Reverbs used to be quite expensive, both in terms of computer processing power and cost. Imagine only owning one reverb unit and having a track full of several different elements where you wanted to apply the same reverb to all of them. This might not seem as relatable now, given that you can create as many reverbs as you want on a computer. However, it’s important to note that some reverb plugins can still cause your computer to run out of processing power quickly. There is another advantage to using one reverb: you can unify the sound of all the elements in your track so that they all sound like they are sharing the same space. This creates a cohesive and natural sound, making the mix feel more polished and integrated. By sending multiple tracks to a single reverb bus, you can achieve this unified sound while also conserving processing power. This workflow only makes sense if we have multiple tracks benefiting from the use of a single reverb. Open up or create a new project with multiple tracks. We will evaluate the underlying signal flow for making all of this happen eventually, but for now, just follow along with these steps: ## View Sends A-E The first step is to make sure our sends are visible. Navigate to View > Edit Window Views and ensure that Sends A through E are enabled. As a side note, in the videos below you will notice a send labeled "Output 3-4." You can ignore creating it on your end, as it is only included in these videos so that I can route audio from ProTools to my video recording software, Quicktime, for teaching purposes. ![[Reverb Sends - View Sends A through E.mp4]] ### View Expanded Send A Additionally, make sure that Send A is visible as an "Expanded Send" by navigating to View > Edit Window Views > Send A. This will allow us to control the level of this send via a visible fader.   ![[Reverb Sends - Expanded Sends.mp4]] ## Select Multiple Tracks Select multiple tracks by holding "Shift" and clicking one of the track name titles.  ![[Reverb Sends - Selecting Multiple Tracks.mp4]] ## Add Sends to Multiple Tracks We will now apply an operation to multiple tracks. Holding down the "Option" key applies an operation to every track. Holding down "Shift" constrains the operation to only be applied to the selected tracks (which have now been selected). Holding these two key commands, click within Send A for any of the selected tracks, and select the option "New Track." We will set the track settings to be a stereo aux track, name it "Reverb" and then click Create. You will now see a bunch of little faders appear in the Send A column in addition to a Reverb track. ![[Reverb Sends - Add Sends to Multiple Tracks.mp4]] ## Deselecting and Reordering Tracks Depending on which track's send tile you clicked on, the new Reverb track might appear sandwiched between the others. I prefer to move this Reverb track either below or above the other tracks so it’s not sandwiched. To do this, click the track name of the Reverb track and drag it to a different position. Before you do this, make sure all other tracks are deselected. To deselect a track, hold down “Option” (or “Alt” on Windows) and click on the track name title. Now you are free to move the Reverb track to whatever position you’d like. ![[Reverb Sends - Deselecting and Reordering Tracks.mp4]] ## Add Air Reverb Effect Insert to Reverb Track We will now add an AIR Reverb Effect Insert to the Reverb Track. To do this, locate the Insert section on the Reverb Track, click on an available slot, navigate to Reverb, and select AIR Reverb. This will apply the reverb effect to the track, allowing us to adjust and control the reverb settings as needed. Make sure the mix level is set to 100 percent. We will not be controlling the wetness of the effect on the plugin itself, but rather via the expanded sends. ![[Reverb Sends - Add Reverb Effect.mp4]] ## Resize Tracks to See Expanded Sends We will now be focusing our attention on the expanded sends. If you can't see the sends appear as a fader, you might need to resize the tracks to see the expanded sends. Holding down Control + Option + Down Arrow or Up Arrow will resize the tracks in the Edit view. Resize them until they are big enough for the expanded sends to appear. ![[Reverb Sends - Resize Tracks.mp4]] ## The Grand Reveal: Adjust Send Levels to Hear Reverb The type of this track is an auxiliary track or return track, which serves as a destination for our sends to be routed to. In essence, all of our tracks have access to this return track. By adjusting the levels of the expanded sends, we can control how much reverb we hear. This configuration is super ergonomic for adjusting levels, and the sound of the reverb is unified across all tracks, giving it a cohesive appearance. You can always change the overall sound of the reverb by adjusting the reverb plugin settings on the Reverb Return track itself. Experiment to your heart's content! ![[Reverb Sends - Adjust Levels.mp4]] # Picture ![[5. Reverb Sends .excalidraw.svg]]