• Techniques
  • More separation with individual reverbs
2017/05/20 14:26:46
pilutiful
A note to myself and anyone else interested :-)
I learned from various tutorials that it can be a good idea to use a single reverb for multiple tracks, f.ex. one aux reverb for multiple vocals or guitars. The benefit is less cpu usage. I developed a habit of always doing that without really thinking about it. After struggling with a muddy mix I tried to go away from that for left/right panned tracks. This has resulted in much more clarity and separation. Especially good for songs with many tracks.
2017/05/20 14:30:45
pilutiful
Sorry, I thought I was posting in Techniques forum...
2017/05/20 14:32:31
scook
moved
2017/05/20 14:45:01
Kamikaze
I like this approach (see from 5:30)

2017/05/20 15:08:33
Zargg
Kamikaze
I like this approach (see from 5:30)



Nice 
Thanks for sharing.
All the best.
2017/05/20 16:37:50
pilutiful
Kamikaze
I like this approach (see from 5:30)



Cool...thanks
2017/05/20 18:01:57
Sanderxpander
I'm not sure what you did before but it's worth noting that sends also have pan controls and it usually makes sense to pan the send the same way you panned the track, for the exact reason you mentioned.
2017/05/20 18:35:53
pilutiful
Sanderxpander
I'm not sure what you did before but it's worth noting that sends also have pan controls and it usually makes sense to pan the send the same way you panned the track, for the exact reason you mentioned.

Did that...still the reverb plugin spread the sound a bit, even if I pan hard. It's a very dense mix where these little things count. 
2017/05/20 22:58:21
Steve_Karl
Use channel tools to shrink the stereo width of the reverb(s) and put them exactly where you want.
2017/05/21 01:28:56
bitflipper
Reverb diffusion can usually be narrowed within the reverb plugin itself. I've done things like using three separate reverb busses: one stereophonic and normally spread for the lead vocal, and two narrowed and panned L/R for the backing vocals and hard-panned instruments (usually panned to the opposite reverb bus as their mix pan). If your reverb plugin can't do it, you can use Channel Tools to steer them where you want, as Steve suggests.
 
It's actually a neat effect, but a) not very natural-sounding and b) too much of a hassle to use every day. Maybe I'm too old-school, but I think of electronic reverb as an emulation of a real-world phenomenon. And in the real world, natural reverberation isn't neatly separated into left and right - that smeary muddiness is the reason for reverb in the first place! 
 
Another easy trick for getting better separation: use a delay or a ducking compressor in front of the reverb. This will let you use fatter, fuller-spectrum reverbs without them muddying the mix. As a corollary to that technique, try using a ping-pong delay or tempo-synced auto-panner in front of the reverb. No, it surely does not enhance separation or clarity, but it sounds cool.
 
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