VBAP (development) is a clever way to address small numbers of sources being panned into larger number of destinations. I would propose implementing a version of VBAP that is many to many, not simply as a panner but as a re-assign tool. Multichannel tracks are often generated for predub/premix purposes, and need to be folded back into mixing and monitoring situations. Instead of bringing these entities into multiple strips, all that is generally required is a routing destination and per track trims. A simple GUI within the VBAP implementation could pop up a strip-centric matrix with static channel trims, allowing each channel of a multichannel audio track to be assigned to one, many, or none, with a single fader for overall level along with the mute.
Ardour seems open-minded to multichannel work, while MixBus strips these things out and hides them. Odd, since this concept of predubs/premixes has a lot of shared history with Harrison’s post consoles. With Ardour’s efficient DSP usage defaults and flexible multichannel concepts, it is well suited to support some of these post workflows better than other apps.
h
Ardour’s VBAP panner already support N:M manning, as long as M > N. So that should fit your bill. One main problem however is that automation is not currently implemented.
It also nicely exposes it as two controls: azimuth, width (and optionally height for 10 channel). – An explicit gain matrix would require significantly more control which would also vary when channels are added/removed.
It rather sounds you want a matrix mixer not a VBAP panner (which at most can assign a single signal to two others). Is that correct?
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PS. As far as I know Harrison MIxbus signal flow is and will remain stereo, and offers Atmos for surround panning. But that question is best asked to Harrison.
Yes, a mini-matrix is a better description, but ideally the GUI for this mythical beast would be within the right-click popup for the VBAP next to “bypass”, and provide static assignments and trims instead of panning assignments.
MixBus actually contains all the same multichannel functionality as Ardour, minus VBAP, except Ben has intentionally concealed things, having been consistently vocal about all things multichannel or post. I can save sessions or track-templates in Ardour and use them in MB and gain all the multichannel fun, except no good way to do this mini-matrix stuff shy of using loads of strips. Ardour is posed well to better support post-things but this little imaginary tool is a missing part.
h
Seeing as this requires a variable number of controls, it cannot be a Panner in Ardour. Ardour’s Pannable API has these 5 controls:
azimuth
elevation
width
front/back
LFE
This has the advantage that panners can be changed, without loosing information, and the information is equivalent, and can also be represented as X, Y, Z, size.
The current internal structure does not lend itself your proposal.
I expect that in your case bypassing the Panner and using a plugin is likely preferable, since you may also want to add a time-delay.
Well, not just Ben, the entire Mixbus team. The decision there was to focus exclusively on a stereo only workflow (but not break too many other things from Ardour).