Should i compress reverb

You don't always have to insert a separate EQ, you can usually do your cutting from the reverb's own EQ controls. For example, H-Reverb has a full EQ module built in. It also has a dynamics control section, so you can do the compressed reverb effect discussed earlier from a single plugin.

Waves H-Reverb provides plenty of ways to shape your reverb, including a powerful built-in EQ section. If you do use a separate EQ, you can insert it before the reverb to tune the reverb response to the audio signal, and if you need, another instance after to clean up the return. It's relatively straightforward to set up: insert an EQ plugin before your reverb and use its high-pass filter to roll everything off below Hz and the low-pass filter to roll everything off above 10kHz.

Start with the filter slopes set to 12dB per octave. It might seem like an extreme solution, but it keeps your reverb from adding mud to the mix on the low end and sibilance on the high end, while still letting enough important information through to give the track a nice-sounding ambiance. The curve will sound good on any reverb but is particularly authentic sounding with Waves Abbey Road Chambers or Abbey Road Plates which offer accurate emulations of actual Abbey Road Studio reverb units and spaces.

One of the reasons that analog and tape delays and the plugins that emulate them are so popular is that the delayed signals are not identical frequency-wise to the dry signal. In particular, the high end gets rolled off. On a tape delay, it continues to roll off further each successive tap. This warm sound is pleasing to most listeners.

Waves Manny Marroquin Delay saves you the trouble of inserting additional plugins after the delay by including onboard distortion, reverb, phaser and doubling effects. So, by EQing your delay and cutting high end, you can give your vanilla digital delay sound a more vintage vibe. Like with reverb, cutting low end on delay tails can also help clean the lower-midrange clutter of your mix. A delay that's applied to an aux send gives you the opportunity to try a lot of other effects to modify the delayed signal.

This is because anything you insert before or after the delay on that aux track will only impact the delayed signal, not the dry one, giving you leeway to experiment with modulation, pitch effects and distortion, really opening up the creative possibilities. So, try different techniques, get creative! You never know what you'll come up with. Want more on mixing with reverb and delay?

Get tips here on adding depth to your mix. Want to get more tips straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our newsletter here. Tags View All. By Mike Levine Reverb and delay are crucial elements in virtually any mix. The Delay and Expander Trick If you use the same setup as the previous tip—with a delay—but substitute an expander for the compressor you could also use a gate, which is similar but less flexible than an expander , you get the opposite effect.

Big Drum-Room Reverb Even if you recorded your drums in a basement without a lot of natural ambiance, you can use reverb and a compressor to make them sound like they were tracked in a large live-sounding space. Few know how to process that reverb for specific, and often useful effects. There are multiple ways of compressing your reverb send, each technique resulting in unique and valuable outcomes.

Step 3: Set a quick attack, and a relatively short release. Optional — Have the release in time with the tempo of your track. Step 4: Set your ratio and threshold, for expansion that matches your desired output. Side note: 3 to 4dB of expansion is a good place to start. Step 5: Listen to your track, and adjust your aux send and parameters as needed. By following these steps, your reverb is being amplified only when the transient hits, and then decreasing in amplitude before the tail of the instrument or track plays.

With a little experimentation, you and your ears can decide which works best. Need help logging in? Why License? Downloads Testimony News More Info. When using both… So, which comes first, compression or the echo?