Craig Anderton
Well-known member
(Note: Anything titled “Craig’s Tip” would have appeared in the PreSonus Blog if I was still posting there. These new tips will be included in future updates of The Huge Book of Studio One Tips and Tricks.)
In March 2020, Pro Tools introduced Routing Folders, a feature that was rightfully promoted as a workflow gamechanger for the program. A Routing Folder is a single object that behaves like a hybrid between a Folder Track (for visual organization) and an Aux Track (for audio processing, routing, and summing). Basically, it’s a folder that passes audio. Many Pro Tools users reference Routing Folders as a favorite Pro Tools feature.
What some people may not know is that Studio One has had the same functionality since version 3, which was introduced in May 2015. Those switching to Studio One from Pro Tools may not realize this, because the feature works a little differently compared to Pro Tools. Let’s clear up any confusion, and show how Studio One not only implements Routing Folder functionality, but enhances it.
How Studio One Does It
Studio One combines two features for routing folder functionality. A Folder Track provides the needed visual organization, but doesn’t pass audio on its own. However, Bus channels, which do summing and accommodate processing, can pass audio.
Combining the two, by linking a Folder Track to a Bus Channel, creates the equivalent of a Routing Folder. The Folder Track becomes both a visual container and a summing/processing point. Here’s how to do it:
1. Create a Folder Track. Put your various drum, vocal, or whatever tracks inside it.
2. Click on the Folder Track’s Bus Channel field, and select Add Bus Channel (fig. 1).
Figure 1: How to link a Bus Channel to a Folder Track.
3. Studio One automatically creates a bus, routes all tracks in the folder to that bus, and links the Bus fader to the Folder Track’s fader.
That’s all there is to it! But there are a few details that can enhance the workflow in some situations:
In March 2020, Pro Tools introduced Routing Folders, a feature that was rightfully promoted as a workflow gamechanger for the program. A Routing Folder is a single object that behaves like a hybrid between a Folder Track (for visual organization) and an Aux Track (for audio processing, routing, and summing). Basically, it’s a folder that passes audio. Many Pro Tools users reference Routing Folders as a favorite Pro Tools feature.
What some people may not know is that Studio One has had the same functionality since version 3, which was introduced in May 2015. Those switching to Studio One from Pro Tools may not realize this, because the feature works a little differently compared to Pro Tools. Let’s clear up any confusion, and show how Studio One not only implements Routing Folder functionality, but enhances it.
How Studio One Does It
Studio One combines two features for routing folder functionality. A Folder Track provides the needed visual organization, but doesn’t pass audio on its own. However, Bus channels, which do summing and accommodate processing, can pass audio.
Combining the two, by linking a Folder Track to a Bus Channel, creates the equivalent of a Routing Folder. The Folder Track becomes both a visual container and a summing/processing point. Here’s how to do it:
1. Create a Folder Track. Put your various drum, vocal, or whatever tracks inside it.
2. Click on the Folder Track’s Bus Channel field, and select Add Bus Channel (fig. 1).
Figure 1: How to link a Bus Channel to a Folder Track.
3. Studio One automatically creates a bus, routes all tracks in the folder to that bus, and links the Bus fader to the Folder Track’s fader.
That’s all there is to it! But there are a few details that can enhance the workflow in some situations:
- In Step 2, if a Bus already exists that you want to use, choose that bus instead of adding a new one.
- You can link to a VCA Channel instead of a Bus. Changing the VCA (or Folder Track’s fader) changes the level of the Folder Track and all tracks nested inside it, because those tracks are under VCA control. Optionally, you can de-assign individual tracks from VCA control.
- When configured as above, the VCA Channel won’t change the level of Folder Tracks nested within the main Folder Track (or tracks within the nested Folder Track). To change this behavior, assign the nested Folder Track’s Bus Channel Field to the same VCA Channel.
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