Audio Busses
Audio busses can be compared to channels in a mixer, but with much more flexibility when it comes to mixing and routing possibilities.
Each slot has at least one audio bus that mixes the audio signals from its layers and zones.
Apart from the routing and mixing possibilities, audio busses allow you to load insert effects for processing audio on that bus. Depending on how you set up the audio busses, you can load insert effects on single layers, the whole program, or the slot. For example, you can process only the strings of a piano and strings layer sound with a chorus effect, and keep the piano unprocessed. You load insert effects into the effect slots of the channels in the Mixer.
In addition, audio busses allow you to route audio via sends to an AUX bus. This way, you can set up send effects which can be shared among the layers, programs, and slots. You assign sends directly in the zones or with the effect slots of the channels in the Mixer. You can adjust the level for the sends, which allows you to control the amount of the effect that is loaded on the AUX bus.
- AUX Busses
You need an AUX bus to route individual audio signals from zones or audio busses to AUX effects. HALion provides 4 global AUX busses and 4 local AUX busses that you can add for individual layers. By default, the output of an AUX bus is routed to the master output bus, but you can reassign its output to other output busses.
To set up an AUX effect, load an insert effect into one of the effect slots of the AUX bus.
To hear the effect, raise the send level of a zone, route the output of a zone or your audio bus to the AUX bus, or set up a send in the effect rack of your audio bus.
The send levels control the amount of the effect that is loaded into the AUX bus. You can set up sends for each zone and audio bus separately.
- Master Effect Bus
The master bus works similar to the AUX busses. The only difference is that the master bus has no bus output selector, because it is hard-wired to the main plug-in output (1/2).
- Multi-Channel Effects
HALion comes with a large number of effects that are mainly intended for use on stereo busses. However, most of them can also be used on surround busses. In this case, the effect is processed on all channels. If a bus changes from stereo to surround, the effect follows. For effects with level meters, the number of meters is adapted accordingly.
- Zones
The outputs of zones are routed to the first audio bus of the next higher layer or the program. You can reassign the outputs of the zones to any master output.
- Layers
To save processing power, audio busses for layers are optional. You can create them at any time in the Program Tree. By default, audio busses of layers are routed to the first audio bus of the next higher layer or the program. You can reassign the outputs of the audio busses of the layers to any master output.
- Programs
By default, audio busses of programs are routed to the audio bus of the slot into which the program is loaded. You can create additional audio busses. You can reassign the outputs of the audio busses of the program to any master output.
- Slots
A slot outputs its audio busses to the master outputs of the plug-in. Each slot has one audio bus. You can reassign the outputs of the audio busses of the slots to any plug-in output bus.