Hello and welcome.

Reverbs, delays, fx that you want more than one track to share. Yes, bus them. You'll save a ton of processing power.

Compressors, gates, things that are particular to only that track use the inserts.

If only one track needs a delay, it probably won't matter too much whether you bus it or insert it. So think of the buses as a way to get signals from many tracks into one effect. It's efficient, easier on the processor, and easier to keep your session in order. A win win all around.

The manual for whatever recording equipment you're using will have details on how to use them, and some of the better ones will have diagrams as well.

Brilliant. That was pretty much my logical thought when I was told I just wanted someone to confirm it (I'm an IT Technician by nature). However the guy who mentioned it to me said it had other advantages but if it's just mainly processing power and being logical then. Perhaps he didn't know as much as he thought. Ah well.

Thanks for clearing that one up for me :)

There are group fx buses but there is also parallel processing. Parallel processing allows you through autmation or riding faders to mix varying amounts of an individual fx into the final output

Gotcha! More useful info. I like this place. Thanks :D

There are indeed other advantages, he was right. Putting tracks on a send basis to FX buses means the original signal and transients remain totally clear and dependent on the quality of the send effects, the effects then combine in phase via the busing rather than internally to some $2 processor chip.

I always say this but its very very interesting to take a guitar delay setup (where the send signal is usually "bused" back to the single speaker array) and send the sidechain to another amp entirely. The quality difference is really something. This is part of the reason the TC2290 is still a $1100 delay unit - it kept the original signal totally pure where others recombined internally. As ever, the processor, component and therefore consumer cost are always much more when its done right.

That's a really interesting thought.......... I never thought of looking at things that way. I think it's time for a bit of experimentation! :)

Thanks for your input. I'll have a look at things from that perspective.

I'll be summing up what others have said, and tilting it towards my DAW (Cubase/Nuendo).
This is how I use them, and as always, YMMV:

1. Group/Aux Channels - send multiple tracks of the same instrument, or sets of vocals. Easy to control/automate volume, effects like reverb/comp.
In Cubase/Nuendo, you choose this "Group" instead of the standard stereo out bus.

2. FX/Sends - useful for specific effects on more than on track, especially when wanting to blend original + processed... or parallel processing.
This works great w/ compression, especially on drums.

3. Inserts - track-specific needs, like de-essing, EQ, comp. I only add 'verb and delay if the bused group doesn't need it (drums), or it can't be achieved via an FX/Send.

Hope that helps.

Always nice to have "The bullet point guy" sum things up and make it more clear. Thank you. I think that's a wise approach. Everything I have been told in this thread is very interesting and helpful so, thanks a lot to all of you.