Neat trick with reverbs

[pmn]

Just discovered a really neat trick with reverbs.
I haven't seen it done elsewhere so it might be new.

Having a pre-delay on your vocals for instance can bring them forward in the mix as it separates the vocal from the reverb. Similarly, having a short (or no) pre-delay on drums or a background instrument can set them back in the mix.

Getting different pre-delays to a single bus is normally complex and involves setting up several aux busses with delays then routing them to the reverb bus.

But Tracktion has a trick up its sleeve.

So I set up a reverb plugin on my track to be used as a reverb bus. Nothing new so far.

I then set up two aux returns on the reverb bus as shown below (labelled "predelay" and "no
predelay").
After "predelay" I placed a simple delay plugin with a suitable delay (100% wet, no feedback). After this delay I placed the other aux return plugin called "no predelay"

reverb1.PNG

Any signals coming in on the "predelay" send go through the delay plugin and are pre-delayed before it hits the reverb plugin. Any signals coming in through the "no predelay" send skip the delay and hit the reverb plugin straight away.

On my regular track, I place either or both send plugins which gives me the option to send to the reverb bus with or without a predelay, or any mix inbetween.

reverb2.PNG

You can add more return plugin and more delays, but remember that the delays add up as they pass down the line.

It works like a charm and is very simple.
Hope you find it useful.

[pmn]

You can add as many return plugins with as many delays as you like, but remember that the delays all add up as the signals pass down the line.

[Watchful]

This is a pretty smart use of sends and returns. I really like this idea. It keeps cohesion together so all the instruments sit in the same reverb space, but you can control the predelay to change whether they're closer or further. I like that.

[fde101]

Very nice.

[gigazaga]

Very cool use of the Waveform signal flow!