Reverb or Chorus- What is it?

[Torment Leaves Scars]

So, I've been rockin' my Telecaster for the past few hours, and even trying to record some stuff with it (through a mixer, NO MODELING) and I'm just not happy with the overtone or lack thereof.  I've cut out nearly all the distortion and I'm just playing as clean as my amp head will allow.  I'm going for clarity and sort of a warm, almost acoustic sound. 

My notes just aren't ringing out long enough to make me happy.  Unfortunately, my head does not have "Reverb" adjustment knob, but it does have 3 settings; "Loose, Medium, and Tight."  I have the amp head set to the loosest setting but I'm still not happy.  There are not any knobs for Presence, either.

So, what is my issue here...Chorus or Reverb?

Thanks!

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Both chorus and reverb are delay based effects.  They tend to be in the msec range of delay.  Chorus the delay time is oscillated longer and shorter.  It is mixed with the original signal (depth) and the rate of oscillation is also controllable.  It is two signals slightly oscillating, so a chorus.

Reverb is just the delay and the mix with the original.  So it sounds like the audio reflections in a big room. 

It doesn't sound like either of those refer to the knob on the amp.  A little reverb will open up the sound, that is how I'd say it, and take up a bit more space.  Delay based effects tend to require a bit slower playing and you have to let them do their thing.  But from what you are asking for, I'd add some reverb and try it.  Remember, there are quite a number of different types of reverbs out there, so keep an open mind.
Patrick

 

[Badside]

Care to share a clip? That would help a lot

Right now it's like you're saying "I've been painting a portrait but it's missing something. Red maybe?" without us seeing it

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Care to share a clip? That would help a lot

Right now it's like you're saying "I've been painting a portrait but it's missing something. Red maybe?" without us seeing it

That's a good idea...I shoulda thought of that!

I'll have to whip one up, then I'll post it up!

 

[Justinginn]

Yeah, a clip would be helpful. I agree with Patrick in saying that Reverb is most likely what you're looking for. The "loose/tight" switches maybe simply be eq-related at a certain stage of your amp or somehow control speaker response. I'm not positive how that works but that kind of switch most likely does not control reverb.

If you're recording to computer there are a number of free reverb plugins that can add a little bit of body or life to your sound. However if you're recording to tape or something with less options than a computer I'd suggest moving your mic around. Try putting it right where your ears are when you play guitar so it picks up the sound you hear. That tends to add a lot of life for me when I record.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Yeah, a clip would be helpful. I agree with Patrick in saying that Reverb is most likely what you're looking for. The "loose/tight" switches maybe simply be eq-related at a certain stage of your amp or somehow control speaker response. I'm not positive how that works but that kind of switch most likely does not control reverb.

If you're recording to computer there are a number of free reverb plugins that can add a little bit of body or life to your sound. However if you're recording to tape or something with less options than a computer I'd suggest moving your mic around. Try putting it right where your ears are when you play guitar so it picks up the sound you hear. That tends to add a lot of life for me when I record.

Yes, the Loose/Medium/Tight switches are for speaker response; the control how much the speaker vibrates, or something...  ???

Right now I don't even own a mic, unless you count the one my wife got with Guitar Hero.  :doh:

 

[Justinginn]

That, sir, is your problem. Have you been using a line out? Sometimes those work well but I have yet to hear a time when a line out sounded LIKE a mic'd (real) amp. That might be what you're missing.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

That, sir, is your problem. Have you been using a line out? Sometimes those work well but I have yet to hear a time when a line out sounded LIKE a mic'd (real) amp. That might be what you're missing.

Also, while this is off the subject, what do you know about running mixers with a USB?  My wife got me a Behringer Xenyx 1204USB for Xmas and I'm just now getting around to using it.  I'm running the guitar into the head, then running the head into the mixer (I do have a cabinet hooked up to my head).  I'm recording everything in "GarageBand."  No matter how high or low I set my gain levels, I'm running into a lot of hiss or background static, which is interfering pretty badly with the overall sound.  When I use a CLEAN channel on my head, I don't run into this issue.

Any idea how to clean this up?  I've messed with the highs, mids, lows, gain, and volume on both, the mixer and the head, and no dice.  :dontknow:

 

[line6man]

My biggest problem with guitar tones is that I'm a reverb whore. I tend to drown everything in rich cathedral reverb until it ends up muddy and cacophonous, and then I sound terrible.  :sad:
When you do it right, however, a touch of reverb is a wonderful thing. It really livens up a dry tone. Try a good room or hall reverb.

Chorus is another effect that I like, but only when done properly. If your chorus gets too thick and full, it takes on a nasty over-lush quality that's almost nauseating. Chorus should be used subtlety, to give a nice shimmer to cleans. Set the speed slow, the depth high, and then mix it in with the dry signal until it sounds good.

I can't imagine ever being happy with a guitar straight into the console to record, without dialing up some chorus or reverb in the aux send, or adding a plugin or two in your recording software. Even in a mix, the guitar would be pretty dry.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

If it is hissing with the dirty channel, and not the clean, that is noise from the amp.  It just is there.  It should drop with the gain, but doesn't have to.  If you are looking for a good all around mic, a Shure SM57 or an Audix I5 are two that perform very similarly, can be used for everything, and are not too expensive.  After that, you can get mic's that are specific for a certain purpose.  The price tends to go from OK to holy moly to outright excessive.  Mic's, and mic pre's for that matter, are another one of those can of worms.  Everyone has favorites, and one is never enough.
Patrick

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

If it is hissing with the dirty channel, and not the clean, that is noise from the amp.  It just is there.  It should drop with the gain, but doesn't have too.  If you are looking for a good all around mic, a Shure SM57 or an Audix I5 are two that perform very similarly, can be used for everything, and are not too expensive.  After that, you can get mic's that are specific for a certain purpose.  The price tends to go from OK to holy moly to outright excessive.  Mic's, and mic pre's for that matter, are another one of those can of worms.  Everyone has favorites, and one is never enough.
Patrick

Thanks for the info!

 

[TBurst Std]

Without hearing it, I can say I normally find both normal chorus and normal reverb inadequate.

3 words

Early Reflection reverb

AND it needs to be focuses only on you core freqs. Your outliers need some cut.

Your normal reverb is based on all sort of reflections. You want only the 1st reflection (ala what a mic would pic up when no verb is used)

If needed, I can post or PM some details. If you offer what amp you are using, I may be able to offer the core freqs.

Unless you have some really neat reverb pedal/effect, you will have to do this post production.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Without hearing it, I can say I normally find both normal chorus and normal reverb inadequate.

3 words

Early Reflection reverb

AND it needs to be focuses only on you core freqs. Your outliers need some cut.

Your normal reverb is based on all sort of reflections. You want only the 1st reflection (ala what a mic would pic up when no verb is used)

If needed, I can post or PM some details. If you offer what amp you are using, I may be able to offer the core freqs.

Unless you have some really neat reverb pedal/effect, you will have to do this post production.

I'm using a Peavey 3120 120W head and an Avatar G412 cabinet with 2 Celestion Vintage 30s and 2 Celestion K100s.

 

[TBurst Std]

Any fancy verb pedal or outboard ability to add verb to a dry signal?