How do you determine what reverb/delay to put on live keys?

[newguy_dup1]

I play a Yamaha Motif Classic in a two guitar/1 keyboard band, we play 60s/70s rock for baby boomers. We generally use a Yamaha StagePas 300 for smaller gigs (vox and my keys go out that),but are looking at larger gigs now (the last gig, in a banquet hall, we scrounged up some bigger powered speakers), and I was just trying to figure out how to set my keyboard up for gigs larger than living rooms.

 

I have read that putting reverb out on the PAs makes the keyboard sound very "digital", because after all the room we're in has it's own intrinsic reverb properties. Some people also say that they run their pianos completely dry ... others say with some delay.

 

Is there a general consensus for what kind of reverb/delay to put on acoustic piano voices/organs/synth/horns etc.?

 

Thanks for helping out!

[mate stubb]

1. Turn it up until it sounds good.

2. Now cut it by 75%.

 

[bloodyMary]

Mate stubb is right, as little as possible is good. With too much reverb/delay your keys will get lost in the mix and create sonic mud.

 

I do it like this:

 

1)Turn down the delay and reverb.

2)Now start turning it up slowly until you start noticing it (I mean, barely notice)

3)Turn down by one step.

 

 

Some sounds require more delay, like lead synth sounds, whenever you solo.

 

 

If the sound is good without delay/reverb - leave it dry.

[Joe P]

Alexis,

I turn it up until I can just barely hear it and leave it there.

Regards,

Joe

[DanS]

Yep, I concur with the above. I usually just use Room 1 style reverbs live, and only barely heard. I'm a little more liberal with chorus,

[Tusker]

It kind of depends on the voice you are using. Generally for a piano, I have a soundboard emulation reverb and that's it. Electric pianos and B3 are as dry as dirt. For pads, choirs, pipe organs might have quite a lot. Leads get delay and no reverb.

 

Jerry

[Kayvon]

I put just a tad on most my sounds but I make sure I cut alot of the bass out of it.

[rdownton]

I try to use as little as possible. It drives me crazy how many factory patches are heavy in reverb. My Alesis was terrible for that. Less is more. Nothing beats natural reverberation in a room

[MusicWorkz]

For larger venues, I turn it off completely. For smaller rooms, I pull it back to between 15-25% of the full volume...

[Dave Bryce]

I don't use reverb live unless I'm looking for a specific effect on a specific tune.

 

dB

[Afrokeys]

I use the holy grail. Half way mark is too much, i keep it at 10 o'clock...by the way, this reverb sounds amazing on organ patches....

[Jamiel]

hrm. reverb eh?

I leave the reverb off on everything most of the time.

the only time reverb comes in is studio production for me, unless I want an interesting solo.

 

I velcro a Boss DD-6 onto my digital piano which I use for clav, rhodes, piano, and strings occasionally.

this I have having to bend down to mess with stuff, and considering that a handful of the time I do reggae, I like to slap it on for a stab, then slap it off.

 

for me it's all about the wah pedal, delay, and I love me some envelope filter on my synth sounds so make it reaaaaaal funky.

 

but reverb? not so much.

besides, my guitar player uses plenty. haha

 

my mentor told me something I won't forget.

If you start to sound too digital, then work the sound until it's almost honky tonk. haha I didn't quite understand what he was going for exactly, but this man would make a radio shack keyboard sound incredible. it was in his approach to each new sound.

and if he used reverb, he liked maybe 10-20% tops.

[King Julien]

None live for me.

[RABid]

Same here. No reverb live. You get enough from the room.

[Garrafon]

Right...none. If you hear it, it's too much.

[ProfD]

A good sound engineer would advise turning reverb off.

 

In general, it is a good idea to practice without too. Might seem a little weird at first but eventually, 'dry' sounds natural.

 

Of course, sampled and synthesized sounds benefit from effects depending on the usage.

 

Otherwise, use as little reverb as possible. It is already the most overused effect in KBs.