Export All Tracks as Audio and Submix Bus Effects

OK. So, I'm loving the new Export All Tracks/Bounce features in Logic 9 but I have a question.

First up, typically, when I do sessions, i will group tracks and send them to sub mix buses. Eg I will send tracks 1 - 10 to Bus10 (drums), and tracks 11-13 to Bus11 (bass) etc, etc.

On each submix bus there will be an insert fx such as compression in the drum bus to 'glue' the drums together, or bass enhancer on the bass bus etc. These submix buses then all come back in to the Main Stereo Outs.

Now, when I Export All Tracks as audio, I get lots of advanced options like include Volumne/Pan automation, include Normalize..but when the tracks are exported, they do not include the submix bus effects.

Can anyone think of a way I can use the time-saving 'Export All Tracks as Audio' function AND include the Submix Bus effects on each track. This will mean track 1 will be exported with the submix drum bus effect, as will track 2 be exported, with its submix drum bus effect, etc.

Any genius workarounds would be greatly appreciated because currently I have to solo each and every track, do an offline bounce of that track, then repeat this process through all 60 other tracks...then, and only then will the audio files created include the submix bus effects.

I'd love to know if you figured out a way to achieve this - been doing the same long-winded workaround (solo track > offline bounce) for years. The "Export all tracks..." feature seemed like a God-send when announced, but it doesn't seem to QUITE get it right...

Still No Answer???? I've been watching this post keenly cause i face the same issues.

 

My workaroung is to route the bus to an unused output (usually 3-4) and then bounce its signal, and re-import the file.

 

It would make a great improvement for future updates. Other DAWs had this feature for ages. Exporting Bus-outputs and FX returns.

You create an arrange track for whichever auxiliary channel strip you like (control click the aux in the mixer and select "Create/Select Arrange Track") and place an empty region on its track in the arrange (control click "Create empty MIDI region"...or use the pencil tool). Then when you invoke the Export All Tracks as Audio Files command, an audio file will be exported for the aux as well.

 

J.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Jordi Torres

I've been having to deliver stems (Drums, Keys, Guitar etc) so what I've been doing is subbing everything down to 4 subgroups. Then Sending those subs to separate busses. Then I make 4 audio tracks, and set their inputs to the previously mentioned busses. Then you can record those submixes as audio right into your session. You can then "export all" and have them export along with everything else.

 

Just make sure when you're recording, you mute the audio tracks, or else you'll be monitoring the recorded audio, AND the Bus.

 

It will sound loud.

 

-P

Here's an apple support article that illustrates the technique I mentioned:

 

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3650

 

J.

I've found a workaround which I *think* is working, for me anyway. I record multitrack drums and some people want to be able to set the levels themselves, but they don't want to mix it, so I have to export each channel with my EQ/effects added. Export > All Tracks As Audio Files just exports the raw files, which is no good.

 

I have a bus which the entire kit is routed to. All I do is mute that, then solo each channel and go File > Bounce. Tedious and time consuming, but surely it should be more complicated than that?

The one fundamental problem you'll run into here is that part of the effect of having a bus effect, especially compression is that all elements going through the bus influence the effect. So for example with drums, the kick drum will be triggering the compressor which will effect how the cymbals and room compress. This is what "glues" the tracks. If you're just running each track through the bus compressor individually you're basically just having an instance of that compressor on each track. So you wont be getting the "glue" effect of bus compression. So it wont actually sound the same.

 

I feel like logic would have to come up with some fancy computing to allow you to bus the tracks, compress them, then "unbus" them again. It would be a great feature though!

Here's an apple support article that illustrates the technique I mentioned:

 

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3650

 

J.

 

Hi jordito, I've been using the workaround you suggested and it works great. At this time it seems to be the only quick way of exporting the send effects along with all the other stems.

 

The only problem I can see is that once the send reverb or compression is bounced, you can't alter it any way. I'm thinking of an example where different kinds of instruments are sent to the same reverb buss. I guess you just have to make sure it's all good before bouncing!

 

Merry Christmas!

I worked it out I think:-

Send required tracks to a bus (this has your - group effects on it)

Now set the output for that bus to a new bus

Create a new audio track on arrange page and set the input to the new bus created above

Now real time record onto that new track - and hey presto - you capture the grouped tracks audio INCLUDING the group fx processing

LOGIC certainty makes things difficult at times

To answer the original question. If you like all the drum tracks to sum through a bus with compression, and then 'unbus' them without losing the 'glue' effect, you could record or bounce the summed track to a new track and use that track as sidechain to trigger individual compression on each snare, tom, cymbal, etc. Then the compression should act how it would on the summed tracks, and does so on every individual track. The glueing effect would be lost if you don't trigger the compressor with the summed mix, as Peter Project pointed out.

 

I never tried it and don't know if pre-compressed summing gives the same outcome as post-compressed summing, but I guess it's as close as you can get when 'unbussed' glueing compression is what you're really after. I would rather add the glue after al else is done, because everything you would do with the unbussed tracks would make your mix sound different than the side chain, so the compression would become inaccurate anyway.