Unraveling the Elusive World of Reverb: Types, Parameters, and Best Practices

Reverb, one of the most popular effects used in music, allows us to create a sense of space. However, there are many elusive aspects to this effect, such as why it occurs in the real world and how various types of digital reverb plugins in the DAW differ from each other. In this blog post, we will explore reverb, including what it is, its common types, parameters, and best practices.

Let us start by understanding what reverb is. While many producers may think of reverb as an audio effect used in music production, the reality is that we encounter reverb in our everyday lives. The walls of our rooms and even small objects on our desks reflect sound to varying degrees. Although we may not actively perceive it, we are constantly exposed to countless sonic reflections bouncing off these surfaces. In certain environments, these reflections become prominent enough to be audible. For instance, in an empty hall, when we clap our hands, we hear a combination of direct sound and reflected sound. The persisting sound created by these decaying reflections is what we call reverb. In music, we often use reverb to simulate different spaces or for various creative purposes.

To understand how reverb sounds, let's listen to an example. We will first hear a vocal sample without any reverb, and then we will hear the same sample with added digital reverb. Notice how the vocal with reverb sounds like it was recorded in a large space. Reverb can be used subtly or overtly, depending on the desired effect.

In today's music production, most reverbs are created using digital plugins. These plugins offer a wide range of options for simulating real-world spaces and achieving unique effects. Some common types of digital reverbs include hall/chamber reverbs, plate reverbs, and convolution reverbs. Hall and chamber reverbs aim to simulate the acoustics of large halls or chambers, with hall reverbs having a longer reverb time and chamber reverbs having a shorter reverb time. Plate reverbs, on the other hand, use metal plates to create vibrations and are particularly popular for vocals and drums. Convolution reverbs utilize recorded samples, called impulse responses, to recreate the sound of specific acoustic environments.

When using a digital reverb plugin, it is essential to understand the core parameters that are commonly found in most reverbs. These parameters include decay (also known as reverb time), early reflections, pre-delay, high/low frequency attenuation, and mix. Decay determines how long the reverb lingers in the mix, while early reflections affect the perceived size of the space. Pre-delay controls the timing between the dry and wet signals, allowing for separation and preventing masking. High and low-frequency attenuation can be used to shape the tone of the reverb. Finally, the mix setting adjusts the balance between the dry and wet signal.

In conclusion, reverb plays a significant role in music production by creating a sense of space. It can be experienced in our everyday surroundings and can be simulated using digital reverb plugins in the DAW. Understanding the various types of digital reverb, their parameters, and best practices allows us to shape the sound according to our creative vision.