In general, DO NOT use reverb as an inline effect (a reverb as a plug-in on an audio track).

Instead, use an Aux Send and Return in a parallel configuration.

Use an Aux to send all the desired channels to an internal bus. Create an Aux track and set the bus as its input. Put the reverb plug-in on the Aux track.

Benefits:

• more efficient use of computer processing
• set level of dry sound independently and then add reverb
• easier to control level of reverb on a large fader – don’t need to open any plugs-ins to make changes
• since several tracks are mixed before going through the reverb, they sound like they are in the same ‘room’.

In general, use no more than 4 reverb plugins per mix. These could be a short bright plate, medium room, longer hall, and a special effect reverb.

This will help keep your mix from getting muddy and unclear.

Static mixes – where the faders sit at the same level throughout a song – will never sound polished or finished. The balances between song elements must be constantly adjusted to focus the listener.

Lead vocals are the place where micro adjustments came make a huge difference between a so-so mix and one where the voice sits right ‘in the pocket’ – never lost, but never out of the texture.

Ride those faders!

“I like some aspects of one array and different aspects of another. Can I combine two different main arrays?”

Don’t mix main arrays
In general, when using classical techniques (main array with spots), don’t combine main arrays – this causes comb filtering/phase issues because of the difference in time of arrivals to the two arrays.

If you want to combine, say, the warmth and spaciousness of an omni-based spaced AB array with the crispness of a cardioid-based XY, you need to consider these a 4 mic array and place the mics with that in mind.

(In the case of the 4 mic array, the cardioids in the XY would be at a similar distance or even closer than the AB, rather than 1.7 times farther away, as distance factor might indicate.)