In our last tutorial, we used the Neural Amp Modeler to elevate our guitar tones. Now, to take our tones to the next level with sophisticated touches such as Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Chorus, Flanger..., we'll add FX plugins to the Neural Amp Modeler. This is like the process of applying effect pedals when we use real guitar amplifiers.
To illustrate the application of FX plugins in Reaper, I'll use a Reverb Plugin as a demonstration in this article. Reverb is considered one of the most essential effects for guitar players because it simulates the natural reverberation, making the guitar tones richer and more immersive. In upcoming articles, I'll guide you through applying effects commonly used by guitar players, including Delay, Chorus, EQ, Compressor, and more.
A vast array of FX plugins is at users' disposal today, with numerous ways to categorize them. One straightforward approach is to classify plugins based on whether they are free or paid. This tutorial is tailored for beginner DAW users with limited experience in FX plugins. We'll focus on plugins that can be achieved most effortlessly, making free plugins the primary focus of this tutorial. It's important to note that being free doesn't imply lower quality. In fact, numerous exceptional free plugins boast superior quality compared to their paid counterparts.
In addition, I will specifically focus on FX plugins that can meet the specific preferences and practices of guitar players. Typical FX plugins may differ from those of traditional guitar pedals in the ways of control. Traditional guitar pedals usually incorporate knobs as their control units. FX plugins often feature numerous sliders, faders or input boxes in the interfaces. Despite these visual distinctions, it's important to note that the parameters of the example FX plugins used in this tutorial closely resemble those found in traditional guitar pedals.
Alright, let's move on from this tedious introduction and delve into FX plugins.
In this and upcoming tutorials, I will primarily discuss two types of FX plugins. They are listed as follows:
- Reaper Built-in FX plugins (This topic with be discussed in this article)
- Third-Party FX plugins (This topic with be discussed in the upcoming article)
Reaper Built-in FX plugins
Reaper Built-in FX plugins are a collection of audio effects and processing tools integrated directly into the Reaper digital audio workstation.
The first plugin I will introduce you is a Reaper Built-in Reverb plugin called ReaVerbate. Now, please load your project from the end of the last tutorial, which includes two NAM plugins in the audio track's FX Chain. Each of the plugins is already loaded with the necessary NAM models. Your FX chain should resemble the configuration depicted in the provided image. ↓
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| Neural-Amp-Modeler-Loaded-with-NAM-Models |
Adding the ReaVerbate plugin follows a process similar to adding the NAM plugin. Follow these steps to integrate ReaVerbate into your FX chain (A brief video clip is provided below to demonstrate this process.):
- Click the "Add" button at the bottom of the FX chain window (as shown in the image above).
- In the left column of the FX browser, select "All Plugins."
- Enter "ReaVerbate" in the "Filter" input box. (Please make sure the plugin's name is correctly entered.)
- Check "VST: ReaVerbate (Cockos)" is shown in the search results.
- Click on "VST: ReaVerbate (Cockos)" to select it. ("VST: ReaVerbate (Cockos)" essentially means that it's a VST plugin called ReaVerbate, developed by Cockos, the company that created Reaper DAW)
- Click the "Add" button in the lower right corner of the FX browser window.
- You will see ReaVerbate plugin added to the bottom of the FX chain as shown in the following picture.
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| Add-ReaVerbate-Plugin-to-FX-Chain-in-Reaper.gif |
Upon completion of the above operation, the ReaVerbate FX Plugin will be displayed in the FX Chain Window. This is shown in the foolowing image.↓
If you find ReaVerbate a bit disappointing because it doesn't resemble a traditional guitar effect pedal, don't worry. In the upcoming articles of this tutorial, I will introduce more reverb plugin examples that closely resemble actual guitar effect pedals.
The ReaVerbate plugin in Reaper provides various parameters that allow you to control the characteristics of the reverb effect. Here are explanations for some of the key parameters:
- Room Size: Adjusts the simulated size of the virtual room. Increasing the room size generally creates a larger and more spacious reverb.
- Dampening: This setting allows you to control the treatment of the room. No damping results in a highly reverberant and lively room. A high level of damping creates a much more subdued and deadened acoustic environment.
