Why send Reverb/Delays to a Send and not an Insert?

[Mr.Noobyman]

I guess I can understand why you'd do it if you are wanting to put the same effect on multiple tracks, but what if you just want a certain reverb on a vocal track? Why can't you just do it as an insert, and control the mix % with the reverb program?

[Empora]

One of the plusses for me is that you can add additional effects, eq etc to the reverb itself.

For example, I will often hi and or low pass my vocal reverb. This can really help focus where the reverb is actually needed in the context of the mix. Cutting some top end can control the "spashyness",help the top end cut and sound more natural. High passing can get rid of low end rumble that might muddy the mix....

[bkbirge]

You could do it that way but then you are running your entire vocal through your outboard. I know I'd rather have my vocal track as pristine as possible. If I was to use an insert that way, I'd at least return it to an empty couple of channels instead of the same one.

But if it works for you, no reason to second guess yourself. When people listen to the final CD most won't be able to tell what you did anyway.

[rockstar_josh]

You use a send so that you can have more control over the wet/dry ratio of the effect. If you keep your FX sends post-fader you maintain that wet/dry ratio no matter how you adjust the source fader.

With an insert the signal goes out, gets processed 100%, and returns as a forever altered signal. You can't necessarily add or remove the amount of processing without changing the settings on the processor itself. Dynamics and EQ are commnly inserted because you DO want to alter the actual signal. Compressors and EQs will be affected by how much signal is going into them, and because inserts are before the fader you won't change the action of the processors if you adjust the fader. An insert becomes part of the channel signal path.

With send/return you keep the original signal exactly the way it is and control the level of the effect separately. The processed signal is now on its own channel, so you can EQ as someone mentioned, or print the effects if you have to, all without altering your original track.

[Mike Brown]

1. Creativity & Control - You can apply processing to the dry signal by itself, you can apply processing to the wet signal by itself.

2. Processing power: Reverbs generally take up the most processing power and adding 20 reverbs of the same type is wasteful.

3. Having 20 DIFFERENT reverbs can be a very confusing sonic "space" to listen to.

4. If you have 20 reverb inserts and they are all the same then if you change a variable on one you will need to change it on all 20.

4. Ease of mixing... it is a lot easier to use a fader than turn around and turn a wet/dry knob


etc etc etc

[narcoman]

you can do whatever you like - of course - but reverb isn't often just left static.

Plus - you may want to compress and EQ the vocal somewhat - but not compress the reverb etc. Or send the vocal to the reverb WITHOUT compression - so pre:insert.

[JordanA]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Plus - you may want to compress and EQ the vocal somewhat - but not compress the reverb etc. Or send the vocal to the reverb WITHOUT compression - so pre:insert.

Or use an expader on the reverb.

[Mr.Noobyman]

So should I set up the send as a Pre or Post fader?

[narcoman]

post fader is best for situations when you want the reverb to stay at the relative level to the fader itself. Pre-fader are more for those situations when you want the reverb to sit at a set level and "bed" the dry sound in it. Experiment with it and see what you may find uses for.

[loh90]

Also, it saves processing power. A lot of times when i mix, i will use the same reverb on many of the tracks for the song and I will just send everything to the same reverb/space. saves cpu power instead of running multiple reverb units of the same sound.

[poker909]

100% up to the producer, but unless you're looking for something specific, I would never advise using separate reverbs on different channels. Most producers add reverb to give a recording a more natural feel, and by having multiple tracks sharing the reverb, this will give you more of an overall natural sound, and add some coherance between tracks, as if you have multiple musicians playing in the same room. Depending on what you are going for, multiple reverbs could be a sonic nightmare, or if you like to expariment, it could also be beautiful noise.

[narcoman]

actually quite often the opposite. It's not uncommon to hear tracks mixed with "source reverb" as appose to track reverb. I've worked many things with 5 or 6 reverbs on a console and more ITB. Just depends on the goal.... hyper-reality is often the way!

[Djembe]

If the track is mono, even with an inserted stereo effect, the effect will still be mono.

[Unclenny]

I like to keep my verbs and delays on sends so I can automate when they come and go.

That really applies to delays which I tend to use more than reverb. You can take your listener to some interesting places by bringing your effects in judiciously.

[ddageek]

IT depends if you are using a verb on one specific input yeah use insert or direct out. Think of a send as a separate mix, and all the options it gives you! There is no right or wrong experiment find what works for you and when it works for you! But listen carefully because 9 times out of 10 what seams cool ends up being really overtime!

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by Djembe

If the track is mono, even with an inserted stereo effect, the effect will still be mono.

That would likely be a condition in hardware limitation. (Sonar at least are dual path by default unless you force the track plug to mono. I'd be surprised if other DAW's were not.