Once you’ve learned how to set up a reverb bus in Pro Tools (or any DAW) you’ll find using and making changes to reverbs becomes quicker and more intuitive.
There are a few reasons why you might want to set up a reverb plugin on a bus (as opposed to slapping it directly on the track) –
- Firstly, you can send multiple tracks to that bus, enabling you to apply reverb to all of them with just one plugin. This saves on processing power and helps you achieve a more cohesive mix.
- Secondly, it allows you to make adjustments to multiple tracks via a single plugin instance.
- And thirdly, you’ll have more control over the sound of the reverb as you’ll be able to add plugins to the bus, affecting just the sound of the reverb.
Take a look at how this can be setup in Pro Tools. This works for any version of Pro Tools on PC or Mac. Whichever DAW you’re using, though, the principle is the same.
Also, if you find yourself unsure of what any of the reverb parameters do and how they affect your sound, have a read of this straightforward guide explaining the most common parameters.
Do you use busses for reverbs? Let me know in the comments below!