Is there a way to solo and Only hear the effect returns? When you solo the effect channel, you hear all of the dry tracks that are being sent to it along with it. I know you can make everything pre fader, but that isn’t practical when scrolling through 100 tracks to switch them just to solo the effects return. Is there any other way to do that?
In Cubase Pro there is the Control Room. Using it allows to use the Listen functionality. This is exactly what you ask for.
Thank you so much! How would I go about setting that up?
Go to Audio Connections (F4 is the default key command).
Go to the Control Room tab and enable it.
Choose the audio device and outputs to your monitors. This will remove them from the Outputs tab but this is normal.
I like using the Control Room in the right zone.
In the MixConsole or Inspector, you should now be able to click the L button for “listen” which sends the isolated signal straight to the control room. This is how you would hear the effect return without the dry signal. You can add more signals if you like.
Just a tip that this bypasses the Stereo Out channel so if you have insert effects on the Stereo Out, it will not be included in the signal.
And this is probably a Cubase Pro feature only so if you use any of the other ones then you might not be able to use the Control room.
Thanks for the reply! I see the “L” button in Control Room on the right side, and I hit it, but it doesn’t seem to be soling the effects return only. I still hear all of the other dry tracks. I must be missing something.. All of my tracks are running into a group channel which then feeds another group channel which goes to my main outs. I don’t know if that changes anything or not?
No, the L button in the Control Room makes the listen bus active. Keep that on.
You want to click L in the MixConsole for that specific channel. For example, your FX channel.
Ohhhhhh, wait, is the “L” button on the bottom of each track in the Mix Console?? I was hitting the solo button and thinking that would do it. I just quit Cubase, but I assume that’s how that works with the L button at the bottom of each track?
EDIT: I see the L button now. It’s right below the Mute button. My bad! I’m gonna try this out tomorrow! Thanks!
Yes that is the one. That sends the signal straight to the control room. The group channels will be bypassed so keep that in mind because depending what inserts you have on those group channels, it may sound a bit different.
Got ya! So, since my whole mix is going to a Group Channel (2 BUS) and has processing on it, I won’t hear any of that in listen since it will just go right to the Stereo Out? Is that the idea?
Yes, but it also bypasses the Stereo Out and goes directly to the Control Room. You can also add insert effects in the Control Room. I guess you’ll need to play around with it to understand.