In Cubase LE I have the option of adding effects in the inserts slots or the effects slots. They don't seem to react any differently when I add effects to any track but there has to be some kind of difference. It might help if I knew what the difference between the two are.

I pretty much just use the effects slots (aux sends) when I want to use the same effect with the same settings on multiple tracks. It saves some cpu power.

Is there any benefits or special functions to use with the inserts?

You mix wet and dry signal a little differently than if you just use the insert, there's a pre/post fader switch, and usually a panning control.

Cool. Thank you.

just my preference/opinion, tho. I'm sure lots of people would encourage using fx sends as opposed to inserts for various reasons. However, in the digital age, it really can be done either way since you can have virtually unlimited fx.

Hi Skitzo,

Sorry I was mean on my last post to you -

Anyway, (now that we are all friends again), for example, if you insert an effect or processor into a track the whole signal is affected - IF you patch in a 'send' you can control the amount of the signal you want to be affected. This is then mixed back in with the remaining unaffected signal.

In Cubase LE in the window where you can see your inserts/sends/EQ for a particular track there is a little blue square (line) underneath the name of each send effect you patch in. You need to move the blue square/line to the right to increase the amount of affected (wet) signal. If you're send was set to 100% wet (the blue line fully over to the right) then I guess that that would be the same as using the effect as a channel insert.

People (usually) for example, use reverb as a send and compression as a channel insert - Generally, if you are compressing a signal you want to compress the whole thing. EQ might be another example of an insert as it is likely that you want to EQ the entire signal.

Hope this helps -

Regards,

Nelly

I just re-read your initial post - is there no difference at all to the sound when you insert or send effects? or is it that there is no difference between inserting and sending effects?

If it is the first you need to make sure that the effect is switched on - In the window where you 'plug-in' your effects, next to the effect name there are two buttons - one of them says 'e' for edit (you can change the presets and parameters of the effect you are using) and the other is the on switch - blue when activated -

As far as mixing wet and dry signal (for example with reverb), many plugins have a mix knob built in, so using them as inserts will still allow you to control how much of the signal is affected.
With built in mix knobs, you'll have to pay attention when you use the plugin on an aux send. Make sure the mix knob is turned to 100% wet, so the mix control is left to the send and return levels.

Thanks for the help. I think that I pretty much understand the differences now.