Using Effects as Insert or Aux/Bus

[Studdy]

I'm sure this has been gone over before but it's popping up a lot lately. Can we have a discussion about inserting reverb and delays as inserts as opposed to aux sends.

My thoughts:
- I've always used sends, but it isnt easier, its more of a pain.
- Processing power really isnt an issue anymore so loading multiple instances of verbs and delays isnt taxing on the cpu at all.
- Automation can happen either way.
- I know guys like Joey Sturgis tend to use inserts and a wet/dry knob.

Im not really sure that i have a question here, more of just a jump off point for some solid discussion. Cheers guys!

 

[~BURNY~]

I use Aux (fx) sends. Since I'm a Cubase user, if I put a reverb as an insert on a mono track, the reverb will be mono, so it's not a great idea (maybe it's different in others DAWs). Besides I don't have issues using FX sends. Also, I tend to print reverbs and delays so I can edit them.

 

[Studdy]

if I put a reverb as an insert on a mono track, the reverb will be mono, so it's not a great idea .

Great info here, this is the stuff im talking about. Good advice!

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Aux, no question. In addition to the mono thing Burny mentioned, I also like to shape my transient before it ever hits the verb plugin, and you can't do that as an insert. I always use a HPF/LPF on the aux send, sometimes followed by a transient designer to tighten up the sound before it gets verb'd. That's an easy way to modify the decay time even if you're using something like the M7 reverb impulses.

 

[greyskull]

Aux

 

[C_F_H_13]

95% of the time I use auxs, just for the convenience of having a bunch of FX in a template that I can import into whatever I'm doing.

The other 5% is definitely inserts, but it's usually only in sound design/loop making type scenarios.

 

[exoslime]

it all depends, sometimes i put reverbs and delays as inserts as tend to process them like a part of the performance, for example i put a room reverb as an insert on an dry acoustic guitar track to emulate some room sound even before i apply compressor or eq.. just to get some a little bit of extra mojo going on if the source is too dry. and of course it does sound different as the reverb will get treated like the source with EQ and Compressor as if you would send just the signal to an aux send and leave it like it is.

sometimes it sounds ace for having a tiny bit of reverb on some source material bevor applying EQ and compression, and sometimes its totally shit. but you have to try and experiment with that

and usually i have lots of aux sends, with all kinds of reverbs and delays going on and i like to automate them as crazy, and those are all 100% wet, and also in many case i put an EQ after the Delay/Reverb Effect to cut out some lowend and highs of the reverb/delay, if you dont do that, the mix can get clouded vey fast

 

[rapucore]

When a given effect is a clear part of the sound like if it's something that could've been recorded when applied, it will end up as an insert on my track. A lot of times I like to go for a lively roomy sound on the lead vox especially, so I will slap on a nice small vocal room reverb (hello M7!) on a stereo vocal track. But like He's Dead, Jim mentioned, stuff that need to be shaped more or less drastically will be printed* (!) or end up on aux/send tracks.

* OT: Am I the only one who grows to hate hearing 100 repeats of a ie. vocal part after I hit pause?

 

[RiF]

- Automation can happen either way.

At least in Pro Tools, audio is fed into the plugin even if it is bypassed. This means, that I cannot automate the bypass (or mix) of a Delay plugin to do spot-delay throws (like a delay on a single word only). If I automate the plugin out of bypass, it's buffer still holds the previous words and I don't get the desired effect.
On the other hand, when I am automating a send to the Delay, I have full control of the audio that is fed into the plugin.

 

[Arsenu,]

At least in Pro Tools, audio is fed into the plugin even if it is bypassed. This means, that I cannot automate the bypass (or mix) of a Delay plugin to do spot-delay throws (like a delay on a single word only). If I automate the plugin out of bypass, it's buffer still holds the previous words and I don't get the desired effect.
On the other hand, when I am automating a send to the Delay, I have full control of the audio that is fed into the plugin.

are you kidding? automate the send level on the track you want the delay throw on. it's not rocket science.

 

[greyskull]

are you kidding? automate the send level on the track you want the delay throw on. it's not rocket science.

I think he was talking about why he DOESN"T use Delay plugs as an insert.

So you wouldn't have a send then would you....

 

[mva801]

I much prefer using Aux sends. At least like 95% of the time. There are a few reasons. Most of the time at the studio I work at, I'm sending out to a real emt plate and bringing it back as a aux in PT. If I use a plugin I like it to work the same way. Also, if I have 10 vocal tracks ( with doubles, harmonies and backgrounds) I don't want to change the settings on 10 plugins, and/or keep copying plugins over to different channels.

 

[amarshism]

Generally on sends for parallel processing. You can eq or distort the returns etc.