Hi everyone.
I have a quick question on your preferences for setting up an fx chain. In particular I'm looking for info on where you place compression in relation to delay. I've always placed my delay right before my verb but after compression. I recently started using serum and they have the compression after the delay and before the reverb.
What are your thoughts on this? I assume that a lot of it is context but I'm having a hard time visualizing this one. Maybe it sounds more "natural" in regards to psycho-acoustics to have the delay hit the unprocessed signal before being compressed. It's weird though because reverb is technically delay, so why have the split?
Thanks in advance!
FX chain techniques
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 26 posts since 7 Apr, 2017
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- addled muppet weed
- 105826 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
depends what youre trying to achieve, compression after delay will increase the volume of the delayed repeats, rather than getting quieter quickly.
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- KVRist
- 78 posts since 21 Jan, 2018 from Sydney, Australia
This is really a contextual question. But this is my standard FX chain:
Instrument (VST or guitar normally) > Chorus or Modulation effect > Saturation (decapitor) > EQ8 (ableton) for cutting frequencies > Compressor (Presswerk) > EQ8 for adding frequencies if needed > Delay (echoboy) > Reverb (vintageverb or toraverb) (obviously not all of these effects are going to be used on every track
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Saturation is one of the coolest effects when used subtly. It adds those extra harmonics which can bring out an instrument and add extra warmth to a sound.
Sometimes I like to stick a tape emulation (satin) or little radiator (preamp plugin) at the start of the chain for a bit added character.
Sometimes it pays off to experiment with how you arrange your fx chain. Like sticking a compressor at the end of the chain can really bring out the reverb tail and delay. Can be an interesting effect.
Instrument (VST or guitar normally) > Chorus or Modulation effect > Saturation (decapitor) > EQ8 (ableton) for cutting frequencies > Compressor (Presswerk) > EQ8 for adding frequencies if needed > Delay (echoboy) > Reverb (vintageverb or toraverb) (obviously not all of these effects are going to be used on every track
)Saturation is one of the coolest effects when used subtly. It adds those extra harmonics which can bring out an instrument and add extra warmth to a sound.
Sometimes I like to stick a tape emulation (satin) or little radiator (preamp plugin) at the start of the chain for a bit added character.
Sometimes it pays off to experiment with how you arrange your fx chain. Like sticking a compressor at the end of the chain can really bring out the reverb tail and delay. Can be an interesting effect.
