How to compress a reverb plug-in

I may have an answer to my own question ...
Would I use the reverb as a send and then add the compression to the send bus? I'm not at my DAW to try it, so any confirmation or other ideas would be great. Thanks.

I was reading an older issue of SOS magazine, where they interviewed a "well-known" mixing engineer about how he mixed a hit album for Feist. (I put it in quotes because I had never heard of him.) Anyway, this guy gave great details about the process, the effects used (all outboard), and the feel he was going for for each song and the album. Really a good article, and I wanted to experiment with some of the techniques. The compression on the reverb was one of the techniques he talked about. Outboard, it's not really an issue to add compression in the signal chain, but as a plug-in I was scratching my head.

In response to adding the compression in the effects bin after the reverb, that would actually compress the whole track wouldn't it, not just the reverb? That's different than what I'm talking about.

Edit: Added music group, Feist.

When I do this, I send a signal from the track to a reverb bus. I then place the compressor after the reverb on the bus. I return the reverb bus to the master bus along with everything else.

Sometimes I will also EQ the reverb on the bus as well.

ORIGINAL: mwall

In response to adding the compression in the effects bin after the reverb, that would actually compress the whole track wouldn't it, not just the reverb? That's different than what I'm talking about.

Not if you're using the sends and the FX bus properly.

Use a send (not the "O" output) on the track to "send" a direct split of the track's audio to the FX bus. Insert the reverb in the FX bin of the bus. Set the reverb "mix" to 100% wet. Now the only thing heard from the FX bus is the reverb itself.

Add a compressor after (below) the reverb. The only thing being compressed will be the "return" reverb signal. The original "track" signal will remain unaffected.

rollloff anything below 200, it'll only make your sound muddy if you leave it in. It often helps to roll off everyting over 5K too. Adjust to taste.

Good tip. Thanks.

Compress before the reverb if you are trying to reduce the ping factor, compress after to bring the sound a bit forward. Sometimes both works.

I concur about the rolloff below 200 and above 5k for ITB reverbs. I was ready the book "Recording the Beatles and there are pictures of the EQ for those lucious reverb chambers off Studio 2 at Abbey Road. It is much more radical than the above but that is EQ running off a live chamber. Reverb is a sea of variables.