Reverb is probably the most used effect of them all.  I just wonder if there is any consensus of best practices.  I realize there are always artistic choices, but I am just looking for ideas.
 
The material I am working on at present is a set of accompaniments for a jazz combo.  The source is all MIDI, and most of the MIDI instruments are inherently dry.  It isn't a large number of tracks -- usually piano, bass, drums, guitar, and maybe an extra lead guitar, organ or string track.  I do try to place these instruments in the stereo field where they would logically be on stage.
 
In the past, I have dropped Breverb on each of the tracks that I thought needed reverb, and then I'd try to find a Breverb preset that sounded best while soloing that instrument.  Recently I have been going the route of sending each of the tracks to a single stereo reverb bus.  I use a single instance of Rematrix Solo.  And I pan each channel's verb send to the opposite side of the stage.  I usually kick up the delay setting just a little bit.
 
That single verb setup seems simpler.  I'm not sure it is giving me better results though.  Some of these accompaniments seem to lose punch if I go too far with that.  They seem to sound better with less reverb.
 
I guess the reason I ask is because when I listen to professional recordings, many of them use much more reverb than I do, yet maintain a punch.  That suggests to me that the engineers are being more selective about what instruments and frequencies are getting reverb.
 
Another question relates to the fact that many of the synths (strings, electric pianos, Addictive Drums, etc) have their own reverb.  Is it best to use one or the other -- and not double reverb, so to speak?  I definitely do that with Addictive Drums because I prefer some reverb on the snare, but try to keep the kicks clean.
 
Anybody have any ideas about this?  I could post some MP3s if that would make it easier to comment.  These aren't intended to be commercial level products.  They are just backing tracks for a little combo, but I'd like them to sound good.
 
Here is a link to "Heard it Through the Grapevine"
https://app.box.com/s/h30...16wibebln9mb2jbk2j100u

If you are panning each instrument on a virtual stage, it sounds like you want this to resemble a live recording. I would just find a nice ambient or small to medium hall reverb, like maybe an ambient room convolution reverb from ReMatrix, and put it on the main mix bus and season for a "natural" sound.
 
I am a huge fan of "less is more" when it comes to reverb. I want my mixes to sound like all the instruments were recorded live, playing together in the same room and so, at least in my mind, that means mostly my reverb is pretty subtle and on the whole mix and individual tracks have none on them at all.
 

Join puremix.net for free (no, I have no affiliation) and purchase the Creating Spaces With Reverbs video. I predict it will be the best $20 you'll eve spend on an educational video.

bapu
Join puremix.net for free (no, I have no affiliation) and purchase the Creating Spaces With Reverbs video. I predict it will be the best $20 you'll eve spend on an educational video.

Totally echo what Bapu said. No other video or explanation has ever come close - that video was a giant "aha!" moment for me...

smallstonefan

bapu
Join puremix.net for free (no, I have no affiliation) and purchase the Creating Spaces With Reverbs video. I predict it will be the best $20 you'll eve spend on an educational video.

Totally echo what Bapu said. No other video or explanation has ever come close - that video was a giant "aha!" moment for me...

And I got the tip from James on this vid, so it's a self referencing system.

I validate Bapu's validation of my validation.

...of his original validation.
 
I think I'm caught up.

smallstonefan
...of his original validation.
 
I think I'm caught up.

We're even steven.
 
We're the same James.

bapu

smallstonefan
...of his original validation.
 
I think I'm caught up.

We're even steven.
 
We're the same James.

Ahhh I get it.  You guys are demonstrating how reverb works.  :)

    A good reference for understanding reverb in mixing is Mike Senior's  book "Mixing Secrets".  There is a chapter dedicated to reverb.  He breaks the use of reverb into five different functions: blend, size, tone, sustain, and spread.  I think he offers a good approach to the subject as in "what are you putting that reverb in for anyway?".  The book, in general, is a reality check for me.