In Montage, I had always used plug in on the tracks in Wavelab. I recently was introduced to the concept of using clips and adding effects there instead of on the track. The advantage was you could put all your songs on a single track with different effects for each clip. However when you put each track in Montage on another track you have your separate mute solo. Are they times when one is better than the other for certain situations?
I almost never use the Track Effects insert slot. I always use Clip Effects for dialing in certain FX for each song independently, and then I use the Montage Output Effects (different than the global master section) for things that I want to be applied to all the songs equally such as the very final limiter and dither.
Sometimes a compressor or tape simulator also working in the Montage Output Effects section if all the songs need the exact same setting but often things like EQ, compression, and saturation are done on a song by song basis at the Clip Effects level.
My normal EP and album montages contain just two audio tracks and I stagger every other song on audio track 1, track 2, track 1, track 2 etc…
I also don’t ever use the Global Master Section because I like for all my effects to be automatically saved and restored within the montage and not as a separate save/load action which leaves room for user error, especially with my brain.
I don’t think that one is better than another, it’s all about your workflow. I do think that some people confuse Track Effects with CD Track and not montage/audio tracks.
Every now and then I find a case to use Track Effects but 99% of the time, Clip Effects and Montage Output Effects do the job for me.
I use clip FX on most things… occasionally I’ll use track effects, but not very often. Track effects are sometimes used if I’m trying to create an artificial fade from reverb being cut off too early, etc. I can put a bunch of clips on a track, and use a track reverb. The montage master is useful to have, although I don’t use it very often because I prefer to customize all effects on a per-song/clip basis.
I use the master section constantly… along with the input plugin so I can monitor incoming audio and adjust effects in the master section. When I’m satisfied, I capture/record the track into the montage, and then drag the effects from the master section into the clip section for the new clip.
I guess every type of effect has it’s place. Wavelab is so versatile in that regard…