How to Create Reverb Send in Cubase (In 5 Simple Steps)

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The Value of Reverb Sends

Reverb sends play a crucial role in shaping the spatial and sonic characteristics of a mix, offering several key benefits:

1. Depth and Dimension: Reverb adds a sense of depth and space to individual tracks and the overall mix, placing instruments and vocals within a virtual environment. This spatial enhancement can make recordings sound more natural and immersive.
2. Consistency and Cohesion: By sending multiple tracks to a single reverb bus, you ensure that all elements share a common acoustic environment. This fosters cohesion and helps create a unified soundstage where instruments and vocals blend together harmoniously.
3. Control and Flexibility: Using reverb sends allows precise control over the amount and type of reverb applied to each track. This flexibility enables you to adjust the depth of field for different parts of the song or mix, enhancing clarity and focus where needed.
4. CPU Efficiency: Instead of inserting a separate reverb plugin on each track, which can tax system resources, sending tracks to a dedicated reverb bus optimizes CPU usage. This approach is especially beneficial in large projects with many tracks or when working with resource-intensive plugins.
5. Creative Expression: Reverb sends empower producers and engineers to sculpt unique sonic textures and atmospheres. Experimenting with different reverb types, settings, and automation opens up creative possibilities for enhancing mood, emotion, and storytelling within a piece of music.

In summary, reverb sends are indispensable tools for achieving professional-grade mixes. They provide spatial enrichment, improve mix coherence, offer precise control, optimize workflow efficiency, and unleash creative potential, ultimately contributing to the overall quality and impact of recorded music.

Setting Up a Reverb Send in Cubase

1.     Create an FX Channel Track for Reverb:

• Right-click (or Control-click on Mac) in the empty space below your existing tracks in the Cubase project window.
• Select "Add FX Channel Track" from the context menu.

2.     Assign a Reverb Plugin to the FX Channel:

• Double-click on the FX Channel Track that you created to open the Channel Settings window.
• In the Channel Settings window, click on an empty insert slot.
• Choose a reverb plugin from the list of available plugins. If you haven’t installed one, you can browse and install new plugins through Cubase’s plugin manager.

3.     Route Audio to the Reverb FX Channel:

• Navigate to the track(s) where you want to apply reverb.
• In the Mixer or the Inspector (depending on your workspace layout), locate the "Sends" section of the track you want to send to the reverb.
• Click on an empty send slot (often labeled "Sends" or "Send Level").
• Choose the FX Channel Track you created (where the reverb plugin is inserted) from the list of available channels.

4.     Adjust Send Levels:

• After assigning the FX Channel Track as the send destination, adjust the send level to control how much of the track’s audio is sent to the reverb.
• Start with a low level and increase it gradually until you achieve the desired amount of reverb effect on the track.

5.     Monitor and Fine-tune:

• Play back your project to hear how the reverb affects the audio.
• Adjust the parameters of the reverb plugin on the FX Channel Track to fine-tune the reverb effect to your liking.
• You can adjust parameters like room size, decay time, wet/dry mix, and EQ to tailor the reverb effect to fit your track and mix.

6.     Repeat as Needed:

• If you want to apply reverb to multiple tracks, repeat the above steps for each track where you want to add reverb.

Tips:

• Send Levels: Keep an eye on your send levels to ensure the reverb doesn’t overwhelm the original track’s sound.
• Plugin Choice: Experiment with different reverb plugins to find the one that best suits your project and desired sound.
• Mixing Balance: Reverb can affect the overall balance of your mix. Use it judiciously to create depth and space without muddying the mix.

By setting up a reverb send using an FX channel in Cubase, you can effectively apply reverb effects across multiple tracks while maintaining control over the amount and character of the effect. Adjustments to send levels and reverb plugin settings will allow you to achieve a cohesive and professional sound in your mixes.

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