Reverb now or later

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64Firebird

64Firebird

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I'm using Cakewalk Guitar Studio and a Johnson J-Station to record guitar and bass. Also, I'm using drag and drop drummer.

Should I use the reverb from the J, or apply the same reverb to all tracks later? Will using different types of reverb help to separate the intsruments when I start mixing or will it sound like everybody is playing in a different room?
 
Most people say that you should apply all effects (with few/no exceptions) after it's all recorded, when you're mixing down. Just think about it...that reverb on the drums might sound good one day while recording, but what if you don't like it 3 days later? It's already recorded, you're stuck with it. See what I mean?
 
Don't make different instruments sound TOO different with extreme reverb variations.A common idea is to get your tracks on the computer and then use the verb on an aux send to make them all sound like they were recorded in one room (even if they weren't).
I agree with the previous post that the standard technique is to track dry and "sweeten" to taste when mixing down.
As an aside,external units often have a superior sound to software effects.
Don't be afraid to use external processing AFTER initial tracking by that phony arguement about extra trips through the AD-DA converters dirtying your sound.The loss from AD-DA converters is imperceptable to the ear and is sure good enough for hobbiest audio.
If your artistic muse tells you to try something other guys said was wacky,try it anyway!Maybe you learn why they thought so or maybe you discover the Musical Holy Grail.Listen to all the advise but don't be afraid to learn from making mistakes.Happy tracking.
Tom
 
I disagree here guys, were talking about guitar tones. Print em' wet. If you don't decide now, you never will and you'll never make the right decision. Get it down right the first time. I do however usually send a little of the guitar into the vocal (or someother) verb on mixdown, or a delay if I want something special on a little part. Who knows though, I'm spekaing from the experience of micing a real amp in a room. Maybe considering that you are using the J-station, you should hold off on the effects a little, that is if you have better effects in software... But if you dig it coming out of the J-station what's the question? PRINT IT! (or er... write it to disk!)

-jhe
 
I'm with you James regarding guitars - I don't track effects on anything cept keys sometimes, but guitars are different, the player plays to the effect and if it's say a delay I like to add my own and use his effects for something else ..sortta making up a sound that fits the part and he then plays to it and I track it in stereo.

cheers
john :)
 
Lotsa good advice, I'm greatful.

After trying it both ways, I like the sound of the J much better. But, I just got hold of CW pro 9 (it's good to have friends). So, maybe it'll sound better. I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

Thanks again.
 
guitar effects depend on what style you're recording

i've got a fender hotrod twin, which can give a biting, yet phat bluesy sound with the right setting dialed in. with a little of the amp reverb and the right presence, it sounds awesome. for some of the r&b/reggae tunes that i do, it is perfect; however, there are also tunes that call for me to record dry and add the fx in the mix.

having said that, i don't think you are going to get the fx you are looking for from cwpa9.0 so you'll either have to record wet, or record dry and re-record with fx. i bought dsp-fx, and am reasonably happy. i also looked at waves and thought it was good.

other than guitar, i don't record anything wet.
 
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