What is a 'channel', 'track' , 'bus' , and 'send' ?

W

wavewar3

New member
No description needed. Just cannot find some of the answers with a simple google search. But can I also have an explanation that you would tell beginners?
 
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A channel is a mixer slot that audio is routed to. A bus is a single mixer channel that multiple mixer channels are routed to (like a smaller version of your master mixer channel). A send is a single mixer channel that is receiving input from another mixer channel. The send usually has some sort of effect on it, like a reverb, delay, or compressor.
 
^Really good, concise answer right there. Some additions: 1) your master channel is also a bus - it's the prime example of the description above (multiple channels into one); and 2) "track" without any further definition could be a bunch of things, but usually it's more or less an interchangeable term with "channel".
 
I also forgot to ask about 'aux' channels I think they are called. I'm and fl user trying to get into DAW's like cubase or studio one. What confuses me I guess is when those DAW's say 'create and instrument track/channel'. In fl , I wouldn't call my synths loaded into my pattern window really anything but instruments or just sounds.
 
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I guess to put it simply most of the other DAW's seem to use the same terms as each other. For example , fl uses inserts rather than tracks, send rather than aux I guess(I see aux more in other DAW's at least) and until fl 12 came out I believe the channel rack was called the sequencer. So really I guess I'm looking to get use to using these terms for easier collabing and to follow directions easier.
 
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Oh. That honestly sounds like a waste of money since it's the same thing with a different name. Also, people use many of the terms in this post interchangeably regardless of your DAW. The important thing is the functionality of the mixer, channel rack, etc and how they fit your workflow.

I've used FL, Logic, and Pro Tools before. The mixers are pretty similar (not 100% the same) with slight differences in function. Not trying to tell you what to do, just want to let you know that terminology difference might not be the best reason for changing DAWs.
 
I already have the other DAW and I bought FL a long time ago . My father has Cubase on his laptop and I have his laptop now so hooray for dad. That's besides the point though. You see at first I'd be pretty confused by your definition of channel because fl's sequencer is now called the channel rack and I'd be like 'oh I thought the rack for the channels was the mixer because that's where they lie'. What also would confuse me is that in many tutorials , instructors say the term 'channels' and will be where the loaded instruments and sounds are which is to the left in cubase I think. But from seeing other DAWs I get the assumption that when you press 'add instrument channel' you aren't really creating a holder for your instrument but you are creating an 'insert' for it in your mixer. You see how any fl user with no past experience with other daws can get confused by this?
 
I was pretty familiar with these terms besides aux because fl does not use that term but I wanted a nice definition of each so I could compare the daws more easily.
 
A channel in broader terms could be just described as a single "lane" of audio through...something. It doesn't need to be a mixer. An input on your audio interface can be called a "channel". A track in your DAW can be a "channel".

But yeah, FL has always been the odd one out in the sense that while the stuff learned in one DAW is usually more or less applicable in any other one, it doesn't necessarily hold true with FL...
 
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