TB Reelbus 4 - How do the Modes Work?

[cpsmusic]

Hi,

I bought copy of ToneBoosters' TB ReelBus v4 recently. I'm unclear as to how the "Modes" work. The manual says the following:

Recorder: in this mode, ReelBus acts as tape recorder simulator. All input signals are processed by the tape simulation effect.
• Send FX: in this mode, ReelBus only produces echo and flanging output contributions, without outputting the original input. This mode is suitable for using ReelBus as bus effect to produce tape echo and flanging.
• Insert FX: in this mode, ReelBus produces the original (unprocessed) input as output, plus any flange and echo effects. This mode is suitable for using ReelBus as insert effect to generate tape echo and flanging.

The plug-in also has an Amount control.

I'm totally confused as to how these different Modes are meant to be used. Anyone figured this out?

Cheers,

Chris

[whyterabbyt]

I'm totally confused as to how these different Modes are meant to be used. Anyone figured this out?

The text you posted pretty much already explains it, IMO.

When you're using it for tape-style echo and flanging on a send bus, use Send FX. When you're using it for tape-style echo and flanging on a track insert, use Insert FX. When you're using it as a tape sim, use Recorder.

[vurt]

is it a terminology thing?
send is auxiliary or aux
insert is channel on the mixer

[cpsmusic]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Still don't get it. I understand how inserts and sends work. Are the different Modes for different wet/dry settings - i.e. Send is 100% wet, Insert is ? How is Recorder different to Send? What is the Amount control doing?

[whyterabbyt]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Still don't get it. I understand how inserts and sends work. Are the different Modes for different wet/dry settings - i.e. Send is 100% wet, Insert is ?

Inserts is a mix of the dry input and the processed signal, varied according to the Amount control.

How is Recorder different to Send?

I just told you. Its not an echo or flanger, its a tape simulation. Without any echo or flanging.

What is the Amount control doing?

Its the amount of applied effect. 0-100%. Like it says in the manual you quoted.

[cpsmusic]

But in Recorder Mode Echo and Flange still work right? If I load the Multi FX preset the plug-in is set to Recorder Mode but there's still Echo and Flange.

[cpsmusic]

And also, in Send Mode the Amount control acts as a Gain control in addition to the Out control. That's kind of unusual?

[whyterabbyt]

The text you quoted says 'This mode is suitable for', not 'This mode is only to be used for' or 'This mode enables the functionality for'

If there's a mode for a specific use case, it almost certainly means the mode makes the plugin behaviour more suitable for that use case, so to my mind, it makes sense to use it.

Having an Amount control of 0-100% anda gain control in dB can be taken to mean you have a wee bit of redundancy OR it can be taken that you have two ways of thinking about how your effect is being applied, and a set of consistent controls whichever mode you might switch to. Hardly earth-shatteringly problematic, though.

[whyterabbyt]

meh, double-post.

[cpsmusic]

If there's a mode for a specific use case, it almost certainly means the mode makes the plugin behaviour more suitable for that use case, so to my mind, it makes sense to use it.

I agree completely but I'd like to understand the differences that make each of the Modes suitable for different uses.

Having an Amount control of 0-100% anda gain control in dB can be taken to mean you have a wee bit of redundancy

Not earth-shattering but certainly unclear - why not simply de-activate the control that's redundant?

[whyterabbyt]

Not earth-shattering but certainly unclear - why not simply de-activate the control that's redundant?

Youve basically edited out the part of my text where I already answered that.

OR it can be taken that you have two ways of thinking about how your effect is being applied, and a set of consistent controls whichever mode you might switch to.

[AdvancedFollower]

If there's a mode for a specific use case, it almost certainly means the mode makes the plugin behaviour more suitable for that use case, so to my mind, it makes sense to use it.

I agree completely but I'd like to understand the differences that make each of the Modes suitable for different uses.

The text you quoted explains the difference.

If you want to use it to simulate a tape machine/cassette player (with the hiss, flutter, saturation etc.), use "Recorder" mode. That way there's no "dry" (unprocessed audio) coming through. Everything on that track will go through the tape simulation (as long as you use it as an insert), just as if you were playing the track on an actual tape machine.

Send FX removes the dry signal and only produces the flanger/echo effect. This is just like taking a reverb or delay plugin and moving the Mix to 100% wet, like you would do when putting a reverb effect on an aux/send.

Insert FX is like taking your reverb plugin and setting the Mix to e.g. 50% wet - which is what you'd do if using it as an insert, because you don't want to hear just the reverberation, you want to hear the source sound too (most of the time).

Maybe the confusion arises because ReelBus can act both as a tape simulation and as a flanger/echo (either, or both at the same time).

[cpsmusic]

OR it can be taken that you have two ways of thinking about how your effect is being applied,

Both controls do the same thing? How is that two ways of thinking how your effect is being applied? Yes, it creates GUI consistency across the different Modes but when I see two controls that are named differently I'd expect them to do different things.

[whyterabbyt]

OR it can be taken that you have two ways of thinking about how your effect is being applied,

Both controls do the same thing? How is that two ways of thinking how your effect is being applied?

You already quoted me telling you that.

Having an Amount control of 0-100% and a gain control in dB can be taken to mean you have a wee bit of redundancy OR it can be taken that you have two ways of thinking about how your effect is being applied.

Way 1 : absolute gain in dB
Way 2 : in terms of an 'amount' percentage

[cpsmusic]

If there's a mode for a specific use case, it almost certainly means the mode makes the plugin behaviour more suitable for that use case, so to my mind, it makes sense to use it.

I agree completely but I'd like to understand the differences that make each of the Modes suitable for different uses.

The text you quoted explains the difference.

If you want to use it to simulate a tape machine/cassette player (with the hiss, flutter, saturation etc.), use "Recorder" mode. That way there's no "dry" (unprocessed audio) coming through. Everything on that track will go through the tape simulation (as long as you use it as an insert), just as if you were playing the track on an actual tape machine.

Send FX removes the dry signal and only produces the flanger/echo effect. This is just like taking a reverb or delay plugin and moving the Mix to 100% wet, like you would do when putting a reverb effect on an aux/send.

Insert FX is like taking your reverb plugin and setting the Mix to e.g. 50% wet - which is what you'd do if using it as an insert, because you don't want to hear just the reverberation, you want to hear the source sound too (most of the time).

Maybe the confusion arises because ReelBus can act both as a tape simulation and as a flanger/echo (either, or both at the same time).

So am I right in the following:

In Recorder Mode the Amount control acts as a dry/wet control.
In Insert Mode the Amount control acts as a dry/wet control.
I checked this by using the 30IPS preset and switching between Recorder and Insert Modes

In Send Mode the Amount control acts as a Gain for the wet signal.