Why is Reverb so quiet? (And how to boost it?)

[UltimateOutsider]

I'm learning Live, and last night I was experimenting with the built-in audio effects. I set up a Drum Rack on a MIDI track and put the Reverb effect on a Return track. I maxed out the send volume from the MIDI track to the effect. I set the Reverb effect to completely wet, but I have to boost the volume of the Return track all the way up just to be able to hear it. I haven't noticed anything in the Reverb effect itself that would let me boost the effect volume. How would I go about making the effect louder, if I needed to?

Lowering the MIDI track's volume doesn't help, obviously, because that decreases the signal sent to the effect.

Below is a screenshot of my track and effect settings. Any ideas what I can do here?

[n8tron]

You are cutting out the meat of it with the filter for one. Try moving your lo cut down to at least 2.5khz. Right now it is at 9.64khz so anything coming through will just sound like high frequency noise.

[matthews]

^^^
Agreed with this, change the filter parameters. Also, you can always just throw a utility at the end of the channel to boost as desired.

[UltimateOutsider]

^^^
Agreed with this, change the filter parameters. Also, you can always just throw a utility at the end of the channel to boost as desired.

Yes, I did cut the low frequencies because I just wanted to hear the ring of the cymbals, but even if I slide the knee all the way to the left the output signal is still way quieter than I would have expected, with the track output all the way up.

Regarding the utility you mentioned, I was wondering whether there was some device I could throw on the end of the chain to boost the signal- is there something like that included with Live?

[matthews]

Audio Effects > Utility

[UltimateOutsider]

Audio Effects > Utility

LOL you literally meant "Utility."

Just tried it, and that worked brilliantly. Thanks!

[siliconarc]

or boost the Reflect & Diffuse knobs

[willdahbe]

or boost the Reflect & Diffuse knobs

^^^ this

Also turn off "chorus" and "spin" unless the desired effect you want is a sloppy mess.

[mholloway]

to mirror the above, this really isn't a matter of just making what you have louder (with utility or anything else) but making it better. Your settings are the issue. You'll get a clearer, smoother, vastly more audible sound taking the above advice and changing your verb settings.

[h4nc0]

or put a comp/limiter on the reverb send channel.

[UltimateOutsider]

to mirror the above, this really isn't a matter of just making what you have louder (with utility or anything else) but making it better. Your settings are the issue. You'll get a clearer, smoother, vastly more audible sound taking the above advice and changing your verb settings.

Well, now that I can hear it I'll be able to make those tweaks.

[Forge.]

or boost the Reflect & Diffuse knobs

+1 these are volume controls for 2 different parts of the reverb signal

[Vios]

Use utility. If you're happy with the way an effect sounds, don't ever sacrifice quality for the sake of more loudness (as few here seem to have suggested). Just increase the volume with utility.

[Forge.]

Use utility. If you're happy with the way an effect sounds, don't ever sacrifice quality for the sake of more loudness (as few here seem to have suggested). Just increase the volume with utility.

if both are adjusted equally it shouldn't affect the quality - they are just gain controls

[UltimateOutsider]

Use utility. If you're happy with the way an effect sounds, don't ever sacrifice quality for the sake of more loudness (as few here seem to have suggested). Just increase the volume with utility.

Yeah, any setting in that screenshot that wasn't a Reverb default (other than the Lo Cut) was simply me fiddling with trying to boost the volume so I could hear what I was working with. I hadn't even gotten to the point of trying to make it sound good.

I do appreciate the tips though.