mono and stereo reverbs. what are the implications

[Guest]

Hi,
i appreciate how basic this is, and while i can assume the difference and implications...can someone simply state the pro's and con's of stereo/mono reverbs.

I am about to take the plunge and buy my first plugin reverbs
short list is:
Valahalla VV/shimmer,
Exponential R2/phoeneix bundle
NI reverb classics

your help will be very much appreciated

steve

[The Elf]

Not sure I understand.

Are you looking for:
+/- of stereo versus mono reverb

or

+/- of the reverbs on your short list?

[Guy Johnson]

in short ... Stereo reverbs give a wide sense of space as well as some depth ...
and mono reverbs can give a big sense of depth and ...
are often used with a sound such as guitar, or panned away form a sound in a mix.

An example: a shortish stereo reverb on, with a longer mono reverb with say 60ms pre-delay can make a better sense of space than just one or the other sort.

Best to experiment ... have fun.

[Guest]

sorry to be unclear. it was +/- of mono/stereo i was asking about

[The Elf]

OK, thanks for clarifying.

Mono and stereo reverb both have their place, but I think it fair to say that stereo reverb is the more commonly used. It helps to create space, depth and placement.

My use of mono reverb is relatively restrained, but I may choose it to:

• help balance a panned mono part, by placing the reverb at opposite panning.
• create a sense of distance - the more distant a sound with reverb, the less stereo width we hear.
• create a short 'smudged delay'. This can be more appealing than a hard-edged delay in some circumstances.
• simulate a mono room mic. Sometimes I add a bright mono reverb to a snare to give it more sustain and help it sit better in stereo centre.

If I racked my brain I'm sure I could come up with other instances where a mono reverb might appeal to me more than stereo, but when you're mixing solutions are often just in the moment. I don't plan these things - they just make sense when you need them.

HTH!

[ConcertinaChap]

HTH!

Dunno about the OP but it does help me. Such a newby as I am I'd not thought about ways of using reverb in mono. Ta.

CC

[Guy Johnson]

Good points made there.

It's also worth thinking about using pads/samples in mono (or narrow stereo) in mixes as well as mono reverbs.

[Guest]

great and helpful remarks. appreciated.

A thread at 'another place' bemoaned the fact of 'another stereo reverb release'.

I wonder now if a stereo plug in can be manipulated to be mono?

p.s. i also found the link to paul whites 'stereo mixing' which helps too.

extra thought: are the scare stories about ilok2 problems a reality? I have never had an ilok so it would be a new account and only to manage2 or 3 plug ins at most (straight face while wife looking over shoulder!)

[molecular]

I have an answer and another question... (related...)

1. I have Valhalla (although Room and Vintage, not Shimmer). I think they're absolutely amazing. I've trialled the NI Classic reverbs in the past - they were good, and although I didn't have that at the same time as Valhalla to do an A/B, I remember actually being taken aback at how great Valhalla sounded when I first heard them. Best £60 spend of my studio, without a doubt.

2. I was having an issue yesterday with the fact that when listening to a stereo mix in mono, resolving to mono seemed to drain a lot bass out of the reverb, and out of the mix in general. It was just a vocal/guitar live thing - both recorded in mono. Seemed to be a fairly insurmountable problem given how basic the track was - perhaps a situation where I should try committing myself to an entirely mono mix and using a mono reverb?

[The Elf]

I wonder now if a stereo plug in can be manipulated to be mono?

Sure. Just pan both sides of the reverb to the same place. Or group the reverb to a mono group channel. Or insert the reverb into a mono FX slot. Or mute one side of the reverb. Each method will have a slightly different result, but it's not a big deal - try each and see what you get.

[Folderol]

{raises hand}
Another interesting effect is to start with a stereo reverb on, say, a trailing note and slowly morph it to mono, and pan it to one side at the same time, also playing with the EQ at the same time.