@JakeJacksonRMP thank you so much for your post. And thank you for all of your educational work sharing your expertise with us. I have been trying to watch every video I can find in which you give advice, and I really enjoyed the one you linked to with Christian. Since there are so many, and so varied opinions about reverb, and endless discussion possible about that subject....
Hello Paul
Listen to my real brass-recording-file. That's what we get in the concert hall: Different Depths.
Some instruments are playing more in the front some more at the back. You get this with real recordings by using a main stereo microphone setup or a decca tree. Most of all the other microphones are only for bringing out certein instruments more or less.
The reason is, that we should have exactly those natural depths for our dry samples as well. Unfortunately all of the Algo-Reverbs - from Val Halla via Bricasty and Lexicons to the 60'000.-$ ones - are not able to produce those nice deep depths which we have with real recordings. This feature is therefore never tested - aso not in the video above. Nevertheless - these Algo-Reverbs can add very nice and beautiful tails to those real recorded depths...
I am producing now orchestra pieces with dry samples since 2002 and used a lot of reverbs but I must say that only convolution reverbs with a suitable IR could produce really deep depths for the dry samples. Of course there are some Algo-PlugIns which are well for depths as well such as EARecon but the family is small ... So it is worth to take the time for going through all your IRs for finding one which can nicely "shift" your instruments far backwards.If you like to use just this IR for the whole room impression then use it. But you also could use only the first 50-200ms of it and blend the signal then after those first reflections into an algo-reverb for finally having a "60'000$-Tail". This would probably be the most versatile solution which is available nowadays. ... or use a PlugIn such as MIR but this is not mixing, this is using MIR.
Further: Keep in mind that good results do not need this or that tool - getting good results mainly need a lot of experience. I am sure that mixer-A can reach gorgeous results with these products and mixer-B reachs them with those products. Important is, that you "know" your tools very well and what they can do for you.
By the way: It seems that VSL is producing the next generation of samples no more only dry but also with some "built-in" different depths and positions - obviously real recorded in their recording studio "syncron stage". When we will have those samples we can use all those nice Algo-Reverbs from above for adding some nice 60'000£ tails... happy future!
If you are interested in: Here is a video which shows "
how my sample-orchestra got several depths" and how it finally sounds.
BTW: I used for all the 4 depths a separate reverb instance, each combined with EQs and other effects just for treating every depth perfectly. Observe all the different depths. This would not be able with just one instance and the "send-procedure". And a final tip: When you are going to create depths you need to over do them a bit: Close is a bit too close and far away is a bit too far...
Sorry Paul, that my reply is a bit beside your "original questions"
Have fun
Beat