Group Problem Mono/Stereo Plugin Bypass

[Tweakhead]

I only just rediscovered this bug while trying to test the new version for CPU efficiency by quickly A-B'ing between various console channelstrip plugins. The bug actually goes way back thru the various Pro Tools versions in history. It's been reported before, and really needs addressing.

Steps To Reproduce:
1. Create several mono audio tracks
2. Create several stereo audio tracks
3. Create a 5.1 audio track
4. Highlight all tracks, hold Option, and put a multi-mono Trim plugin on all tracks. (actually any plugin works)
5. Create a new group called "All Audio", in the Create Group properties uncheck "Follow Globals", and under Attributes only check Insert a > "Bypass". click OK.
6. Command+Click on any of the plugins to bypass it.

Notice that only the same channel-width tracks actually get bypassed, depending on which one you actually command+clicked on ? . . . even though all tracks are part of the same group. It happens with plugin controls too.

Any combination of mono or stereo effects sends across these same tracks will group perfectly using this same non-global grouping - allowing mutes and send-levels to be changed together - so it makes no sense to not allow something as simple as insert "Bypass" to work as a group.

I can see it might potentially cause problems with "Controls" since sometimes mono vs multichannel plugins can have slightly different control parameters, but not "Bypass".

So Avid, can this please be addressed with a fix ?
or can someone explain a logical reason why it behaves this way ?

[Gregor B.]

What Tweakhead is pointing to here is actually a major issue. Lots of mixers both music and film have talked to me about this and it's gotten even bigger since Dolby Atmos.

Here's why:

When mixing for lower formats such as stereo or 5.1, EQ'ing or any other processing for multiple tracks is usually achieved by routing all sources into an aux and EQ'ing on the aux. This is easy because the summing happens within Pro Tools.

When mixing for Dolby Atmos, the summing largely doesn't happen within Pro Tools but an RMU or renderer. Signals, in the shape of objects and beds have to be output separately. But this doesn't keep mixers from wanting to control and EQ these sources as a uniform mass at times. Here the grouping of plugins would be the ideal solution:

- Insert a multi-mono instance of an EQ on every single track you want to process in unison (multichannel wouldn't work for a number of reasons)
- Create a group for the tracks and enable grouping for the appropriate insert slot
- Now tweak one of the EQs and notice that only tracks with the same channel order will follow

This is deeply problematic because there's usually a large variety of track channel orders within the session and you definitely want to be able to EQ them together (e.g. a music bed and the music stereo/mono objects). At least if all 'Master Link Buttons' of multi-mono plugins are enabled - as is the case in all of my sessions - the linking should be no problem. Because every single mono channel of every single track, regardless of channel order, would simple follow the same information.

I understand that it gets messier when the 'Master Link Button' is unticked, but well, in this scenario the grouping logic can simply revert to how it is now.

Any chance this could be addressed?

Best,
Gregor

[Rich Breen]

Yes, been that way since forever, and yes, it's a pain point.

[Coconut_Head]

How is this not fixed yet in 2024???