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Paul999 26 March 2011

I just purchased a Lexicon PCM70. This is my first nice digital reverb that I've ever owned. I've had a day and a half mixing with it and while it is an incredible reverb I have quickly realized that I could easily recreate the 80's with this. I've been using room mic's, spring reverbs, tape delays, Daw delay, self made chambers etc. to cover ambience duties until now. With a busy mixing schedule I don't have a ton of time to experiment like crazy and would like to be pointed in the right direction and hear different reverb philosophies.

I hope this is not too general.

Cheers

Comments

audiokid Sun, 03/27/2011 - 09:50

sarNz, post: 367274 wrote: less is more? haha i don't know, i'm just horrified at the fact that you want to recreate the 80's :)

Makes me smile! Less is more for certain. Nice for strings, subtle use on vocals, snare, space and things you want further back. I usually time the tail like I would with an actual delay keeping it in some sort of tempo time line. I think its the sort of thing that you just know.
If it works at 5%, turn it down to 2% because it always ends up sounding like too much at the end.

I use delay more than verb.

We'll think of the 1980's reverb like we will the 2000 autotune generation. The 80's were the first really cool sounding programmable midi reverbs.
The Pro Tools zzz sounding over produced digital generation and looping is another that is on its way out.

Interesting how technology feeds the way songs are written and produced.

JohnTodd Sun, 03/27/2011 - 10:15

Style has a lot to do with it. Like sarNz pointed out, the 80's were drenched in reverb. But back then, affordable high-quality electronic reverb was new, and so people went a little nuts over it.

Today's style is drier - but style is just opinion. What you must do is decide for each song what you want it to sound like. Do you want to simulate the sound of a band all playing in the same room? THen use one reverb styled to that type of room and send the instruments to it.

Want a ethereal sound? Then use a long, lush reverb. Enya does that a lot and she sounds great - but that won't work on a fast song.

Most of the time I use the presets on a reverb and go from there. I'll start with a preset and change a couple of things to make it sound right for the song. Very rarely do I start a new reverb patch from scratch.

Keep in mind that the reverb time is usually some multiple of the song's tempo. THat way it fades in time with the music.

There are always exceptions, though.

EDIT: oops, must hit refresh before posting the same thing others have posted.

Paul999 Mon, 03/28/2011 - 10:31

audiokid, post: 367387 wrote: I'm with you on that. If you really want to step up your game, Bricasti will take you to heaven. Its really hard for me to get excited about anything else now. Apparently Eventide and the new Lexicon Hardware is the next best thing.

For the west coast [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.pacifici…"]Pacific Island Audio - Canadian Auralex Acoustics, Millennia Media, Eventide, Focal Professional, Dangerous Music, Lauten Audio, Vovox Representation, Extreme Isolation Headphones and SmartAV Tango Smart Console Distributor[/]="http://www.pacifici…"]Pacific Island Audio - Canadian Auralex Acoustics, Millennia Media, Eventide, Focal Professional, Dangerous Music, Lauten Audio, Vovox Representation, Extreme Isolation Headphones and SmartAV Tango Smart Console Distributor[/] is the dealer.

The bricasti looks amazing. I have been considering it for a while. I think I'll end up wanting 3 good reverb units and my usual bag of tricks. I usually save the most expensive for last incase I meet my needs before getting to the big ticket item.

If you want to talk equipment, I really like the EMT 140 Plate reverb plugin run on a UAD2 card. (There's sort of a cross between an outboard and software reverb.)

A buddy of mine uses this and gets awesome results. I am commissioning a plate reverb to be built this summer for my studio.

Davedog Mon, 03/28/2011 - 11:14

Convolution. Room size and shapes. Room material selection. Natural. Side chained track of nothing but the reverb'd sound.

We are going to see the return of the chamber. Mark it down. Old becomes new with technology firing up and improving the drawbacks of yesteryear.

Plates and convolutions rule.

You heard it here.

All that stuff you think is really dry, really isnt......Room Shapes BABY!

BobRogers Mon, 03/28/2011 - 11:34

I'm telling ya. You owe it to yourself to try a UAD2 card and the EMT140 before you spring for a real plate (pardon the pun). (Though I have to admit that there is this little slot of wasted space between the staircase and the basement wall that would be a perfect place to put a plate. Best not to think about it.)

Davedog Mon, 03/28/2011 - 11:43

JT its both and neither! The sims are so good now why not use them. But heres a neat trick....Got a long hallway? How about a stairwell? speaker at one end, mic in a mobile state somewhere it sounds good....the track you want to effect through the speaker...record...THEN add the the room sim to this.

Bob think of the tire kickers on their tour of the facilities gasping as you open the door to the PLATE!

GASP!

Its only money......

The chamber will return! NOT THE SIM! A real chamber. Theres already younger producers talking about that sound.

Paul999 Mon, 03/28/2011 - 14:41

A ton of great responses here!

Convolution Reverb: I haven't used it but I definitely hear some people swear by it. I suspect that all reverbs have a place.

Chambers: Re-amping for reverb has been my staple. It is very cool indeed. The old bathroom trick. I needed something else because although these things are wonderful sounding if executed well they do not scream slick modern production. I needed something to fill that void.

Spring Reverbs: I have tried high-end, custom etc. spring reverbs. I found that guitar amps I had kicking around sounded just as fantastic if not more vibey. I am going to be try combining different reverbs to see how big of a sound scape I can make.

Yesterday when mixing a dance track I finally had to say "I surrender" that is enough reverb.LOL Even though I didn't get to try all the stuff I wanted to

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