Reverb Question
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Posted on May 10, 2008 01:51 pm
Brian Hall
Member Since: May 06, 2008
Can using Reverb when you mix the beat and vocals help make your song more sound 3d like and not flat? Because I don't really use Reverb and all my songs sound flat.
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pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
May 10, 2008 03:16 pm Sure will.
You can also duplicate the vocal track, or triplicate, then move track 2 30% left, and track 3 40% right, and put different EQ or effects on each one.
I'm just throwing out ideas, but it gives you an idea on what's possible.
You could nudge one track back a teeny bit, like 3ms or so, for a thickening type effect. Or use an echo plug on the middle one.
etc, etc, etc. play and have fun!
Welcome to the HRC, btw.
LokiCone PokerMember
Since: Apr 07, 2002
May 10, 2008 04:44 pm be careful with reverb. it's very easy to go over whats needed.
May 10, 2008 05:12 pm reverb adds an illusion of depth to a sound. by simulating sound bouncing off of things further and further away....don't think of it as sound coming out at you, but more of sound going back behind the speakers. aka depth. like Loki said, use lightly, i get it sounding nice, then back off a hair just for good measure....keep in mind, if you run any kind of compressor/limiter on the whole mix, it will also bring up the reverb.
LokiCone PokerMember
Since: Apr 07, 2002
May 10, 2008 06:00 pm Also, reverb is probably the most cpu intensive process I know of. I usually put it on a send bus, and then send all the tracks that need reverb to it, just to not choke my machine. Outboard gear is good for that as well.
But yeah, reverb will add that nice image to your sound, but tread lightly, as it's easy to over do it. I know I did many a times.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
May 10, 2008 06:13 pm Yeah, good points. I usually putz with it until I notice it, then back it off a bit.
Seems to work.
And yep, reverb will take CPU. Especially convolution reverbs. algorithm versions aren't so bad.
May 10, 2008 07:06 pm Thanks for the help, I have Waves Mercury and I use RVERB lightly on my vocals, I place the effect on a bus and send the tracks to that bus..but thats the only way have seem to make my songs sound more 3d like in your face without sounding flat...
May 10, 2008 08:42 pm A perfect example.
Check out any of the tracks here: beastieboys.com/remixer/
It's just vocals, no beat. You'll notice how much reverb is on the vocal tracks. Now dig out a finished copy of the song, and you don't even notice the verb.
J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
May 15, 2008 10:45 am My own policy/rule of thumb on using reverb is to get it to where I think it sounds really good. And then I back it off by about 15% or 20%. Seems to work for me. :)
May 15, 2008 03:56 pm double tracking is fun!!
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
May 15, 2008 04:04 pm Combine reverb and compression not just on vocals but other tracks too, to add some space, and punch to your tracks.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
May 19, 2008 08:53 am I have a rule of thumb much like J-bot. I don't pretend that it will work for everybody. It is simply, "Listen Later". For me there's something about the excitement, or change, or something happening psychologicaly when actualy working on a mix that I have found is not trustworthy. Now I put it up, and just listen to it purely for enjoyment as I woud any purchased music, and I will hear things such as over-verb that will trigger the "what was I thinking" effect. This little epipheny came to me after a few itterations of playing a song for some friend that I was all excited about and going "oh Yuck!" I wish I could turn it off now.
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
May 19, 2008 04:16 pm Ha ha walt. that has happened to me many a time. "Awww man, that wasn't supposed to sound like that".
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
May 19, 2008 04:52 pm I have done that alot, yet... I have also done the opposite as I am very (maybe too) critical of my own work.
I have worked on something so hard and think it sounds like doo doo. Recently pulled up one of these and was pleasantly suprised that it was not as bad as I thought. Although... this is a rare situation :)
May 21, 2008 06:35 am I find that's from just too much concentration on specific parts and not the whole mix. Good to put it away for a day or sleep on it.