Pro Tools 101_ An Introduction to Pro Tools 11 ( PDFDrive )

To route a send to an external device, choose INTERFACE from the Send
selector and select the appropriate output(s) on your audio interface. Connect
these outputs to the external device and return the processed signal from the
device to available inputs on your audio interface. This signal is the return,
which then must be routed to the Audio Input of an Auxiliary Input track.
To route a send to an internal processor, such as a plug-in on an Auxiliary
Input, choose BUS from the Send selector and select the appropriate bus for
routing the signal. Busses can also be used to create sub-mixes that are
returned via an Auxiliary Input.
Basic Automation
For a very simple mix, you can probably set your Track Volume Faders, Pan
Sliders, and other controls and leave them unchanged from the start of the
mix to the end. Most mixes are more complex, though, and require dynamic
changes during the course of playback. Pro Tools allows you to record and
edit these changes, automating various controls on your tracks. The
automatable controls include volume, pan, mute, and real-time plug-in
controls, depending on the track type.
Tracks in Pro Tools use automation modes to determine how automation is
used on the track. You can set the automation mode for each track
independently using a pop-up menu. The following sections discuss three of
these modes, Write, Read, and Off, to illustrate the basic automation
functions that Pro Tools offers.
Recording Automation (Write Mode)
By setting automation on a track to Write mode, you can record the changes
you make to the controls on the track in real time. The basic steps for
recording automation in Write mode are as follows:
1. Enable the automation type that you want to record, such as volume or
pan, as follows:
a. Choose WINDOW > AUTOMATION. The Automation window will open.
b. Verify that the desired automation type is write-enabled (armed) for the
session. Most automatable controls are armed by default.
c. If needed, click on an automation type to toggle its state (armed versus
suspended).