Groups

Essentials

What you'll learn

Why Use Groups?

Groups are essential for efficient mixing workflows:

Shared effects	Add the same effect to multiple tracks (e.g., reverb on all vocals).
Volume control	Control the overall volume of multiple sounds together.
Processing efficiency	Apply compression or EQ to multiple tracks simultaneously.
Organization	Keep related tracks grouped together for easier management.

Controls

Groups contain almost the same modules as regular mixer channels, except for gain:

FX Insert	Custom effects processing slot via the Stagebox (see Stagebox).
Compressor	Same compression controls as regular channels for dynamic control of grouped tracks (see Compressor).
Equalizer (EQ)	Same 4-band EQ for frequency shaping of the grouped signal (see Equalizer (EQ)).
FX Sends	Built-in reverb and delay, plus custom effects via Stagebox (see FX Sends).
Volume & Pan	Master volume and pan control for all tracks in the group (see Volume & Pan).

Grouping

Select multiple mixer channels by holding Shift and clicking on mixer headers.
Press Cmd+G (Mac) or Ctrl+G (Windows/Linux) to create the group.
The group channel will appear with all selected channels routed to it.

Ungrouping

Select the group channel you want to ungroup by clicking on the group header.
Press Shift+Cmd+G (Mac) or Shift+Ctrl+G (Windows/Linux) to ungroup.
The group channel will be removed and all channels will return to their individual state.

Nesting

Groups can be nested inside other groups, creating hierarchical structures for complex mixing workflows.

You can nest groups in two ways:

Using the grouping method: Select multiple channels or existing groups, then press Cmd+G (Mac) or Ctrl+G (Windows/Linux) to create a new group containing them.
By dragging: Drag channels or groups in the mixer to move them into or out of existing groups.

Nested groups allow you to apply mixing processing at multiple levels. For example, apply compression to all drums as a group, then apply additional processing to the entire drum group along with other instruments for overall balance and cohesion.

Examples

Drums

Group all drum tracks together for:

Compression	Apply bus compression to glue the drum kit together.
EQ	Shape the overall drum sound with group EQ.
Effects	Add room reverb or parallel compression via the insert point.

Vocals

Group vocal tracks for:

Compression	Apply consistent vocal compression across all vocal parts.
Effects	Add shared reverb or delay to create vocal space.
Volume	Control overall vocal level in the mix.

Instruments

Group similar instruments for:

Processing	Apply the same EQ or compression to multiple instruments.
Effects	Add shared effects like chorus or reverb.
Balance	Control the overall level of instrument groups.

Practical Tips

Use groups for drums, vocals, or instruments that need shared processing.
Apply bus compression to groups to glue similar elements together.
Use the group insert point for parallel processing effects.
Keep group levels balanced before applying group processing.
Consider using groups for stereo width and spatial effects.