When adding effect, Is there an order to follow?

[CASD57]

What should be the chain off effects?
Like
Compression
than
reverb
than
EQ
than
??

[KevWind]

There is no set recipe. It largely depends on exactly what you are trying to accomplish sonically.

Also time based FX like Verb or Delay, IMO should be placed in parallel, on a separate track and a portion of the raw audio is sent via a bus to the reverb track.

Tone shaping FX -EQ and Compression I usually place on the individual audio tracks as inserts on that track.



As far as Compression and EQ since I primarily do subtractive EQ ( For example I always "high pass filter" ( roll off the low end) to eliminate boom and mud in the lows.
So I place EQ first in the signal path, so I am not compressing low frequencies I am not going to use.

Additionally I like to place an EQ first on the Reverb track, and roll off both the low and high ends.

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by KevWind

There is no set recipe. It largely depends on exactly what you are trying to accomplish sonically.

Also time based FX like Verb or Delay, IMO should be placed in parallel, on a separate track and a portion of the raw audio is sent via a bus to the reverb track.

Tone shaping FX -EQ and Compression I usually place on the individual audio tracks as inserts on that track.



As far as Compression and EQ since I primarily do subtractive EQ ( For example I always "high pass filter" ( roll off the low end) to eliminate boom and mud in the lows.
So I place EQ first in the signal path, so I am not compressing low frequencies I am not going to use.

Additionally I like to place an EQ first on the Reverb track, and roll off both the low and high ends.

At this point in my newie recordings... I'm recording the guitar and Vocals at the same time but separate mic's

So no multi-tracks as I'm learning to get mic placement and gain right so that the guitar and Vocals are similar levels..

So EQ would be first?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by CASD57

At this point in my newie recordings... I'm recording the guitar and Vocals at the same time but separate mic's

So no multi-tracks as I'm learning to get mic placement and gain right so that the guitar and Vocals are similar levels..

So EQ would be first?

EQ can go anywhere, but you would normally put that directly on the track, so sort of "first".

A typical setup for me, just for a clean simple recording, no crazy effects would be:

EQ and possibly compression on the channel
Channel sends go to a reverb bus.
Master output buss has something like Ozone, which has a limiter, EQ, and other stuff. This affects everything, even the reverb.

The EQ on a channel is to make changes to that specific track - which might be different in a multi-track setup - while the EQ in Ozone applies to the overall mix.

You only have one track, so you can only apply EQ to everything. Ideally, you'd record the guitar and voice on separate tracks so you can EQ each one, apply different amounts of reverb, and so on, according to what sounds best on each.

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

EQ can go anywhere, but you would normally put that directly on the track, so sort of "first".



A typical setup for me, just for a clean simple recording, no crazy effects would be:



EQ and possibly compression on the channel

Channel sends go to a reverb bus.

Master output buss has something like Ozone, which has a limiter, EQ, and other stuff. This affects everything, even the reverb.



The EQ on a channel is to make changes to that specific track - which might be different in a multi-track setup - while the EQ in Ozone applies to the overall mix.



You only have one track, so you can only apply EQ to everything. Ideally, you'd record the guitar and voice on separate tracks so you can EQ each one, apply different amounts of reverb, and so on, according to what sounds best on each.

Thank You thats a good direction for me, im using a Zoom R8

[rick-slo]

1. Volume balancing R and L channels of the stereo track or to taste if working with separate mono tracks.
2. Possible delay on one channel (usually in the 0.1 to 0.3 millisecond range) if helps sound.
3. Equalization (usually some bass roll off even if nothing else done).
4. Effects (which for me is just a reverb or a mix of two or three reverbs).

I don't use compression.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by CASD57

At this point in my newie recordings... I'm recording the guitar and Vocals at the same time but separate mic's

So no multi-tracks as I'm learning to get mic placement and gain right so that the guitar and Vocals are similar levels..

So EQ would be first?

