Quickest way to reverb

[redstairs]

Hi all,

I'm new here and have posted an introduction on that part of the forum, but did want to jump to a question if I may...

I'm a long time user of the DP008EX but just bought a DP-32SD.

On the 008EX the reverb function was extremely simple, in that it had it's own control and could be applied to an individual track at any point to see how it sounded, while bouncing a track to another, and/or while mastering.

I've had a play around with some of the onboard effects (chorus etc) but in all honesty I am unlikely to use them often, if at all, as I have a 13-pedal pedalboard that I use while recording and I rarely apply effects after recording a part, I prefer the sound to be captured at source.

The one variable I like to leave until mixing/mastering is reverb however.

On the DP008EX you turned up a track-specific reverb knob at any time to apply reverb to that track for any purpose (playback, mixing, mastering).

Could I please ask, what is the DP-32SD equivalent of accessing and applying reverb to an existing track for the purposes of either simply hearing it on a track during playback, adding to a track during bouncedown or during mixing/mastering?

The manual does cover effects and reverb, but I'm not 100% on which of the procedures is the closest to how I worked on the DPP08EX, the 32SD seems to offer several ways to do the same thing.

Thank you.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Welcome to the forum.
The reverb on the DP24/32 uses a traditional send/return technique where you send a proportion of one or more tracks (and/or inputs) to the internal send effect.

The amount for each track/input is set with the send-1 level knob for the currently selected track. If you open the mixer screen you can confirm this on the top-right of the screen. You don't need to open the mixer screen to adjust the level, but you must ensure the required track/input is selected first (green light) before touching the send level control.
The mixer screen also contains the off/post/pre settings which define which part of the signal path is 'tapped off' to send to the send effect.
The send-1 master level knob controls the overall level from the send bus (which is where all the individual send signals are mixed together) to the effect input. While you are experimenting, it's best to turn both the individual send and master send up full until you can hear the effect, then back them off as required.
The send bus can be monitored by pressing the Monitor Select button and selecting send-1, so this is useful to confirm (and measure via the L/R meter bars) you're sending the correct signals to it... and that you haven't accidentally left other send controls on

The effect output is 'returned' to the mixer via its 'return level' control in the effect screen.
The return goes to the main stereo bus in multi-track and mixdown modes. You can hear it when recording tracks in multi-track mode (but it won't be recorded), or hear & record it onto the master file during mixdown.
In bounce mode, the effect return goes to the bounce bus instead, which is also stereo (like the main stereo bus), but the output of the bounce bus can be routed internally back to a nominated track for recording.

The effect is not available in mastering mode.

 

[redstairs]

Hello Phil, and thank you for the welcome.

I've had your videos, guides etc posted in links to me, and I will be looking into them all as soon as I can.

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the route to reverb for me however. That all makes sense and matches (mostly) what I have tried out in my tests so far, so that is reassuring.

Given how much I loved the reverb knob on the 008EX, it is a little miss for me on the 32, but I am sure I will survive!

Thanks once again, and I'll be looking at your guides indepth asap.

 

[redstairs]

Hello again,

I've had another try out and pleased to confirm that was definitely the route I tried a few days ago.

I noted on starting up the 32SD that it didn't apply the reverb to the track I had tried it out on last time, which I guess is just the 32SD's version of turning the reverb knob all the way back to zero and having to set it again to get ready for mixdown. It had saved the reverb control settings however, so it was just a case of applying the reverb to a particular track again.

Seems fairly straightforward then, I just need to try a test mixdown to satisfy myself that it keeps the wet signal on mixdown.

Pleased to see the unit did keep all of the pan positions saved, that I had worked on last time, although obviously not the levels as I had used the faders on a different song since then.

It's starting to come together quickly, although luckily (as mentioned) I don't anticipate using any of the input effects.

Thanks again.

 

[shredd]

Hi @redstairs - glad you got to look into @Phil Tipping 's stuff. He's like the Yoda of DP's.

Also kewl that you used his guidance and dove into the DP's reverb capabilities...which, frankly, are light-years beyond what the '008ex will do. The DP allows all sorts of variability to the reverb, and its application to your tracks/mix.
One of the great things about PT's explanations is that he uses the block diagram (it's in the O/M) to explain stuff in a very visual way, which helped me understand it better. I firmly believe that once you grasp it, it'll make total sense and you'll get much more out of the reverb capabilities of the DP than you got out of the one-knob reverb on the '008 (simpler to be sure, but not as capable as the DP's!).

I can empathize with nostalgia for an MTR you used a lot/got used to/had success with. I had 2488's for maaaany years (starting with the original, and up through the 'neo, which I used for nearly 15 years!). My trusty 'neo did get sidelined, and eventually replaced, as the centerpiece of my home studio by my acquisition of a mint-condition O/G DP-32 (MIDI was a must!); but as much as I've come to love it, there are things about the 'neo that I dearly miss...features I consider mission critical, or at least hugely beneficial to my workflow - that were eliminated in the DP's.
I've learned to live without them, but I do miss them. I firmly believe the 2488neo was the best PortaStudio Tascam has made yet....

 

[redstairs]

I started my home-studio life back in the mid 1990s with a Tascam 03 Mkii....I think! It is long gone. Definitely a Tascam though.

I used to master down onto a seperate minidisc recorded that I had picked up as an ex-display model in Curry's for around £90 and then burn onto cd's. It probably wasn't the most efficient way of mastering, but I was even more clueless back then and it worked.

My next step was a Yamaha MD8, which to be honest I never really got along with (although did use it for years). I think moving to digital was a bit of a sonic shock, apart from the plus point of having no tape-hiss I just thought it lacked warmth in comparison to a cassette multitrack, the sound was really thin.

I had a break in recording for a few years, then the DP008EX was my return to recording, and now the 32SD.

I've tried using DAW's on my laptop, but due to personal preference chose to steer clear of them. I prefer the real world over virtual.

To that end, I do think physical multi-track recorders will always be 'a thing', but that prices may increase again...although the Yamaha MD8 cost me around £250 more in the early 2000s than the DP32SD just cost me, so....

 

[shredd]

I've tried using DAW's on my laptop, but due to personal preference chose to steer clear of them. I prefer the real world over virtual.

Veddy interesting!
I can relate - though I never used multi-track tape machines (I started with Fostex digital 8-trk, and gradually evolved through 2488's and now DP-32) - I also tried DAW's, not only on my 'main' computer, but on a PC that I purpose-built specifically to record on...and had the same result.
Even with the vast advancements in both DAW's and computers, my assessment of DAW/puter recording is the same now as it was then: it just didn't work for me. I hated the complicated workflow; the audio performance suk'd (latency, etc); and the sound quality was actually worse than a digital MTR. Performance issues, software problems/updates, plug-ins crashing it...
SO - despite the very distinct qualities/advantages of the DAW environment, I've always preferred hardware-based/purpose-built equipment...
I realize that puts me in the "dinosaur" class of studio musician...but at least I spend my time wishing I could play a guitar, rather than wishing I didn't have to reboot my DAW every 8 minutes!