Any way to "create" extra Aux Sends?

[JLepore]

The only time I usually use stereo INPUTS to effects are when coming from subgroups (which you don't support anyway). I can easily use up more than 6 effects sends on larger shows. I never mix instruments types in my reverbs. Horns, keys, drums, perc, etc. all get their own. Most consoles have 8, 16, or 24 sends these days.

[gdougherty]

In those cases I'd tend to subgroup and insert the effect on that where static effects make sense. I'd use the auxes then for vocal effects or things I want to continuously vary through the show.

[JLepore]

In those cases I'd tend to subgroup and insert the effect on that where static effects make sense. I'd use the auxes then for vocal effects or things I want to continuously vary through the show.

Unfortunately, that doesn't work when you want the levels to be different between instruments going to the group. Different horns will get different amounts of verb, just as different drums would get different amounds of verb.

I do insert other things, such as comps, etc. directly on the groups.

[RBIngraham]

I guess I don't see this as a huge deal. Yes, it would be nice to have more than 6 aux send/returns. And the fact that they are stereo while useless most days can be useful once in a while. I make use of the stereo aspect anyway, although not for a send to an effect.

In the end you can use multiple monitor consoles worth of aux sends and returns and have A LOT (I am not actually going to pull a Donnie and start counting 6 aux sends x 25 mixers, because that would be ridiculous first of all and your CPU would probably crap out with that many verb or delay plugs running anyway...) effects you could control.

For now if you need to control those feeds from the FOH mixer you can just double the input to an unused channel and have one be the dry and the other be the wet.

If the Latch Outputs across multiple consoles feature is released then you could also Latch a FOH Output to an Output in a monitor console and you could use that similar to a return control level without ever having to leave the FOH mixer.

Or you if comfortable with F Keys (as I usually am) you just hit and F-Key, got to the monitor console and set your verb levels. If you have a control surface they can be used similar to a sends on fader type feature.

Basically the way I see it is... yes there are things I'd love to see improved in SAC, although there are several others I think are far more important than this, obviously it's personal what would be a priority. But there are plenty of limiting factors in every console I've used just about. It's rare that I don't have to think of some work around at some point in just about every show I design. So sure maybe I would have more aux sends and some consoles even allow for user assignable numbers of sends depending on DSP, but there are usually other things missing in those products as well. Just different things.

[gdougherty]

Unfortunately, that doesn't work when you want the levels to be different between instruments going to the group. Different horns will get different amounts of verb, just as different drums would get different amounds of verb.

I do insert other things, such as comps, etc. directly on the groups.

I guess I just don't go to quite as much effort. I've got 6 effects on my Beach Boys gig and 5 of those are for vocals (I keep 3 different verbs on hand for easy switching between songs without worrying about scenes.) The remaining one is for drums and they all get the same space. My standard layout is vox verb, vox delay, a generic instrument verb and a drum verb. I could do more, but I'm usually worried about other aspects of the mix. Most of what I do doesn't warrant more effort though.

[dbarrow]

I guess I just don't go to quite as much effort. I've got 6 effects on my Beach Boys gig and 5 of those are for vocals (I keep 3 different verbs on hand for easy switching between songs without worrying about scenes.) The remaining one is for drums and they all get the same space. My standard layout is vox verb, vox delay, a generic instrument verb and a drum verb. I could do more, but I'm usually worried about other aspects of the mix. Most of what I do doesn't warrant more effort though.

I concur. Anything beyond the six auxes, I would "solve" with the additional mixers, having copied channels going to a sub with the extra effect, or putting individual effects on channels. I would like to hear a mix that had tons of extra effects, just to hear what I am missing. Beyond a certain level of complexity, it seems like you would have to manage all this with scenes vs. dynamically tweaking so many parameters on multiple channels during a song.

There was a guy in the SAW forum that wanted 500+ stereo track, etc. I would also like to hear one of those mixes. I am not discounting the possibilities. I would just like to hear examples that are so far outside my current experience. If it is a huge improvement, I want to try it myself...

[JLepore]

Here's one with 7. Bonus points to anyone that can figure out all 7.

Since it's from camera audio, it might be a heck of a trick, though I have to say, I was impressed when I heard it. Realized the guy must have been standing 20 feet away from me - Wished I threw him a line from the board, but it was a really good reality check!

http://youtu.be/AVP2WyCI-P8

An alternate from the same show: http://youtu.be/ub7QCxWYKmg

[Larry Burger]

Jeff,
CGRAFX has the link to the Buss extender.
You are correct it is for S.A.W. but it will work in S.A.C..
Everyone seems to direct you to good solutions but if your sound person feels she wants more that would provide 8 more.
There is a little work to make it...
If you install and change the name to sac from sawstudio there will be a message stating the native data file is not there.
It will place the bussfader.dll in the SAC native directory.
You will need to open SAC_FX_Native file in notepad and place bussfader.dll on its own line.
You MUST hit return before you save.
And you can place the plugin on a channel pre or post but on the channel you return to must be set FX Src on the input at the top.
So a little work for what the other options are...

Hope it helps...

[Donnie Frank]

Here's one with 7. Bonus points to anyone that can figure out all 7.

Since it's from camera audio, it might be a heck of a trick, though I have to say, I was impressed when I heard it. Realized the guy must have been standing 20 feet away from me - Wished I threw him a line from the board, but it was a really good reality check!

http://youtu.be/AVP2WyCI-P8

An alternate from the same show: http://youtu.be/ub7QCxWYKmg

I love these guys...good music...great gimmick. By all logic, the drummer should be playing keyboards with his feet...just sayin'...<;^)

Edit: I realize the 4 kick drums is just a gimmick. But I see that they're all mic'ed up. Did you just take the best of the 4? Or maybe biased the best of the 4? Or bias the drummer's kick? Seems having all 4 open and equal might be a recipe for disaster. If I were in a band like that, I would have all the peripheral "bass drummers" queue off the "lead kick," which would naturally be the drummer. Is this what they did?

[Donnie Frank]

In a pinch I bag the Aux send and plug the effect directly into the channel that needs it. Naturally there are many caveats to this method. But in some instances it works...like static reverb on acoustic guitar or saxophone or a dedicated harmonica mic, for instance. This would free up Aux sends for other things. Other than the obvious caveats, is there a reason this wouldn't work?