What are VCA faders?

While many people may be familiar with Group Channels (where audio from other channels can be routed for further processing or level control), VCA Fader Channels can appear odd. VCA Faders are control elements – the audio doesn’t pass through them – so it’s like having extra fingers for moving faders. If you have a great mix, say, and want to make all vocal elements louder, you could adjust each vocal track level individually (slow) or use the Channel Link function (fiddly to make adjustments to single tracks). Using VCA Faders gets around this. All they do is add or subtract a dB value to any linked channels: great for making broader level changes to a mix, and especially effective on automation, where the original channel faders cab still be used to make fine tweaks.