Roland VS-CDRII User Manual download pdf (Page 14)

Beginner recording enthusiasts are often confused by the concept of how the

signal being input to the mixer or recording device gets through the console to

its final destination. A very important aspect of signal flow is the concept of

the Bus. Simply put, a bus is just a pathway for the signal to follow; from an

input to a track, from a track to a track, from a track or input to an effects

processor, etc.

When “bussing” signals from one place to another, your signals are passing

through a type of “routing matrix.” A routing matrix is just another name for

a summing amplifier; an amplifier used to combine multiple signals while

keeping their respective volume levels and pan positions. A good analogy for

record busses is the way you control the water in your house. The water

usually enters your house at a single location (barring any natural disasters

such as floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, etc). It is then routed through a series of

pipes to different locations in your house. The path that the water follows is

determined by which faucets you turn on or off.

It is common for most mixers to have “stereo busses” which direct your signal

to one or two locations. For example, record busses are usually setup in pairs

such as tracks 1 and 2 (or A and B), tracks 3 and 4, C and D, etc. The amount

of signal sent to each side of the stereo bus is controlled by the pan position. If

you assign a signal to the record bus for tracks 1 and 2 and pan that signal all

the way to the left, all of the signal will be recorded on track 1 and none of

the signal will be recorded on track 2. Setting the pan all the way to the right

would have the opposite effect. If you set the pan position to the center, the

signal will be recorded equally on tracks 1 and 2. Just think of a stereo bus

like a two-lane highway. The pan knob is your steering wheel and it controls

which lane you drive in.

13The Basics of Modern Recording

Bussing

Stereo Bus

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Roland VS-CDRII User Manual Page 14