- Stereo Width: Adjusts the perceived width of the reverb. Decreasing it will narrow the reverb, moving towards a more mono sound. Increasing it will enhance the stereo effect, creating a wider spatial perception.
- Initial Delay: Introduces a delay between the guitar sound and the onset of the reverb.
- Lowpass: Lowpass filter allows low frequencies to pass through while gradually rolling off the high frequencies. If the reverb sounds overly bright, you can bring the lowpass down to create a darker reverb.
- Highpass: This filter enables high frequencies to pass through while gradually rolling off the low frequencies. If the reverb sounds too dark, you can bring the highpass up to make the reverb brighter.
- Wet: The "Wet" parameter controls the level of the reverb mixed in the guitar sound. Adjusting this parameter downward reduces the amount of reverb blended with the guitar sound. Moving it upward increases the level of reverb mixed into the guitar sound.
- Dry: The "dry" parameter adjusts the level of the original guitar sound. Decreasing it will reduce the level of the original guitar sound, while increasing it will raise the level of the original guitar sound.
Experimenting with these parameters and listening to the changes in real-time will help you tailor the reverb effect to suit your specific needs within your Reaper project.
Save and Load FX Plugin Settings
Once you've configured the reverb parameters to your liking, you might want to save these settings for future use. To save and load the settings of the FX plugin, please refer to the image below for instructions. It's possible to save multiple reverb settings for future use. Additionally, the ReaVerbate plugin offers a variety of ready-to-use presets. You can find these built-in reverb presets by opening up the preset dropdown list.
Change the Order of FX Plugins in the FX Chain
In Reaper, the order of FX plugins in the FX Chain is crucial as it determines the sequence in which audio signals are processed. The FX Chain processes audio from top to bottom. The audio signal enters the first plugin at the top of the chain and moves downward through each subsequent plugin. The signal flows from the input of the first plugin to the output of the last plugin in the chain. Each plugin processes the incoming signal and passes it to the next one in line.
In the above example, the sequence of FX plugin processing the guitar signal is NAM Plugin (Xotic EP Booster) -> NAM Plugin (Bassman Amp) -> ReaVerbate. Consequently, the reverb effect is applied to the output of the NAM plugin acting as a guitar amp. However, if you wish to position the ReaVerbate before the NAM Plugin serving as the boost pedal, you can achieve this by dragging the ReaVerbate plugin to the position above the boost NAM plugin. This process is illustrated in the following GIF.
Following the above adjustment, the ReaVerbate plugin is now applying reverb effect to the raw guitar signal from our audio interface. Subsequently, the guitar sound, now enriched with reverb, is passed along to the boost NAM plugin. It's worth noting that applying a reverb effect before a boost pedal is not a conventional practice. The demonstration outlined above is solely for illustrative purposes.
Summary
ReaVerbate plugin is a versatile and efficient reverb solution. This plugin's diverse set of parameters allows for precise customization of the reverb effect. The wet and dry parameters provide seamless control over the balance between the original and reverberated signals, offering flexibility in tailoring the sound to your preferences.
With features like room size, and damping, ReaVerbate offers a wide range of possibilities for shaping the sonic landscape. The ability to save and load presets enhances workflow efficiency, allowing you to recall favorite settings or experiment with different configurations effortlessly.
In addition, ReaVerbate is a remarkably efficient reverb plugin. Even on resource-limited systems, ReaVerbate delivers outstanding performance without compromising on quality.
Whether you're a beginner exploring the world of reverb or an experienced producer seeking a reliable tool, Reaper's ReaVerbate stands out as a dependable and creative solution. Its seamless integration, intuitive controls, high efficiency, and versatile features make it a valuable asset enhancing your guitar tone.
If you're interested in learning more about how to use ReaVerbate plugins, I recommend checking out a helpful video tutorial below. The tutorial is from Reaper Mania's YouTube channel.
That wraps up this article! Stay tuned for our next installment, where we dive into the exciting realm of integrating third-party plugins into your FX chain. Get ready to supercharge your audio journey! 🚀🎶