Routing Advice For Effects On DAW Mixer Please?

[Doctor Varney]

For this project I will working with purely the spoken word.

I have two landing strips where I put my two audio loggers, respectively ("tape-1" and "tape-2"). Each audio logger has to go through a series of effects first, before reaching the output. On playback, the strips route to my master track, where I have effects for post processing. Somewhere near the end of the chain is a reverb to smooth out the effect of the noise gate, making it sound more natural.

I only want to apply this reverb to "tape-1" while "tape-2" I want either dry or to pick up a different kind of reverb (I have good reason for this).

Were the reverb the first effect in the chain, things would be very straightforward. I would just put the reverb in the one audio logger's strip where I wanted it and leave it out of the other. However, the problem is, I want both decks going through a series of common effects BEFORE just one of them reaches the reverb.

Now, how do I do that?

I realise I could double up my effects by having two sub-master busses (one including the reverb, one without) but I would like to think of a way round this, which doesn't necessitate me doubling up my effects, for memory performance reasons.

If there's no way around it, then I'll have to accept it but if there is some other way I haven't thought about yet, then I'd very much like to know if it's possible.

Thanks.

Dr. V

 

[miroslav]

Not to be glib about it...but just add reverb to the "tape 1" output.

Not really understanding the complexity of it for you.
What are you recording all this to and through....we talking DAW or are you going through an analog mixer...what is the complete signal path, source to final....?

 

[mjbphotos]

If they are both mono sources, keep one panned left and the other panned right. Apply reverb to 1 side only.

 

[Doctor Varney]

Not really understanding the complexity of it for you.
What are you recording all this to and through....we talking DAW or are you going through an analog mixer...what is the complete signal path, source to final....?

Okay, it's all digital, within FL Studio 10. I simply use an analogue mixer to my internal E=MU sound card, where the mic is pre-amped. But the signal path I'm talking about here is entirely virtual, within FL Studio 10's mixer.

Where I use "tape" it refers to the native audio recording plugin which can be thrown into the strip as an effect.

Not to be glib about it...but just add reverb to the "tape 1" output.

Haha! Yes, anyone would be forgiven for thinking it's that easy - but let me explain...

The mic gives me a little bit of noise, which I've successfully filtered out, (using a carefully thought out signal chain of compressors, filters and EQ). Some of which lies before the audio logger and then a final noise gate compressor and a couple of filters on the output...

Now, it's the NOISE GATE which needs a little touch of reverb after the compressor, to smooth it out, so it slides into the mix, rather than that typical choppy, start/stop effect you sometimes get. Plus, it's essential my narrator sounds like he's in a large hall...

The problem with just sticking a reverb on the "tape" output is that the noise gate is on the master. If I put the reverb anywhere BEFORE the master, the noise gate (on the master) will just cancel out the reverb. Therefore, the reverb must come AFTER the noise gate in the signal chain.

Now, that would be really straightforward, IF I HAD ONLY ONE "TAPE" SOURCE... I would simply put the reverb on the master, after the compressor. The problem is, I need both "tape" sources to go through the noise gate - but only ONE OF THEM must use the reverb.

I hope that makes sense?

 

[Doctor Varney]

If they are both mono sources, keep one panned left and the other panned right. Apply reverb to 1 side only.

Now I love this idea but I don't think I can actually apply effects to only one channel. There might be a way though...

 

[Doctor Varney]

No, it can't be done by panning. I've just looked and there isn't any way to apply an effect to only one channel. Even if I could, the signal chain would not be running in series and the reverb would still come before the noise gate, which defeats what I'm trying to achieve.

 

[mjbphotos]

If the noise gate is the problem, adjust it.

I can't quite figure out what you are trying to do. Route your stereo signal to 2 tracks, pan one send left, the other right. Apply reverb to the one you want. Route both tracks out to a common stereo track.

 

[Bobbsy]

Well, the first thing to say is that you'd be better off eliminating any noise at the recording stage to eliminate the need for noise gates etc. There are probably easy things to do to give you a pristine recording.

But, given where you are...

Does FL Studio have a facility for Aux sends on channels? If it's as limiting as you say, perhaps it's time for a new, more flexible DAW.

 

[Doctor Varney]

Well, the first thing to say is that you'd be better off eliminating any noise at the recording stage to eliminate the need for noise gates etc. There are probably easy things to do to give you a pristine recording.

But, given where you are...

Does FL Studio have a facility for Aux sends on channels? If it's as limiting as you say, perhaps it's time for a new, more flexible DAW.

No, this is a very flexible DAW but in any case, after just paying for it, it's certainly not time for me to buy something else.

FL does have Aux sends. It has four send channels and it is also possible to use a send as a plugin - and yes, it can be panned. I'd actually forgotten about that and you've reminded me. Thanks! That's if I ever need it, because I now realise that panning sends would not have solved this particular problem anyway.

I have actually solved the problem. The answer was the way I was using the plugins and piling up really more than I needed. I've stripped it down to a much more elegant signal chain and learned to use what I have there more effectively.

FL allows each wrapper to independantly control how it uses memory, with a 'Smart Disable' function. So plugins can potentially be shut down while they aren't being used. As soon it detects a signal through, the plugin automatically kicks in, but...

I haven't needed to use this function because I've found out that the native limiter is a powerful noise gate that does exactly what I want, without all the fuss I surrounded myself in, trying to do it with a huge, messy stack of plugins.