Room, plate, hall, spring and convolution verbs should occupy 1-3 sends in the DAW. The selection and use of these reverbs should vary from project to project based on the needs of the song.

Many audio engineers and music producers use template-based workflows while others prefer a more “free form” and creative approach to routing with sends for time-based effects such as reverb. No workflow is better than another, and all workflows with sends and time-based effect use should be tailored to render the desired results needed to bring a song to its full sonic potential.

Articles 1 and 2 cover the foundation for reverb types, the benefits, and the drawbacks when overused. It is encouraged you take a moment to read these articles even if you are a seasoned music producer. It never hurts to refresh your creative palette of ideas with some reading and knowledge gathering.

Part 1: Room and Plate Reverbs

https://www.continuummusicstudio.com/5-best-reverb-techniques-part-1/

Part 2: Hall, Spring, and Convolution Reverbs

https://www.continuummusicstudio.com/5-best-reverb-techniques-part-2/

Assuming you are now up to spend on the general guides for each of the most used reverb types, it is time to dive into more detailed techniques for how, why, and when to use the five types of reverb in mixes of all genres.

The Mission of Continuum Resources The Mission of Continuum Resources

Before venturing any further in this article, it is important to understand one aspect of what we at The Continuum Music Studio offer in the blog, videos, and within the social media groups with the Continuum name attached.

All Continuum Music Studio resources are not aimed to provide, “extensive empirically saturated content” but rather are intended to provide “experientially charged material backed with foundational knowledge.” These are big words, yes, but the meaning is simple.

Something, which can be backed up by empirical evidence in the world, does NOT ALLOW for MORE THAN ONE answer. We believe that locking yourself into “specific and defined” approached to music production and audio engineering is rather detrimental for because empirically charged “one-way thinking” does not allow for “creative paradoxes” to exist. Music production and audio engineering should always follow the golden rule:

“Learn all the rules so you can break all the rules in unique and creative ways.”

This phrase is the mantra of The Continuum Music Studio. It is the mission of Continuum to provide music producers and audio engineers with certain general themes and valid experientially charged perspectives. Everything shared on any Continuum channel or website is from years of study fused with personal experiences.

We, just like you, have learned music production and audio engineering through YouTube, Reddit forums, online courses, trade school courses, magazines, and working with engineers both in person and through the internet. We are proud to be sharing more “abstract” perspectives that we have directly experienced vs. simple information which is said very well on dozens of music production and audio engineering websites.

After reading article one and two on reverb, you might be saying, “The definitions provided could have been found on other sites, but worded differently.” That would be correct, as there are only sooooo many ways with written language one can explain a universal concept such as the “texture or spatial feel” of a room reverb. (We mention this because a few Facebook viewers left comments saying, “Articles one and two of the five best reverb techniques offering nothing new nor shared any detailed techniques.” We understand this perspective but would like to share this is a multi-article series. Furthermore, this blog is aiming to offer foundational perspectives fused with abstract dialog regarding the art that is audio engineering.

I can personally assure you all that what we offer will always be based on “truth” and in addition to small amounts of empirical truth, Continuum materials will always go several steps further to contain experiential information which we feel will be valuable to others.

If anything, Continuum content should offer comfort and a fresh way of looking at things. Again, the information provided on this site is not only consistent with empirical evidence found online (from many professional sources this is important to establish consistency) but goes a step further to share ideas and theory’s for music production and audio engineers that other sites do not offer. Facts are indeed what people need to learn, but it is experience, which is the ultimate teacher.

If we can pass anything on to you in this article, a read and you grow into a more seasoned producer and audio engineer with us it is this:

Asking the right questions in life will always be more valuable than the answers.

But, what does that really mean? How does that statement apply to reverb?!

Good! Now you are asking questions! That is the point!

Here is a great example:

Question: How should a plate reverb be applied to a dubstep track of 140 BPM?

