Understanding Reverb in Mixing

Ah reverbs. The tool that can transform a mix like nothing else - from huge, ethereal textures, to short, urgent organic verbs - you can inject all kinds of different colours and vibes into your mix using a good reverb plugin.

In this blog article we're going to look at two things: 1) What are the main controls on a reverb plugin and what to do with them and 2) The different types of reverbs and where they are best applied.

COMMON REVERB CONTROLS

Lets take a look at some of the common controls you'll find on a reverb plugin and what they do:

Dry/Wet/Mix:

Lets keep it simple, because it is simple. If you put the wetness at 100% you're going to get 100% full effect of the reverb. If you take it down to 0% then the reverb is essentially bypassed. Put it at 50% and you get half a dry sound and half a wet sound. So move the mix control until you get the blend you like. If your reverb plugin is on an aux channel (as is common) your mix should be at 100% and the amount of wetness you need, dialled in via your send control.

Decay (reverb time):

This determines how long the reverb lasts (the reverb ‘tail’). This controls how ‘big’ or ‘tight’ the reverb sounds and is one of the most important controls. The decay is usually in seconds. So, for example, a 0.5 second decay would give you quite a short sounding reverb, whereas a 4 second decay would you give you a reverb that would sound bigger and lusher! And if you use 5 second decays and above, you're in ethereal, texture based world!

Pre-Delay: 

Pre-Delay is basically a pre-echo at the start of the reverb sound. It controls the length of the gap between the original 'dry' sound and the reverb itself. Adding a bigger pre-delay (of around 40ms and above) will start to separate the start of the reverb with the reverb 'tail' leading to a bigger lusher sound when combined with a big decay time. If you want the reverb to sound more immediate, shorter, then choose a very short pre-delay or none at all.

EQ: 

A lot of reverbs have built in EQ controls within the plugin. This type of EQ is for altering the reverb's frequencies, rather than the sound you're applying the reverb to. Now, reverbs can add a lot of muddiness in a mix! Especially on the low frequencies. So you'll want to use your EQ controls to remove this. I usually apply a low-cut up to 200hz on reverbs to ensure there is no reverb being applied to bass frequencies & causing a low-end that sounds soupy! The only exception is if I am adding reverb to a snare - then the low-cut goes down to 100hz. Also, reverbs can sound very bright, especially on vocals & sibilance. So you might want to apply a hi-cut to ensure the reverb is applied only to the mid-frequencies. Perhaps applying a hi-cut from 2kHz - 20kHz. But this depends on the sound you are going for! If your reverb plugin doesn't have EQ controls, put an EQ plugin BEFORE your reverb in your DAW and do a hi-pass filter and low-pass filter. Then you are eqing the reverb and not the sound.

Damping: 

You won't find damping on every reverb plugin but if you do happen to have one, it can be useful! Damping refers to frequencies in the decay’s ‘tail’ - you can control them and adjust the reverb’s tone. The High Frequency dial lets you choose the upper frequency limit for the reverb, whilst the High Shelf contours how much level you want to roll out of the reverb above that frequency. There’s a Low Shelf dial for low frequencies too, whilst low end damping is controlled by the BassMult(iplier) dial.

Diffusion: 

This enables you to control Early Reflections (the first reverb echoes, which tend to be brightest and clearest) and Late Reflections, which are the later, quieter, richer echoes. You can adjust these to control how quickly and densely Early Reflections spread out, making the reverb sound smoother, thicker, and more blended (high diffusion) or more distinct and grainy (low diffusion). This shapes the reverb's texture and density for a richer sound or clearer or dirtier sound. These controls are sometimes labelled as 'density' or 'shape' and are crucial for spatiality, from a dense, warm wash to a clearer, more defined space!

Modulation: 

Modulation refers to an additional effect option such as chorus style effects which can add richness to your reverb. Modulation can prevent reverb tails from sounding static or boring. They can also add additional depth & texture by creating a sense of space and movement. This can lead to a somewhat richer sound. It's also great at creating new and exciting soundscapes such as sci-fi ambiences or tape warble. And that can be fun to play with! Especially on things like synths and vocals.

