Answer · Mixing
Why do engineers put reverb on a send instead of on the track?
A send keeps the dry signal untouched on its own track and puts the reverb, fully wet, on a separate return channel with its own fader. Several tracks can share that one reverb, which makes them sound as if they are in the same room, and the reverb can be equalised, compressed or ducked without changing any dry sound.
What a send changes
With reverb inserted on a track, one mix knob sets the balance and the reverb's output passes through everything after it in the chain. With a send, the track's send level decides how much goes to the reverb, and the return's fader sets how loud the reverb is in the mix. Dry and wet are two channels.
One space for many tracks
Six tracks with six different reverbs sound like six rooms. Sending them all to one return puts them in one place, with each track's send level setting how far back it sits. It also runs one reverb where there would have been six.
Treating the wet signal alone
Because the reverb is on its own channel, it can be processed without touching the source:
- High-pass and low-pass the return to keep the reverb out of the low end and to soften its top.
- Duck the return under the vocal, so the tail rises in the gaps between phrases.
- Compress or saturate the reverb for a denser tail.
Pre and post fader
A post-fader send follows the track's fader: turn the track down and its reverb goes down with it. A pre-fader send does not, which is how a part can be heard through its reverb alone.
When an insert is the right choice
When the reverb is part of one sound, such as a gated snare, a spring on a guitar amplifier or a wash on a single pad, and nothing else needs to share it.
In Zammoth
Track menu ▸ Add FX return makes a return channel. A Reverb, Delay or IR Reverb placed on a return is set to 100 percent wet. Each track's send knob runs from off to 0 dB, the return has its own fader, and the return's POST/PRE key picks where the sends are tapped. A project holds up to 12 returns. Or ask:
Zammoth is a DAW for Apple silicon Macs with an AI audio engineer built in. The beta opens soon.
Join the beta