Answer: For an 8th note feel of the “delay” simulated by the reverb use a time constant of 428ms.

There is “definite” and technical answer to that question. Is that helpful? The answer should be yes and no.

The answer of yes is helpful because it offers a calculation for the time constant of the reverb that will most likely sound good (with small micro adjustments). On the other hand, it is not helpful because importing a calculated number into a reverb plugin will render exactly that “a calculated-sounding effect.”

Right now it is vital to understand and examine two keywords in the above phrase:

Level 1: Term – Calculated

Level 2: Term – Effect

Calculations are highly useful when it comes to music production if the mission is to have the music sounding very, well… calculated. Reverb and delay calculations (though it may seem complicated) are quite simple. Just take the project BPM and divide by 60,000 and poof time constants can be dialed in the fit perfectly! But, is “perfection” the ambition of the song? Or a better question, since we now know that questions are more important than answers:

Are the criteria of perfection and calculation the way to capture and enhance the emotion of the song?

Emotion is captured through character .

Character-based processing will help render deeper emotional vibes. Character driven settings, plugins, and hardware can dial in reverb as an “effect” with ease. Using reverb as an “effect” vs. as a “space” will add more character and feel to a mix. Effect based reverb mentality is often a sought-after process when something unnatural is the goal.

For example: Perhaps the goal with reverb is to create an emotional effect which enhances a lead line in the production. If emotion is the ambition then using the word calculation is the same sentence, as emotion, often will render a contradiction.

An excellent example of emotional reverb use vs. calculated reverb use is to apply chamber reverb to a send on a “dark song” to enhance the on ominous vibe and dial in the reverb setting by ear. By closing your eyes and setting the parameters to taste within the context of “the feel of the mix” you can create a unique sounding decay that does not feel like it is “locked to a grid.” In a song which as a “non-quantized” feel this an ideal approach vs. dialing in a tempo-synced reverb tail.

But what about creating a natural sounding space?

Articles one and two talks about the difference between “spaces” and “effects,” and when to use. To briefly recap spaces are more of a nature ambiance where an effect is more of a simulation, which adds character. So, again with more questions:

Does the project call for, an “effect,” or ” space?”

Does the project require a calculation based approach or an “imperfect” emotional enhancement?

When applying reverb to music production ask yourself how you “feel” the song is speaking to you on a deeper level and how choices in reverb types and styles can enhance that feeling. Arbitrarily adding reverb sends with a room, plate, and hall just because a semi-famous artist showed this on their YouTube tutorial is not a valid reason to apply.

Each song has a unique and extraordinary emotional vibe. Reverb should be used to “deepen” that vibe and create a unique emotional backdrop for the music.

There is much more to cover on the topic of reverb, but that will have to do it for now. This article should offer a lot to think about and new perspectives to ponder. The five best reverb techniques, as you are starting to see, really all depend on your personal way of working and what essence you are going for with the music. Some prefer calculations for precise effects, which can function well in routine “template based” workflows which are more geared towards synchronicity. Others prefer a form creative and free-form approach to time-based effects and auxiliary sends. Personally, though we see the time-saving attributes of templates and using the same auxiliary sends on every mix, we feel this can limit the creative aspect of you to run wild and free.

No matter what your workflow, ruling out, new options should never be a consideration. Try everything! Stay open to new ideas. Think outside the box (pun intended – laughter). Download a delay calculation chart. Create templates. Work free form. Shoot-out convolutions vs. algorithmic reverb plugins. Do whatever you can to expand your perspectives and creations.

This blog may not be for everyone, but we will always endeavor to offer one thing to you: To provide you with an opportunity to look “deeper” into music production and audio engineering. We believe you will quickly see we are doing our best to share perspectives with those who are willing to think outside the box of technique while diving into the deeper “more abstract” and creative side of audio engineering. As always thanks for reading and remember:

Knowledge is great my friends, but “experience” is the ultimate teacher.