One of These Wastes Your CPU

When you want to add an effect, you have two choices: put it directly on the track (Insert) or send the signal to a separate track (Send/Return). Choosing the wrong one is the hallmark of amateur mixing.

Inserts: The "Changer"

An Insert changes the entire signal. 100% of the sound goes through the effect.

• Use for: EQ, Compression, Saturation, Gate.
• Why: You want to sculpt the sound itself. You don't want to hear the "uncompressed" vocal alongside the compressed one.

Sends: The "Adder"

A Send takes a copy of the signal and sends it elsewhere, leaving the original untouched.

• Use for: Reverb, Delay, Parallel Compression.
• Why:
  1. Cohesion: Sending 5 different instruments to the same Reverb Bus makes them sound like they are in the same room.
  2. CPU: Running 1 reverb plugin is better than running 20.
  3. Control: You can EQ the reverb separately from the dry vocal (e.g. cutting mud from the reverb only).