I’ve been experimenting with having my tracks send to a group and/or a fx track. I’m trying to figure out what the ‘FX’ track does that a ‘Group’ track doesn’t. Whether it’s reverb, delay…etc…etc…the group track seems to do all the ‘FX’ that a ‘FX’ track does…unless I’m missing something.
Thoughts?
yes I’d say you are missing something 
Group is for putting several tracks into 1 track, and you can put all the same processing on that total signal
Fx track is for sending different volumes of the same fx to many tracks. This way you only have to use 1 reverb (or other fx) instead of applying it to several channels, and it gives you more control of how much fx you want on each track
They’re exactly the same technically, they are just “different” tracks to help you stay organized. Groups are for bussing tracks together. FX are for sending tracks to FX. You might send a group to FX. Sometimes I have FX on a group, sometimes I sum certain tracks into an FX. There’s no rules. Just different track colours.
ANd I think the ‘add tracks to group channel’ and ‘add tracks to FX’ hotkey functions maybe operate differntly cant remember.
Only if you are using Cubase Pro. In the other versions, FX tracks have some routing limitations.
classification group track vs. effects track makes perfect sense - it is also a better overview in the mix console with hiding and sort channel classes. This is especially great for very large projects.
Plus using FX tracks with track sends instead of placing separate inserts on every single track saves you tons of CPU power!
Since that can be achieved in the same or better way with groups, it´s not really a benefit for Fx channels over groups
Yeah, I noticed that right away. 
I was wondering that. I can totally see the different names being there to keep organized.
I do have a question about Group/FX tracks though if someone could be so kind.
Why does the volume go up when I send any track to the group/fx track?
The ‘Gain’ is set at 0, so where is the extra volume coming from?
This happens even when I remove the effect in the ‘insert’. The group/fx track seems to automatically add volume to the track.
Thanks.
I have noticed this too, and then my carefully gain-staged track seem to have too much signal after recording and when play-back the fader is near the bottom! Wondering if I am still not doing something right?
One other question - isn’t the wed/dry mix unique to FX? whereas with the group track is always 100% sent?
By default, when using the ‘add group to’ or ‘add fx to’ functions, yes. That’s because the default functions for ‘add group to’ assigns the output of the tracks to the group. ‘Add FX to’ assigns the sends of the tracks to the fx.
Not sure what the other stuff is you’re talking about.
Are you talking about pre/post fader parameter for the sends? if post-fader then the fader level of the track being sent to the FX, will reduce the level of the send. if the send is pre-fader, then the fader of the track being sent won’t affect the send level.
So it’s likely by default, you are pre-fader, thus the level being sent to the effect is at full volume regardless of being at 0. 0 just means no addition boost or cut gain. Either switch to post-fader, or match the send level to that of the tracks fader level.
Correct. You also have control over how much signal the FX track gets and how much FX is added to the mix by adjusting the fader on it. Its based on the hardware send and return on a mixer. It gives one a lot of control.
So as JohnfromSonar confirmed the very important differences in FX tracks vs Group tracks - is the ability to adjust the wet/dry mix ratio of the signal sent to FX processing? Whereas, with the group track is always 100% sent. Group tracks allow you to save CPU by combining tracks and using a single instance of plugins, AND allowing you to have submixes and “glue” those submixes together
You can send to groups as well. but by default they are routed differently. Just as I’ve already said, exactly as I’ve said.
When groups are added to tracks, outputs of the tracks are assigned. That is, the direct post-fader post-everything %100 DryOutput of the track.
You could create a group track by itself however, and use the FX sends to it.
When FX tracks are added to tracks, the sends will by default be connected instead of the direct output of the tracks. You can also however, set the direct output of your tracks directly to the sends.
Thank you for saying that again - and a little bit differently, I get it “better now”, did not understand at all the first time, I’ll read it again tomorrow too.
made a typo, meant to say FX tracks, not sends
Just as a side note.
When you send a signal you ADD signal ( the track from where you SEND, is still routed to its output unaffected)
So you SEND and therefore ADD signal and it gets louder. It is not acting as a splitter that takes a portion of the original signal.
Sorry if that is obvious.
Well to a novice as myself, this was not obvious. So why is the signal louder on playback? not the same thing as a “routed” signal. When I setup mics for recording i set to meter inputs, when I play back i set meters post faders. whereupon i have to turn the faders very low to keep gain staged, i can take the faders to zero and there is no signal, but that small amount of fader movements makes changes VERY difficult.
Then you are probably recording too loud.
Somewhere in the -12dB to -18dB Range I find to give me the best headroom and fader positions.
You can of cause use the volume in the PRE of the Cubase channel to gain stage that, or simply Normalize the audio files to a more manageable level. There are other options, but you get the meaning.
SENDS: if you Send a signal to a fx channel and keep everything at 0dB without any plugins in the fx channel, your signal
Should be double of the original signal/channel.