Re: [linux-audio-user] Global reverb setup

On Sun, Nov 19, 2006 at 03:06:38PM +0100, Yves Potin wrote:

> Using a global reverb in the final stage of a mix, especially when
> using Jamin in Ardour, may improve tremendously the global quality of the
> sound.

What makes you think so?

> I find the TAP reverbs far too agressive for being used in this final stage,
> am I wrong ?

That depends on dry/wet ... and all other parameters, I would say :)

> - What's the best place to put this reverb ? On a bus of Ardour,
> at the output of Jamin, or directly on the master track, after the return
> of Jamin ? Or during another step, after having bounced all the mix through
> Jamin on a dedicated track ?

Whatever allows you to listen to Jamin's output plus reverb, allows to
adjust the reverb level, mute reverb but not main signal ...

> - Are there some things to take care of, not to get too many
> things blurred, especially reverbs applied during the mix only to some
> instruments ? For example, if I use a special, somewhat strong, reverb on
> a snare, is there a special way to setup this reverb, or the global one,
> for it and the snare itself not to get drowned in a sea of blurred and
> vague background noise ?

Sometimes I use high-pass filters before sending to reverb to avoid
low-frequency smear. Using a lowpass to keep a snares reverb out of
the realm of other percussion might also make sense. One might have to
use automation if the instruments are standing more or less alone in
places, though, to not have it become apparent then, though.
Keep it simple if in doubt, I'd say :)

> - More generally, is this kind of practice very common in
> mastering, or is it better to do such a thing before this final step ?

never heared/read about it, but that doesn't mean much.

I have noticed that compression tends to reduce the perceived amount of
reverb. Perhaps that indicates non-optimal settings, though. Anyway,
counteracting by reverbing the full signal can only lessen the effect
of compression, so you could just use more subtle compression in the
first place. Or increase reverb on the single tracks before compression.

I think that reverb on the master can only work against the room
impression because the relative placement of instruments is ignored
(higher wet amount for distant instruments/sounds).

--
Thorsten Wilms