Look up the manual for any recent Mackie mixer and look at the signal flow diagram. This will help you understand what a bus is conceptually. Verbal descriptions can only go so far. The various descriptions above are helpful, but getting a graphic depiction might be what you need to grasp the concept fully. Even better would be to experiment with a real hardware mixer and some signals and outboard processing gear.

Here's one that has some onboard effects

http://mackie.com/sites/default/files/PRODUCT%20RESOURCES/MANUALS/Owners_Manuals/ProFX8v2_12v2_16v2_22v2_30v2_OM.pdf

Last edited by rockstar_not; 11/28/16 03:07 AM.