Mixing Tip – Delay instead of reverb
Maybe you’ve come across this, I know I have, where no matter what you do, you just can’t get what you want from your reverb. You find that too much makes the vocal too distant and any less makes the vocal too dry. Now before you give up because you suck at reverb, there’s another option. Delay. That’s right boys and girls, a pair of short mono delays on mono buses feeding into each other can create a sense of space, without clutter. And that’s just what you need.
For this recipe you will need:
a DAW that allows feedback loops.
1 stereo send
2 mono aux tracks or effect return tracks
2 mono sends
2 mono EQ plugins
2 mono delay plugins
On your vocal track, create a stereo send to bus 1-2 at a level around -7dB.
Create 2 mono aux tracks or tracks that will allow you to receive the output of a bus. Set the input of the first aux track to bus 1, pan it left. Set the second to bus 2, and pan it right.
On each of the mono aux tracks insert an EQ plugin and set a high-pass filter around 150Hz.
After the EQ plugin, insert a simple mono delay.
Set the delay time to a 16th note. Mix 100% wet, no feedback, no modulation. If available, use the built-in low-pass filter to reduce the high frequencies above 5kHz (adjust to taste).
Repeat the previous 2 steps, changing the delay time to a 32nd note.
On the left side delay, create a send to bus 2 and set the level around -5dB.
On the right side delay, create a send to bus 1 and set the level around -5dB.
Your delays are now set up and ready to use. Try it out. It is a similar effect but sometimes it works way better than reverb. If this didn’t make sense, have a look at the signal flow in the picture above.
Here are some examples (not the best song for this but you’ll get the idea):
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I find that with this technique I can create a space for the vocal, but keep things nice and tight without reverb tails taking up energy.
Hope you find it useful.
11 Responses to “Mixing Tip – Delay instead of reverb”
By Sean on Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
Great tip Jon. Definitely sounds more solid than straight up reverb
By Josh Woodward on Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I love using delay on vocals. One big thing I’d recommend: also roll off the highs from the delay. My favorite is the Sonitus:fx Delay that comes with Sonar, rolled off around 4khz (right below wherever your sibilants are). That gives it space, but doesn’t get weird and distracting when you hit an “S”.
By Jon on Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
@Josh Hi! I agree and did mention that. “If available, use the built-in low-pass filter to reduce the high frequencies above 5kHz (adjust to taste).”
By Josh Woodward on Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
D’oh! Sorry, totally missed that. You definitely nailed it, then. :D
By Joe Gilder on Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
Very cool, Jon. Delay can be SO much more effective than reverb on certain tunes.
Quick question: Why not just use a single stereo delay on a stereo bus? Your screenshot shows two of the basic Digi delays. If you just used the stereo Digi delay, you could do the exact same thing. It lets you adjust the left and right delays independently of one another.
Just curious what benefits you get from two mono aux vs one stereo aux?
By Joe Gilder on Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
Okay, I think I just answered my own question. You’re feeding each aux into the other. Gotcha.
Sorry, for some reason the left side of your screen shot won’t really come up on my screen.
Cool stuff.
By Jon on Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
That’s right Joe.
It’s basically the same routing as a ping-pong delay but using much smaller delay times.
By banjar teratai capung on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply
to made more easier – just duplicate track and move few millisecond and add with plug in anything you want so simple
By Jon on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply
@banjar
Nope, doesn’t work like that. What you’re suggesting will not have the same effect. You need the feedback loop to create the effect.
Also its Center, Left & Right signals. Left and right bleed into each other.
Follow the signal flow.
By Dave (chckn8r) on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply
Nice segment Jon – I like to do this too.
I had the same question as Joe – I usually use a stereo delay that has LR cross-feed in it (the one that comes in Logic (gasp) actually does the job nicely). You can really get fancy with some multi-tap delays cross-feeding each other to get some more full sounds too.
I know you cranked the FX to illustrate, but yeah, I just put a touch of this on bringing it up to just noticeable and then backing off, then also send the dry signal to a room verb with just the ER enabled – gets that subtle, reverb feel without the annoying tails.