Need opinion on best practices: Reverb

[MyThreeSons]

We've got a Mackie 8X32 board that seems to be designed more for studio recording than live perfromances. However, it's a good board and it's what we have.

We also have a Reverb unit (Sorry, don't know model or manufacturer) that we use to add a little reverb to the vocals.

The "issue" is how to include the reverb in the sound path. Up until now, we have used a monitor channel to feed into the reverb unit and output that to a free channel on the board. This has the advantage of allowing us to specify which channnels will have the reverb (by adding them to that monitor mix) and to have one slider to control overall reverb on the board itself. However, it is using a monitor channel, and there have certainly been cases where I would have liked to have one more monitor mix on stage.

What I did, and is in dispute by others, was that I fed one of our sumaster mixes to the reverb unit. We split all our channel up to the submaster mixes based on usage: Insturments on 3/4, vocals on 5/6, and percussion on 7/8. This frees up a monitor mix. It also places all vocalists into reverb (although I figured out how to remove some channels through innovative use of the 'pan' feature). The output from the reverb unit is still fed into on of the channels, so we still have single-slider control for total reverb.

One of the other sound techs tells me that he heard someone say that the "way it is done" is to use a monitor mix, and we should live without the monitor mix in case a professional sound engineer comes to our Church (which actually will happen in a couple weeks) to use our equipment. Does anyone have an insight in what the 'Best Practices' are for handling reverb?

[Jerry Carter]

We have a Mackie 32-8 that was our FOH desk, but now we use it for our audio mixing for video.

What we have done is to use an AUX SEND (Aux 4, for us) to the reverb input, then have the signal return to the AUX RETURN (#4 again for us for consistency). This is accomplished using 1/4" TS cables.

Turn the #4 Aux Send and Return knobs to "U" in the master section (top right) of the board. Then you can adjust the level from each channel going to the reverb unit using the Aux 4 knob on the respective channel strips.

Hope that helps.

[Steve G.]

we have a few boards, one of wich is in the smaller class is a mackie 24.4.2

we used aux 1 for reverb, I think we did the samething as jerry carter

[Trib4l]

Yep, running it out of an Aux is considered the best practice (generally) for any outboard effect, with exception to dynamic effects.

You can either return to an Aux return or to a fader controlled channel. I personally prefer to return effects to a fader controlled channel because it's easier to ride than a dial, and far easier to assign back into the mix.

[nevmoor]

The aux way is the way to go, but your subgroup trick is cool. The problem with that is you really can't control the amount of reverb added to each individual channel. I understand what your are trying to do but it may cause issues later.

[MyThreeSons]

Thanks, everyone. Looks like the way we have been doing is the "best" way. I apprecaite the repsonses. BTW, what does FOH stand for? I'm assuming "Front of" something... Hall?

[nevmoor]

Front of House. In other words what the audience hears

[Steve G.]

FOH,,,,,front of house

[Steve G.]

beat me to it

[cmchamp]

I have a client with the 32*8 in a performance venue (their choice, not mine). They need to have 4 aux sends for monitor mixes. I have set up the MixB routing out to their Lexicon MPX110 and back to a pair of channels to then route the EFX to both mains and monitors.
C.

[djs]

One additional suggestion is to use a post fader aux. If you use a pre fader the amount of reverb will remain constant even if you bring up or lower that channel. With a post fader aux the ratio of dry signal to effect will stay the same as you change the level of a channel.

[DBAudio]

Good advise and it sounds like you have a handle on the situation. Definitely use a post fader aux send. A good reason to bring the reverb back into a channel strip is so you can EQ it if necessary. Reverbs especially inexpensive ones tend to be muddy sounding. And reverb units can contribute to feedback as well. Another reason is that you can send some of the reverb to the monitors. This really makes vocalist feel more comfortable while singing. Monitors can be really sterile sounding on stage and this gives them new life. Try it if haven’t already.