Welcome to our reverb tutorial! Reverb is one of the most useful and potentially interesting tools in the engineer's toolbox. Perhaps no other effect is so stylistically versatile, and certainly none is so powerful in its ability to visually "imagine" a situation to a listener's ears.
Most contemporary productions use several varieties of carefully tuned reverbs. There are many recording or performance scenarios where the use of reverb has long been the rule rather than the exception. (At the end of our reverb tutorial, we'll cover a few of these scenarios.)
This reverb tutorial is your first step to achieving modern and professional results in your mixes using the reverb provided in your effects unit or plugin. Your reverb device (s), whether real or virtual, probably have a lot in common with most other reverb devices that came before it. This means that once you've learned a reverb device, you've basically all learned it.
Our reverb tutorial will cover generic parameters found in virtually all reverb-generating hardware and software today. The presets that come with your effect aren't very versatile musically; an engineer must understand what the various standard parameters do to adjust the reverb by ear for their specific musical application.
Reverb Tutorial, Step 1:
What You Will Need To try out your results as you go, you'll need a device that can produce live reverb on the fly, and the ability to transmit some sort of signal through that device (a microphone and your voice, for example.). Connect your test signal through the reverb input and run the reverb output to your headphones or monitor amplifier. If you don't already have a device or plugin to create your reverb, you can buy old multi-effects units cheaply from your favorite local classifieds site or from online auctions. However, a computer running a reverb plugin through some sort of host software is probably an easier and cheaper choice for most users. Most recording software comes with at least one reverb plugin that should work fine. (Note: Configuring your effects unit or host software is beyond the scope of this reverb tutorial. Refer to the user manual.)
Reverb Tutorial, Step 2:
Adjust the Wet / Dry Signal Levels Your wet / dry controls adjust the ratio between the unaffected input signal (“dry”) and the generated reverberated signal (“wet”). Most likely, your reverb device will present these parameters in one of two ways: A) as two separate parameters, with separate settings for the wet level versus the dry level, or B) as a single knob that moves the signal from wetter to drier by turning. Bring a reverb preset, then try adjusting the dry signal level up and down as you input your test signal. Hear what happens at the exit. You will probably find the best results with your test setup at around 40-60% wet. Leave this setting in place and skip to step 3 of our reverb tutorial. (Note: For some real-world applications you will want your reverb set to 100% wet; any dry signal coming from the reverb can clash with a dry signal already in the mix and result in unpleasant phase cancellation of the mix. its dry. Keep this in mind for future use.)
Reverb Tutorial, Step 3:
Try out different reverb algorithms Most reverb devices allow you to choose between different types of reverb on the fly. You may see words like "hall", "plate", "spring", or "room", and your reverb unit may even have several of each type ("Plate 2", etc.). Each of these types is called a reverb algorithm. Each algorithm is designed to mimic a different type of real-world ambient space or a historically relevant reverb unit design. With your signal processed at 50-70%, try out several different reverb types and listen to the differences between them. You'll notice that the plates and springs generally tend to be brighter and more artificial, which isn't necessarily a bad thing at all. Choose an algorithm and go to the next step.
Reverb Tutorial, Step 4:
Adjusting the Reverb Parameters Your reverb algorithm probably has many other adjustments, but by far the most important are the adjustments for the early reflection level (which can also be called “pre-reflection”) and decay time. Remember that the main purpose of reverb is to simulate a room or other similar environment that would alter the sound sources found in such a space. These controls are by far the most important in controlling the dimensions of the "virtual space" and the place of your listener within it. In a reverb algorithm, early reflections (when present) mimic the effect of the signal bouncing off the walls closest to the listener. Decay time controls reflections of what would be “everywhere else” in a real space: the side and back walls of the room. If you want intimate room sound, you'll want a shorter decay time and more prominent early reflections. For the effect of a huge concert hall, the optimal settings are the other way around: longer decay time and quieter early reflections. Play around with these parameters when entering your test signal. We've reached the end of our reverb tutorial, but as long as your test setup is still running it's a good idea to play around with the other settings available, such as frequency damping / filtering. , which can also be useful for controlling the sound of your reverb and helping it blend better into the mix. Here are some incredibly common modern uses of reverb that you can quickly set up using just the information in this reverb tutorial: Main voice (Hall or plate algorithm, decay 1-5s) Acoustic guitar / acoustic piano (Hall algorithm or room, Decay 0.5-3s) Clean electric guitar (Spring algorithm, decay 0.5-1.5s) Snare drum (Hall or room algorithm, decay 0.5-2s) Other interesting uses include gated reverbs, reverse reverbs, and a number of nifty effects that are unfortunately outside the scope of our reverb tutorial. Above all, remember that reverb should be used with taste. It is a common mistake for beginners to use too much reverb. The experienced engineer will use just enough to soften the signal, but not as much as to distract from the music.
Hope you enjoyed our reverb tutorial and good luck on your audio adventures!