Setting reverb level mixdown

[Saxomohawh]

This Q is not only a technical Q about the DP24 SD, but also about mixing in general I guess. When I want to add reverb at mixdown I first set a reverb and then assign one or more channels to it, no problem. The level (amount) of reverb can now be set at three places. First in the reverb itself ("Return" in the Effect/Reverb), then in the mixer for each track there is both a SEND EFF 1 level and a SEND MASTER 1 level.

What I have done is to set SEND EFF 1 and SEND MASTER 1 to 127, and then adjusted with "Return". I guess my Q is if there is a correct way to do this. Or if the result would differ if it is done any other way?

 

[Mark Richards]

The reason for the 'Send 1 Master Send' (which controls the cumulative level of all tracks going into the chosen effect) is to prevent distortion that could result from overloading the effect's input stage. This is called 'gain staging'...managing the cumulative output of each component in the chain before it gets to the next component in the chain. (This also includes considering the level setting for the effect's return into the stereo buss.)

The rule of thumb is that the output at each stage should be at about 75%-80% of maximum (so that transients - the things that make the meters flash red and are too fast to catch - won't cause problems).

So, if you have several tracks feeding 'Send 1' (and drums in particular, but just about any percussive instrument - including pianos and guitars), you want to keep the combined level of all the tracks from overloading the effect's input stage, and you want to keep the overall output of the effect from overloading the internal send return (input stage) on the stereo buss.

Apart from gain staging considerations, how you set and control the effect depends on what sound you're going for with the effect. Applied as you describe (SEND EFF 1 and SEND MASTER 1 each set to 127), if you set 'Send 1' to 'Pre' for all tracks being processed, the amount of reverb in the mix will be the same for all processed tracks regardless of the relative levels of those tracks in the mix. Setting 'Send 1' to 'Post' allows the faders to control the relative level of the effect for each track.

There are all sorts of combinations of 'Pre' and 'Post' levels that you can use in your mixes. I suggest you have fun experimenting. You can't really hurt anything. Have some fun.

 

[Saxomohawh]

Thanks alot! I know about pre and post fader, but the info about send eff/send master was new to me. But of course, it makes sence when you think about it. So if several channels are sent to the reverb (effect), the amount of reverb for each is best adjusted with Send eff 1?

 

[Saxomohawh]

One more thing! Is there any way on the Tascam to view the level of the effects input stage?

 

[Arjan P]

So if several channels are sent to the reverb (effect), the amount of reverb for each is best adjusted with Send eff 1?

A nice trick with reverb is to visualize it: the reverb is a big room you are standing in on one end. Instruments or vocals in the mix have a position towards you: a track with no effect is a person standing 2 ft away from you - a track with 100% effect is a person standing at the other end of the room, 'drowned' in reverb. With a stereo send the people are more towards the left or right wall of the room. The 'master send' for the reverb in this analogy is the 'presence' of the room. And you could say, the type of reverb (hall, room etc.) relates to the size of the room and the materials of the walls and other surfaces.