Width: 

Width = the stereo width of the reverb effect - do you want it bang in the centre? (mono) then set the width at 0% or do you want the reverb to sound really wide and 3-dimensional? Then set the width at 100%. OR do what I do and use automation to make it more interesting throughout a track! I like to set the width to mono (0%) on vocals in the verses, and then use automation to widen out to 100% in the choruses- therefore creating a sense that the chorus has gone up a notch. Try it!

THE 5 TYPES OF REVERBS

There are 5 different types of reverb to choose from. They all have different sound characteristics and suit certain sounds better than others. Let's take a look:

HALL: Hall reverbs replicate the sound of a concert hall so they are perfect for thickening up and adding space to strings and pads. They’re also tailor-made for orchestral arrangements. That said, because of their thick, layered sound, halls can really muddy up a mix if you overuse them!

BEST FOR: Adding space to strings, pads and orchestral instruments. Can also sound good on ballady-type vocals

ROOM: Based on the sound of a smaller acoustic space, room reverbs sound most like the normal ambience we’re used to hearing in the real world! Room reverbs have a natural, intimate sound and also offer the most rock ‘n’ roll-sounding vibe you can get! When used in moderation, room reverbs can add space to a sound whilst maintaining an intimate, organic vibe.

BEST FOR: Vocals, guitars, pianos, drums - just about everything really! Is used a lot in indie music

CHAMBER: Chamber reverbs are similar to halls, delivering a lush, ambience-soaked sound. But they also give you an extra dose of clarity, which safeguards against the washed-out effect present in many hall reverbs. Chamber reverbs are all over The Beatles’ classic recordings, and the chambers below Abbey Road Studios and Capitol Studios have achieved legendary status as a result! So it's a sought after sound that sounds good on many different types of sounds.

BEST FOR: Sounds great on many instruments including vocals, strings, acoustic guitar and acoustic drums.

PLATE: Unlike Hall, Chamber, and Room Reverbs, Plate reverbs don’t mimic a real-world acoustic space. This is actually a for use of a better word 'mad-made' and is created due to vibrations in a large sheet of metal. It creates this dense, warm, and inviting sound which is why it is probably the most used type of reverb! It literally suits anything and everything - but is especially brilliant on vocals.

BEST FOR: lead vocals, backing vocals, snare drums and drum busses

SPRING: To be honest, I don't find myself using a spring reverb that often. That's because it is suited to electric guitars specifically. Spring reverbs deliver a sound unlike any other and, because of their small size, spring reverbs are often found in guitar amplifiers; although, standalone spring tanks exist for studio use, as well. Spring reverbs offer a clean, bright sound, and are a must-have final touch for vintage-inflected guitar tracks. 

BEST FOR: Electric guitars

AUBREY'S RECOMMENDED REVERB PLUGINS

There are many (and I mean MANY) reverb plugins available. If you're on a budget, I'd highly recommend something like the Valhalla Vintage Verb (not just a vintage sound - way more modern as well) which has all kinds of reverb types in it, as well as a vast amount of controls on offer.

Here are my recommendations:

VALHALLA VINTAGE VERB

Brilliant for everything. Has plate, hall, chamber, room and other convoluted reverb types. Choose from three colours (1970s, 1980s and Now) and choose your type of reverb from the menu and you've got great sounding reverbs quickly and easily.

Get my preset pack for this plugin HERE

Get Valhalla Vintage Verb

SOUNDTOYS SPACEBLENDER

This is an incredible reverb for textures, ambience and a lush ethereal sound. I find I'm using quite often on pop and EDM vocals for that massive popular reverb sounds. So easy to use as well.

Get Spaceblender

U AUDIO LEXICON 224 REVERB

You will find the original reverb unit in every major studio in the world - and for good reason! Incredible sounding reverbs from short intimate ones to big lush ones. It does take a little longer than other reverb plugins to work out what the controls do but once you understand it, you can design epic reverbs quickly. And there's always the presets to get you started.

Get my preset pack for this plugin HERE

Get Lexicon 224

U AUDIO EMT 140 PLATE

This is another faithful emulation of a classic reverb unit. And this one is so good! You have 3 different flavoured plates to choose from. And it has all the mod cons - pre-delay, width, modulation. This was my go-to for many years for vocals. Rich, dense and clean but with a little vintage tinge. Highly recommend it!

Get EMT 140 Plate