999999 times in a 1000000 you would not connect the out of the send channel to its input (I don't think any daw would let you do that anyway - you can do it in hardware as there can be no programmed limitations) as it would go into a feedback loop
straight away
- you might use the feedback setting on the delay unit to
control how much is returned to the input
as for automating it depends on what you are automating
- volume of the wet signal: automate the send channel,
- volume of the dry signal: automate the dry channel with the send level pre-fader,
- volume of both signals proportional to the dry signal: automate the dry channel with the send level post-fader,
- panning of the wet signal: automate the send channel
etc
i.e. make a list of possible automations in excel and detail what you actually want to happen as notes then mark in the next two cells on to the grid
Automation | Dry | Send | Notes |
volume of the wet signal | | X | |
volume of the dry signal | X | | Send is pre-fader |
volume of both signals proportional to the dry signal | X | X | send is post fader |
panning of the wet signal | | X | |