Piano Forum

Piano Board => Audition Room => Topic started by: iwo on October 12, 2006, 02:35:33 PM

Title: Reverb Settings for Piano Recording?
Post by: iwo on October 12, 2006, 02:35:33 PM

I would like to add Reverb to my piano recordings and would appreciate advice in settings.
Most reverb units use the following parameters:
-Mix
-Predelay
-Decay
-LP cut
Would someone please suggest some settings to start with  :)
What settings have had success with?
Also, is anyone aware of a chart that might be helpful ie: "warm, medium size room" = ?

Title: Re: Reverb Settings for Piano Recording?
Post by: m on October 14, 2006, 09:32:09 AM

Quote from: iwo on October 12, 2006, 02:35:33 PM

I would like to add Reverb to my piano recordings and would appreciate advice in settings.
Most reverb units use the following parameters:
-Mix
-Predelay
-Decay
-LP cut
Would someone please suggest some settings to start with  :)
What settings have had success with?
Also, is anyone aware of a chart that might be helpful ie: "warm, medium size room" = ?

The quick googling gives thousands of links for what are the reverb parameters and what do they mean/change. For example the first couple hits will explicitely explain it:

https://www.harmony-central.com/Effects/Articles/Reverb/

https://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/effects_reverb.html

Unfortunately, it is impossible to give any advice as for general settings. It will entirely depend on many factors--piano, room, performer, repertoire, type of microphones used (omni, cardioid, or fig8), recording and miking techniques, hardware, etc., etc.

Only your ears and experience can suggest exactly right setting.
Press play and start manipulating with the setting knobs one at the time. First, learn how each of them affects the sound not in theory, but in reality. Go to extremes. Once you know what kind of actual changes each of those parameters makes, try to combine them together, but for now go easy. Make suble changes and listen very carefully.

Remember, before you start tweaking your reverb you need to adjust tonal balance with EQ. Parametric 5-7 bands variable Q EQs work the best, and are the most flexible but need some practicing. Paragrafic ones are also OK and are much easier to manipulate.

You might need somewhat adjust the EQ after you find a good reverb setting.
Once again, only your ears can tell you what to do.

If you want, we can do an excersise/experiment, where you post a raw recording (it might be even some commercial one), then whoever interested can try their own settings and in the end post and compare results, revealing the parameters. I will be in.

Might be fun.