Do Bass levels drop when Reverb effects are applied?
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- KVRist
- 393 posts since 16 Aug, 2004
Hey guys, I don't know if this was always the case or only now I have noticed this but yesterday I realized that every time I applied my reverb it either overshadows the bass or drops the bass volume a little. Is this normal please, just curios.
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- KVRAF
- 25042 posts since 12 Jul, 2003 from West Caprazumia
Yes, depending on the settings this is typically normal indeed.
Generally speaking, the lower the frequencies, the faster they will run out of energy when being reflected in a real room. This is the same reason why an upright-bass is much bigger than a violin.
But in a digital reverb this of course depends on the reverb-algorithm in question and also its settings.
Now the question is: how do you use the reverb - as an insert or as a send-effect? A send effect always get's added, but when using the reverb as an insert, this may be a different story.
Does the reverb have a wet/dry knob? If so, this will progressively reduce the dry volume the
more you increase the wet - i.e. the wetter you make it, the more low-energy loss you should typically notice.
Generally speaking, the lower the frequencies, the faster they will run out of energy when being reflected in a real room. This is the same reason why an upright-bass is much bigger than a violin.
But in a digital reverb this of course depends on the reverb-algorithm in question and also its settings.
Now the question is: how do you use the reverb - as an insert or as a send-effect? A send effect always get's added, but when using the reverb as an insert, this may be a different story.
Does the reverb have a wet/dry knob? If so, this will progressively reduce the dry volume the
more you increase the wet - i.e. the wetter you make it, the more low-energy loss you should typically notice.
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- KVRAF
- 3086 posts since 4 May, 2012
If the reverb you are using has an all pass filter that is rotating the phase by [up to] 180 degrees around this frequency then you will experience amplitude attenuation. Solutions would involve filtering the reverb to roll off the lows (standard practice) or tuning your reverb differently in some manner; using a different algorithm, etc.
Your experience might also be down to phase coherence between channels with bass frequency data. If you sum channels which share the similar frequencies but are significantly out of phase with each other then they will attenuate rather than reinforce. This is something that should be addressed at the editing stage of production, prior to mixing. It could, however, also be introduced if plugin latency isn't balanced when parallel process is used - such as a reverb mix.
Your experience might also be down to phase coherence between channels with bass frequency data. If you sum channels which share the similar frequencies but are significantly out of phase with each other then they will attenuate rather than reinforce. This is something that should be addressed at the editing stage of production, prior to mixing. It could, however, also be introduced if plugin latency isn't balanced when parallel process is used - such as a reverb mix.
Last edited by Unaspected on Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 393 posts since 16 Aug, 2004
Actually guys, I just came back from my DJ Rig. Seems my hardware reverbs does not diminish the bass volume but rather only the Plugins [Mreverb and Roboverb] running through Reaper does this. As mentioned it's not by much but noticeable if listening closely for this.
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- KVRAF
- 25042 posts since 12 Jul, 2003 from West Caprazumia
Yeah, perhaps - but read my explanation. 