Yes that is what I would start with EQ first . ( can you post a screen of your DAW mixer window ?)
Even if you record at the same time (If it were me), I would have each mic going to its own mono track. I would have an EQ first on each track, and maybe a compressor on the vocal mic track.
I would still as I suggested and Doug reiterated, have the reverb on it's own track and send the vocal and the guitar to it separately
This allows you to EQ the guitar and vocal separately. And can also control the amount of reverb separately as well, by using the send levels separately on the vocal track and the guitar track

To do this you can set the reverb track level to -0- db (unity gain) and the reverb mix level to 100% wet , then adjust the send levels (say -14 db to start with, for the guitar and maybe -12 or -10 on the vocal ) then fine tune the two send levels to get just the amount of reverb balanced so that it sounds like the vocal and the guitar are in the same space.

This is what my session would look like
opps too small I will re do snap shots in a new post

[TBman]

I will always add reverb last, if I use it.

[KevWind]

Here are the tracks and the send levels and the Reverb settings (these are not set in stone just suggested starting points to try


Here are the EQs for the two tracks


Here is what I like for EQ on reverb

[Trevor B.]

Here's a quote from a Berklee Online article about choosing the order of EQ and compression plugins.
"As a rule, using EQ in front of your compressor produces a warmer, rounder tone, while using EQ after your compressor produces a cleaner, clearer sound. So, the question you need to ask yourself for each channel in your mix is, “Do I want to EQ the compressed signal or do I want to compress the EQed signal? What sound do I want for this signal?”
https://online.berklee.edu/takenote/...r-compression/

A general rule of thumb I follow is that tonal effect plugins (EQ, compression, saturation, etc) are inserted directly on the channel strip while time based effect plugins (reverb, delay, chorus, etc.) are sent via busses to aux channels. The exception is when you want to do parallel processing with the former as well as the latter.

[Doug Young]

I'd be very careful with compression - you can get away with a lot of it on vocals and it can definitely help smooth out a vocal track. On guitar a little goes a *long* way, and often isn't needed at all (other than in a possible final mastering pass, where almost everything tends to have some). Another reason to record to separate tracks, hopefully with little or no bleed between them.

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I'd be very careful with compression - you can get away with a lot of it on vocals and it can definitely help smooth out a vocal track. On guitar a little goes a *long* way, and often isn't needed at all (other than in a possible final mastering pass, where almost everything tends to have some). Another reason to record to separate tracks, hopefully with little or no bleed between them.

I've got to read the zoom manual on doing more than one track, ill keep this thread updated, Thanks

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I'd be very careful with compression - you can get away with a lot of it on vocals and it can definitely help smooth out a vocal track. On guitar a little goes a *long* way, and often isn't needed at all (other than in a possible final mastering pass, where almost everything tends to have some). Another reason to record to separate tracks, hopefully with little or no bleed between them.

I concur as per my screen shots I don't use compression on guitar tracks and even on vocals I typically use only a 2:1 to 3:1, maybe 4:1 ratio
just enough to begin to move it slightly forward in the sound field (or sometimes not at all) , and a relatively slow attack and release. Although I do tend to run every session through my Mix Bus, analog variable mu, mastering tube comp., again set very mild . Which seems to me (and maybe it's just conformation bias) adds just a bit more 3 D depth and presence

[Trevor B.]

The need for compression/limiting on guitar tracks depends very much on musical style and dynamics, not to mention the particulars of recording approach, room size, mic placement etc. While I wholeheartedly agree that a little compression goes a long way and may not be needed at all for less dynamic instrumental guitar styles there are instances when it's a better option than digital clipping.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

The need for compression/limiting on guitar tracks depends very much on musical style and dynamics, not to mention the particulars of recording approach, room size, mic placement etc. While I wholeheartedly agree that a little compression goes a long way and may not be needed at all for less dynamic instrumental guitar styles there are instances when it's a better option than digital clipping.

To manage a digital clip I would use a limiter (or a compressor used in the same fashion as a limiter).