Can't get reverb on master track

[Jerzy]

Hello again all. I've finally made my way through recording a full song and now have to Mixdown to stereo master. The Mixdown sounds good but I can't get reverb to print on the stereo master. Help please.

 

[Phil Tipping]

You can only add EQ & Compression when in Mastering mode, so any reverb needs applying in Mixdown mode. Is this what you meant? Are you happy with applying FX in general? Reverb is a send/return effect so you have to turn up the levels in the Mixer screen as well as controlling the effect itself in the Effect screen. You can use the Guitar Delay effect as a kind of reverb but this is an Insert effect so is controlled differently. I find the machine confusing in this area, especially using the term 'Guitar' to describe Insert effects (as opposed to Send effects). Tracing through the paths in the block diagram helps, although took me a while to find out where it actually records the data - it's the boxes labelled VTRACK and MASTER TRACK.

 

[Jerzy]

Thanks so much Phil. I need to add reverb in the Mixdown process when I am creating the master track. I hear it when I'm creating the master track but when I play back the master track it is dry. I know I can only eq and compress the master track itself but it's the creation of the master track that's the problem. Great device but frustrating. Also, Not sure what you meant in your last sentence about VTRACK AND MASTER TRACK. Do I need to load the master track from the song menu? If so, will it have reverb on it?

 

[Phil Tipping]

Are you sure you are creating the master track? You need to go to Master mode in order to play the Mixdown track. Tascam use the same term 'Master' to refer to both Mix and Master files - no wonder I get confused
If you stay in Mixdown mode having mixed, pressing play just plays the tracks pre-mix, i.e. it allows you try mixing again by pressing record. Only when you switch to Master mode does it start playing back the mix'd file. If you added reverb during the mixdown phase, it should appear here. I've just double-checked with my DP32SD and it definitely works with both reverb & guitar delay effects.
When you're in Master mode, you can press record to overwrite that mix'd 'master' file with the final mastering effects using the EQ & Comp functions. You don't have to perform this step if you're happy with the mix'd file.
VTRACK & MASTER TRACK were references to the Mixer Block Diagram in the user manual. If you're not too phased by the diagram, you can trace through the audio flow and see how the insert & send effects work - can be instructive or mind-boggling depending on your level of nerdiness

Just to clarify adding reverb when mixing, set In & Out times then go to Mixdown mode. Go to the Mixer screen and check Send Master-1 level is turned up, then for all tracks to be reverb'd, turn their respective Send Eff-1 on, and the levels up. Go to the Effect screen and configure Reverb as reqd. Press Record. Move faders as reqd. You should hear the reverb as it mixes the tracks to create the master file. I guess if you can hear reverb at this point then you're doing everything right so far.
When you switch to Master mode, press Play and you should hear the master file with reverb. The track faders no longer work as you are listening to the master file.

 

[Jerzy]

Thanks Phil for your detailed directions. Here is what I am doing. I first got to Mixdown and add the reverb effect. I make sure the effect is on in the Mixer section for the tracks I want. I press record and mix the song. I hear the reverb during the Mixdown recording. I then select Master and push play. I hear the mixed down stereo master track but no reverb is on it. I am not at home to try again but it seems that is what I'm doing. Does PRE and POST come into play during Mixdown? I thought for sure I had all set on PRE.

 

[Jerzy]

Phil, I think I see something in your post. When you listed Go to the Mixer screen and check Send Master-1 level is turned up, that may be it. Send MASTER level 1. I don't remember doing that or even seeing it.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Well you certainly need Master Send turned up as this overrides all tracks regardless of their individual send levels... but if you are hearing reverb while mixing, this doesn't seem right. Are you definitely monitoring the stereo bus (Monitor Select)?
Btw - Pre & Post functions are relevant during mixdown as are all (most?) other controls, so you'd set these depending on the effect you are trying to achieve.

 

[Jerzy]

Oh. Do you mean send effects on? I've got that. Is that the Master Send you mean? I have that on and DO hear reverb when recording to the master track

 

[Jerzy]

I definitely have monitor set on Stereo bus. Maybe this is relevant. It seems whenever I turn Effects on through the mixer on each channel then hit the home button, if I go back to mixer the effect is off and I turn it on again. Am I missing a step here to "lock" the effect on? I don't think that is the overall problem though as I hear reverb when recording the Mixdown to Master track but it's frustrating nonetheless.

 

[Roundhill]

When you mixdown are you hitting the REC button during mixdown?

Also, are you perhaps using the dynamic effect instead of the stereo effects?

 

[Jerzy]

I am in Mixdown mode. I hit the Record button and it illuminates red. I am using the send effect reverb

 

[Phil Tipping]

The on/off effect control in the mixer which keeps turning on/off is for Insert effects, so this isn't relevant if you're using Send effects. All the controls for Send effects are under the Send boxes - off/pre/post and send levels for each track, and master send levels.
Are you definitely using the Reverb send effect as opposed to one of the Guitar insert effects? They're both in the Effects screen.
As you say though, none of this should matter as either type of effect can be used, and if you can hear the effect during mixdown then you've got me stumped. I've tried both types of effect and they are both heard during mixdown and when playing back the master file - this is how it should be as you could be changing things throughout the mixdown pass so need to hear what's going on.
I'll try some more experiments to see if I can reproduce the symptoms.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Have made a quick video showing my setup for adding reverb for playback/mixdown. Might help to spot what's going on.

 

[Jerzy]

Thank you so much Phil for hanging with me and getting the whole effects module straight in my head. The video was very good by the way. The "light bulb" for me was in understanding Insert Effects. Also, something I stumbled upon was the ability to adjust and see the send effects "sends" at any time by just toggling the knobs! Thanks again for taking the time to make it all make sense!

 

[Phil Tipping]

No problem, and glad you got it sorted. The EQ screen also pops up for a brief period when you tweak the controls. Hopefully the block diagram will start to make sense, e.g. the insert FX block to the left of V-TRACK shows you can add those FX during recording, and the one to the right shows you can also add them during playback, and that they are associated with a track no. so you have to watch out for the no. displayed on the top-right of the Effects screen - I'm always getting caught out with this!
On the other hand, the Send FX block at bottom-middle shows its source is the Send-1 bus (only) via the Send Master-1 level, and the tracks (or Inputs) feed that bus via their pre/post/level controls, so it's obvious the master overrides these... another common gotcha!
The Inputs A-H on top-left show where the Dynamics FX block fits in; it only affects Inputs and has nothing to do with tracks and cannot be added during playback as there is no route from V-TRACK to it... although might be possible to connect an external lead from an output to the input - someone must have tried this
Anyway, enough of this - you can now get on with the fun part of making music, so good luck with your projects.