Yeah it looks pretty good dude, as long as it works then sorted 
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I even imagine working with an analog summing or mixer and if you have to recall a song or you are just changing from one activity to another and you loose all the settings in the mixer!!
I own waves NLS. I found it easy to destroy a mix with this:grinning: It is easy to use too much and make a more mono, harsh, nasty mess. I typically use it for character on a channel. I never liked what it did as a summing solution.
Here is how I’ve solved the automation solution. It will sound complex but when I got used to it I’ve loved it. I use my Daw like a tape recorder to start. I have a template of tracks that I record onto. When it comes time to mix I send 64 tracks out to my console, I eq and compress as necessary and split into various auxes and parallel compression groups. From the console I have a second template inside my daw to collect the 80 tracks that come back out of my console. These 80 tracks that come back in are sent to 4 hardware groups from my Daw. Drums and bass, instruments, vocals and things that don’t need buss compression. These groups get recorded back into my daw as well.
If your still with me here is what you get. Depending on the automation fix you have a couple layers. Most fixes can happen on the 4 stereo stems. If I have to peel back one more layer I then need to send that group out for processing again. For the most part these subgroups hardware settings are fairly consistent or quick to recreate.
You said it Paul! Man, that would be a recipe for disaster for me. So many places along that chain where I could drop the ball! And believe you me, I am a world expert at ball-dropping! (Don’t try this at home, kids)
Jonathan, one question about rhe NLS.
In the busses you put an instance at last in the inserts. In the pre master it goes at first an than you can put a comp or eq after. Is it right?
About analog summing, instead of doing it in a console, doing in an analog summing box is the same result? I know that you can DIY, just Don,'t know the quality. For that you must be able to take the several outs from your DAW. I have a Saffire pro 24 and don’t have much outs, will have to expand it.
@eazanotti, I don’t see a reason to put on a pre-master (depending on the terminology your DAW uses). Just put it right on the master. The way I could see the NLS on a pre-master is if I was combining it with a REAL summing mixer, but that would be kind of crazy imo. So yeah, just stick it on the master 2 bus. It doesn’t matter which plugin slot its in. Works the same way either way. I typically put it first. Then might follow with a Massive Passive or a Pultec. Then hit the SSL or Red3 bus compressor then out.
When using a real summing mixer it’ll go as follows
Stem 1 - summing mixer
Stem 2 - summing mixer
Stem 3 - summing mixer etc…
Summing mixer -> Massive Passive
Massive Passive -> SSL Bus Comp
SSL Bus Comp -> Return to DAW (Print Track)
You can see where it differs a little from the way you’d hook a real summing mixer up. The signal flow isn’t the same. You could probably get a little closer by switching your DAW track insert slots to post-fader/post-pan if your DAW has the option.
Actually at this point, it would be helpful if you told me which DAWs you use.
…and one more thing, take a look at some videos on the way real summing mixers work. That might help make things make more sense.
Thanks a lot Jonathan for spending your time explaining.
I have Logic installed, but got more confortable with Protools.
I don’t think the results are the same. I really like using the Dangerous 2bus. Summing sounds different on different consoles as well. So it might not be as cut-and-dry as ITB vs hardware.
I would try and get at least 16 channels of analog i/o, in addition to what you need for your monitors. That way you can have 8 stereo stems.
Np… 
keep working with that NLS
Care to expand on that Andrew? The only consideration I can think of for analogue summing is that it fucks up your workflow. Real time bounce comes immediately to mind.
…curious to see if you drew the same conclusion I did about the workflow changes.
If i bought a mixer around 300 can i still push the faders up? How would i go about doing that? What benefits would i see workflow-wise and( hopefully ) quality-wise?
I already expanded immediately below the words you quoted with what I said here:
Real time bounce isn’t an issue with emulated analogue summing (which is what I use).
Yeah I read that, it’s about using plugins, but before that you said:
“My view is that analogue summing / modelled analogue summing is first and foremost a workflow consideration.”
I’m asking you how analogue summing is a workflow consideration.
I was talking about my personal viewpoint & experience… and I can’t speak for others, however…
Guys who grew up with analogue and have had that workflow for the past 20/30/40/50 years are used to it and thus it gets them the results they want quickly… many have said they can get good results with digital summing, but it takes them longer…hence workflow… I have heard this said in interviews over and over.
ahh the good old fashioned digital vs analog.
What is said above is the heart of all sound and music.
Digital vs Analog debate is a matter of preference and acquired taste. A generation that grew up only hearing analog, their nostalgia kicks in and at times those preferences are projected on to the newer generation they are close to. Me? I prefer analog sound as a result of growing up around it, having dad and his 7 brothers raving about how cool all the stuff is … having emotions and memories tied to it. There are plenty of examples today in modern day golden ears having no clear preference between digital and analog.
There are good songs in the digital world and good songs in the analog summed up world. In the end if you are hearing it on a stream, it is still sampled in the end.
So what would you say are the implications of this? Does this tell us anything important or noteworthy about the analog/digital juxtaposition?
in my opinion all it tells us that it is only a matter of preference - and preferences evolve with time.
amp type please
You mean in my old photo? That’s a Peavey Vypyr, 30W. It’s a “modeling amp”, with firmware built in that emulates a bunch of amps and effects. I use it only just to jam and practice anymore, I do all my recording via DI + plugins so that I can go back and adjust the amp settings as needed (and those adjustments are ALWAYS needed) without having to re-track the part. I do like the amp, lots and lots of different sounds and tones on it. Combined with my Variax modeling guitar, it opens up a huge range of space I wouldn’t be able to get at otherwise.
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Yeah, I gotta get into this vst thing, I can see that now. Glad you put the exclamation mark on this for me Dave. I very seldom get the sound I want out of that line 6 I have or the boss. You gotta admit tho, it’s fun to crank those amps up and play loud once in awhile. Or even better play with the ole band again. I get excited just thankin about it.