Separate bus for ALL instruments but still have a master bus?

[Pathfinder]

OK. I sure hope I can ask this correctly.

Watched a  video and cannot find it now but also nothing was explained real well (for me anyway)

Guy had all the expected band instruments (ALL) going to their own individual busses and and also a common bus  (say, all instrument bus) so while working on, say, vocals he could (QUICKLY) change volume, eq, whatever of the instruments all at once and NOT effect the vocals. Am I making sense? 
I would like to be able to do that ( not just because of the vocals) but I don't see how without having to go to each instrument and mute the master send in each one at a time. I need the master active of course to work on the vocals (or would I also give the vocals another separate bus??????. There actually are a couple of reasons I would like to learn how to do this. 
The only thing I see is to have the special ALL instrument bus have a send to the master bus so when I get down to mastering the hole project the instruments will feed the master and I would then turn off (mute)  the ALL  instrument common bus. OK I am confusing myself now.

Does this ring a bell for anyone? This may be a common "trick?" studios use I don't know.

Bottom line: Does anyone else do this or is this something that is not worth the hassle?  Of course I could just be crazy!

Thanks
 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Pathfinder

[OutrageProductions]

Let's say you have respective instruments bussed to groups like Keys, Drums, Bass, Percussion, Guitars, Vocals, etc. (ad nauseum) in the Master section.

They (except Vocals for example) are then assigned to output to a "Band" bus fader, which then goes to the "Master".

The Vocal group (bus) goes direct to the "Master".
When you mute or dim JUST the "Band" group fader, this will achieve what you're describing. You could also dim solo the "Vocal" group and get a similar effect.

Edited December 15, 2023 by OutrageProductions
emphasis added

[Glenn Stanton]

my mix template has individual tracks going to the instrument sub-mix busses, those feed stem busses and those feed the master and print busses for outputs. buss effects for each type go to the same stem, top level buss effects go to the master (like room and other ambience effects).

DAW template - 02 - mix.svg

[HOOK]

Yeah....my brain can't mx without channels feeding busses...and those busses often feeding other busses.

I can't sleep at night if a track is routed straight to the master bus.  🤣

 

One of the things that keeps me on Cakewalk is the mixer view that allows me to keep busses on top and visible at all times.  I don't like busses floating all over my mixer.  

 

[Glenn Stanton]

1 hour ago, HOOK said:

I can't sleep at night if a track is routed straight to the master bus.  🤣

me too! that's why i use a template which condenses things down to a handful of busses to automate for the complete mix or export as stems when needed  😛

then for managing it - i flip quickly (in a single monitor scenario) using the custom workspaces to expose or hide console view of tracks or busses (although the "mix" workspace has both and i can simply slide the busses to the side or press D to go to the overall view).

Edited December 15, 2023 by Glenn Stanton

[John Vere]

This video explains how I set up buses