How am I to use 2 effect pros on the MD8 'in stereo'???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gregwor
  • Start date Start date
G

Gregwor

New member
So I want a little compression on my 3 vocal tracks and then some reverb.

I have 2 tracks of drums (left and right obviously). I want just reverb on them. So I was thinking at first...ok, 2 aux sends = 2 effects. So I start thinking deeper, and each aux send is mono and they expect me to have stereo coming back into the unit from the effects processor. Whats the point of getting stereo from mono???

My issue here is this...
If I were to use 1 reverb unit, and 1 compressor, I would end up losing my 'stereo image' completely. When I turn up my aux send on my left drum track, it will be sent in mono, come back in stereo with my left bleeding into my right and vise versa. What the hell am I supposed to do??

The only thing I can think to do is use my aux 1 for left and aux 2 for right and end up only using 1 effects processor.
The way these guys have it designed seems to be for straight ahead mono tracking. I WANT the drums to 'roll around me' and for my 2 guitars to be panned left and right. Dumb asses.

If anyone has any suggestions or knowledge I am lacking please let me know ASAP. I have to finish this project quick and I am running out of options. Thanks so much. Greg.
 
What Id did is have a verb/multifx and compressor on one aux1/return and a multifx on aux2/return. As far as the aux send with stereo return, it works the way you described, that blending of the reverb is what gives you the whole room instead of 1/2 of room, just as long as the knobs are turn to same position for aux1 for both L/R channels on the drums, the panning should be hard L/R. Having the compressor in the same aux as another fx unit help be alot, I can alter the reverb tails using the comp. and If I don't want any fx, I can bypass it to use just the compressor alone. You could use aux1 for the compressor and aux2 for the reverb. If you don't have 2 fx units. Remember that the aux sends/returns are a sub mix buss for stereo. I hope Im not confusing you, I remember when I first tried understanding how aux sends and stereo returns worked, but nearly every console operates the same way, from API's to Yamaha. Don't work about losing your stereo image, if its panned and there is no phase cancellation youll be fine. If you want more detail as far as tryingto describe what cord goes where I can help. Just ask.



SoMm
 
OK, I have actually hooked up a reverb unit (it was old and called like midiverb or something...anyways), so I am OK with which cords plug in where. But, back to my original complaint....I'll try my best to explain it.

I have on track 7, my 'left' drum track. On 8, my 'right' drum track. This will give me my 'stereo' feel as the drummer rolls around his set or whatever.

When I plug a reverb unit in I will do just as the manual says which is as follows: Aux send 1 will go to the imput of the FX. FX output (in stereo, L and R) will plug back into my recorders aux returns 9 and 10 which are actually L and R (9=L, 10=R).

Hence, when I turn up my Aux 1 knob on track 7, the signal is sent into the FX unit as a mono signal (because it is just a normal 1/4 inch cord that in NOT stereo). The FX unit then has no idea that it is supposed to be coming through my left speaker only. It will be sent back into my recorder EQUALLY into my aux returns 9 AND 10 which as I said before are L and R (9=L, 10=R).

Now, even though I have track 7 panned hard left, the signal will be coming out my right speakers.

If I did the same to my right drum track (track 8), I would end up with my left and right drums coming out of both speakers together..........no more 'stereo' drums.

I hope this clearifies my situation. In short, I need to somehow get my FX unit to receive both left and right signals sperately. As I said in my first post, I COULD use Aux 1 for left, and Aux 2 for right (this would sperate the signal right?), but that means that I would be using up both Aux sends and I would in this case be stuck using only 1 FX unit, and I would like both a reverb and compressor.....seperate. Thanks....please write back. Greg.
 
I think were on the same page, and everything you have said is correct. In real life the reverb from a drum set, bleed into each other from left to right and visa versa. So the aux returns are only bringing a certain part of the drum sounds back, and mixing the wet (aux/ret) with the dry (channel 7 mono). This where your ears determine where instruments are spatially. If the blending didn't happen with the stereo returns, your ears would hear left and right in way that would be unnatural. If you had lets say a fill that goes from the snare across the kit to the floor toms, the instruments in the center would drop out like the drum kit was in two different rooms. Even if you didn't have any of the auxes being used, panning the drums hard left and right will still be stereo. Right now, my Drum machine is plugged into 7L and 8R, with a midiverb 2 patched through aux1, returns 10/11, and the panning is hard left and right, my drums are stereo. Follow what the manual says an youll get the results you looking for.
If you want to hear an mp3, I'll PM a link for you to determine whether or not its what you want.

SoMm
 
That totally makes sense, but still doesn't convince me that my drums will remain in stereo. or "KEEP" the stereo effect I am going for. The effect processor I tried was actually the same one as yours, a midiverb 2. What number of effect do you use? Think I could get a good one to use for both vocal and drum?

I was thinking one of them that has a really short quite delay with some medium reverb. I want to hear just how 'stereo' you are talking here, but I've never PMed before so do it up or just post it here.

Think I could use the 2 aux's to achieve what I am going for with just the one unit???
 
First of all, check thru the reverb programs to see if one is labaled "stereo". Listen to it and determine if there is movement of the image from L to R or vice-versa. If you find one that does this, remember which one it was. Second...make sure that the returned signal is 100% wet, with no dry(original) signal present. This will keep you from altering your original stereo image.
Do the same on your 2nd efx unit. if you have no programs with a reverb that has "motion" in it then find one (or two) that do and buy them. I don't have any recommendations for one at this time, but my old original midiverb had a great one but it was only 12 bit so it got kinda grainey sounding with a long tail. Hope this helps.
chazba
 
All fixed!

I am using a Roland reverb unit. I just hooked it up like normal. mono out of the MD8.....stereo back into the MD8. I panned hard left, and hard right for my drum tracks. I have my faders fairly low, and my aux return cranked. Even like this, they bleed barely at all, so I guess this wasn't as big of issue as I thought it was. It almost doesn't make sense.

Well, now I can add other effects on my aux 2 sends.

...speaking of which, I've always been told to try and save compression for after EQ, so I did. I've also been told to not put a compressor through my aux's. What am I supposed to do then?.....wait and do an overall compression? No.

So I ran my compressor (Behhringer Composer Pro) through my aux 2's. It seems to work just great....so now I have reverb on my aux 1's and my compressor on my aux 2's. Sounds amazing. Why did I get all this spook? Please give me an answer. Thanks a million. Greg.
 
Congraulations!

Now did you check your private messages a week or two ago...nope.. I didn't think so.. Go to the user CP button to the laft of the search, register buttons and check your mail...

SoMm
 
Back
Top