I tried to add a drum buss. The buss was created but for some reason, the separate drum channels weren’t sent to it, I had to send them all manually. What did I do wrong?

[@stephencarter8625]

Highlight (select)all of the drum channels (simultaneously) then right click and choose the ‘add buss for selected tracks’ (or similarly worded option in the drop down menu) and all of the selected/highlighted tracks/channels will be routed to the newly created buss.

[@officialWWM]

@@stephencarter8625 awesome, thank you!

[@officialWWM]

Hey Joe (where you going with that gun in your hand 😂) Can you please add chapters to these longer videos to make it easier to jump to the info we are looking for? Thanks in advance :)

[@leonardocaminati6432]

I can't understand how to add channels to a VCA after it has been created, it doesn't seem Studio One offers this possibility and I can't understand why would that be the case. Anyone knows more on that?

[@sventeunissen4321]

Select channels -> Right click -> Add VCA

I wish I could freeze Fx channels and busses (with the FX on the bus, not that multitrack render)

[@albertoflacoa]

Next step - Need to add separators between tracks, just like in reaper.

[@drefue]

The biggest problem I’ve come across with busses is that when I want to lower the levels on a buss, any FX channel associated with that buss is not lowered accordingly. What you then get is less volume with more pronounced reverb, for example. Not sure why that hasn’t been addressed.

[@stephencarter8625]

You can output the associated fx channel to the same buss so that when the buss fader is lowered the relative fx level is lowered also.

[@drefue]

@@stephencarter8625 yes, that is an option. Unfortunately, one buss might be tied into dozen FX channels, some of which are tied into other busses. So, routing the output to a particular buss would then require dedicated FX channels, which could double, triple the FX channels, not to mention the processing of effects. It’s an oversight that needs to be corrected.

[@Endless_Skyway_Adventures]

Add a buss and a VCA. And make sure you have post fader sends on the channels. The Buss fader remains static and the buss only facilitates having effects or buss level sends. The VCA adjusts the channel faders and the reverb sends less level to the reverb keeping the effects in balance.

[@nandofarfan8849]

Please add the option to create midi, to be able to work with general midi, this is necessary for those of us who work creating sequences for pianos and the pianos can detect the sounds that we assign, it is the only thing that studio one needs, I am forced to work on cakewalk to be able to do that work and I really don't like it, please I ask you to add this function.

[@proronaldnovacri1749]

O roteamento do S1 deixou a desejar!

[@addd21323]

FX channels seem pointless. Why not just put all your effects on the insert of the bus? Is there a difference?

[@presonus]

Hi, there are several advantages to using FX Channel Sends over Inserts. This allows you, for example, to cut out the lows of your Reverb FX, without also cutting out the low frequencies of the Instrument that it's applied on. To learn more about Insert vs Send Effects, please watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3LNnoSMgK2YeMU Hope this helps! -GBY

[@addd21323]

@@presonus Awesome, that does help. Thanks!

[@thisdudeisadude]

So...technically bus Channel and effects channel are exactly the same thing?

[@Wide_as_Life]

I think so? I use both but I don't see really différences? Jean-marc (from France)

[@thisdudeisadude]

​@@Wide_as_Life I think the only difference is when you solo a channel that sends audio to a bus or an FX, the FX channel will remain audible while the bus channel will be muted.

[@thisdudeisadude]

and you can't turn off the FX which is annoying, so I never use the FX channel

[@thisdudeisadude]

using a bus as an FX channel is more convenient

[@johnhumbug5199]

Hey Joe, I'd appreciate it if you repeat stuff in an educational manner rather than unnecessary information. I watched it in 3x the normal speed (revanced) and it still took way too long. I'd find Gregor's videos way more informative ❤

[@proronaldnovacri1749]

Os tutorias da presonus tá muito longe de atender ao seu público, falam muito rápido, sem cuidado com o ouvinte, muito ruim os vídeos tutoriais de todos os softwares. Uma pena!

[@selrachdranoe639]

Your explanations need to be more defined. You give to many options befor you explain what a subject is

[@phoenixflyz_]

Watch another channel or read the manual. You don't have to be here

[@albertoflacoa]

TY for video. I, finally, find an answer: how to make folder in console window🫶