I’m wondering if it’s better practice using FX in DAW than using built-in FX in each VSTi. Or does it depend on the case?

 

Why don´t you try and decide what´s better for you?

 

Since all FX sound different, even delays, I prefer to use the VSTi FX (as long as they don't sound like shit, that is) because this way I've more variety in the sounds, more character.

 

It's more capable when You share presets or collaborate with someone.
When You use built in vsti effects You only need to save preset from vsti and have ready sound to share.
When You use external effects You need to save presets from other vsts or save whole project then share.
More external effects You use = More complicated to implement in other DAWs.

 

It depend on the case. But when possible, better use internal effects.

 

I just came here to see the 2 dogs hugging!!
And to tell you that the FX inside some VSTi's is actually not that great as they usually do not have deep parameters to setup.

Some fx is unique to the VSTi so it is a matter of taste.

 

I've tried thousand times, but still don't know well. My ears hasn't been trained yet.

 

Great explanation. Thx!

 

If you're talking about EDM (I am sire its done elsewhere as well), most of the VSTi FX like Reverb, Delay, Phaser are turned off when mixing (not in sound selection), and those effects are applied on the mixer buss. For reverb and delay, sends are used and if you mix, say two reverbs and delays the sound you get can be very amazing. Its particularly very useful on vocals. Some VSTi FX can be very good, for e.g. Spire's Reverb & Delay, Sylenth1's filters (they aren't in FX section but still worth a mention), but generally VSTi FX are more heavy on CPU and share characteristics with the synth, i.e. Nexus EQ won't sound similar to Sylenth1's filters. However if you're using something like Omnisphere, Avenger or Falcon, the inbuilt effects can be better than external effects as those synths were made with effects as well in mind

 

That's good to know. Thanks!

 

Do you mean the effects in DAW?

 

Depends if the fx that come with the synth and the preset sound nice you don't need to replace the reveb for example but experimentation can born interesting results

 

separate composing and mixing in music production chain, yes.

i assume this happen during composing session.. not a thinking session..

the magic signature could be happen in daw or vsti, yes.

this is thinking..


this is composing..

 

I'll tell you the perfect solution if you just lower the height of your sig pic. Come on, it's been 2 years..!!!
@No Avenger , do something! Ban him.. or ban someone...

 

In theory this is correct, but I found that it's often the sound that makes you start playing a melody or riff but if the sound's not good ...
This goes for synths, guitars, drums, .... Can you imagine to play a Metal riff with an undistorted guitar? I mean, you can do this but ...

 

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I mean that when it is possible, better use your synth internal effects.
But of course it depends of a lot of parameters.

If you are creating presets that are meant to be used in the future by you or shared with others, it is better to use the synth internal effects, so loading it will sound as you made it.

If you create a preset for a song, it could be better to use external effects, specially reverb and delay, using the same for other tracks of the song, so you will obtain a more coherent sound.

If you are creating a preset for sound design, you may also use external effects so you open the possibilities and quality, instead of depending of the synth internal effects. In this case you can save the track it self as a track template, if you want to recall it for further use. But that makes it more difficult to share of course.

There would be more examples possible, but you got the concept of how to decide to use internal or external effects.

 

Thanks for the details. I have another question. What I don’t understand is that many people use only two or three reverb/delay and share it with other instruments. But every effect plug in provides the presets for each instrument. Then how can you share it with different setting.

For example, I’d like to use plate reverb for vocal with a specific setting, spring reverb for the electric guitar, hall reverb for drum sets and room reverb for snare. Then you need at least 4 reverbs. If you use the specific reverb for each instrument and don’t share it with other instruments, the send channel isn’t necessary. But there must be a reason for that.
Could you also explain it, please?

 

always ive always made any sound dry then added things like reverbs delays after never once touched a deley or reverb in the vsti.

 

The thing with a "master reverb" as a sound is that it places every sound in the same sonic space, and you can control the spatial elements with just volume/send/pan. It can create a unified sound space/stage.

Using different reverb per instruments has its own benefits like being able to customize every sound, but then controlling all of the parameters spread across multiple sources becomes a lot of work, also it can really stuff up your mix, make it a proper smudge if you overdo the reverbs.

Oh, and my take on the original question: I use builtins if they're part of the sound, like a rotary with an organ. Then there are synth FX that are part of the signal chain and interact with synth parameters, hard to do this with external FX. And then you get things like per-voice FX which you can't easily replicate with externals.

And this is a thing I mostly do, and I'm not claiming it as a universal truth, but most of the time when I get things mix ready I'll reduce the amount of all reverbs -10 to -20 percent. Yes, it's to counteract the fact that I put too much reverb in the first place, but even when not it reduces the amount of smear quite a bit. Horses for courses.

 

Well, again it will depend of the situation.

But let's say that the decisions you explain are done and not arguable. In this case, you are right, there is no reason to use sends for these reverbs.
Unless, you want to keep some flexibility to experiment. Example: you got your plate for vocal, your spring for guitar and your room for snare. Why not try to send a little bit of each of these into the same hall that you use for the drum set?
So keeping these as sends can make it easier to try things.

The example I used is not random, you can use short reverbs as part of an instrument's sound, then a general, longer / bigger for ambiance.