Exclude ONE layer below Adjustment Layer?

[Touko Maksimainen]

I generally find that with AE all too many times the answer to a question is “just precompose it”. I’d like to see simpler ways to set same track matte to multiple layers, exclude a layer from being affected by an adjustment layer, and generally link stuff together without precomposing. Because as a rule precomposing ALWAYS breaks something, be it layer styles, 3d layers or parented layers. And even if it doesn’t it makes your compositions more confusing and difficult to navigate. I avoid them whenever I can.

I guess the solution would be to go node based.