Signal paths

From DNBWiki

[edit] Serial / Insert

Insert effects are placed directly in the audio path, in series with the original signal. Distortion, compression, eq and chorus are normally used as insert effects, although of course there are no rules and any effect can be used in either position, depending on artistic preference. Insert effects CHANGE the sound treated.

[edit] Parallel / Send

Send effects are when a portion of the sound being treated is sent to the effects unit in parallel with the original signal. Reverb and delay are commonly used in this way. They ADD something to the sound treated.

Send effects are also used when several channels all need varying amounts of the same effect. For example, to save processing power, you can use the same reverb on several different tracks, rather than using several reverbs, one per track. The amount of effect each track is given is determined by the auxillary send level.

A pure parallel signal path would be when a signal from a synth for example is split two or more ways and processed in different ways before being mixed back together. E.g.: Bass sound might be split two ways; one that isnt too distorted used for sublayering, and one that would be more distorted and processed used for higer frequencys.