Week 7 - Reverb

Question 1

What is reverb, and what is it made up of?

Answer 1

Reverb is a collection of reflections that results from sound bouncing around in an enclosed space.

Question 2

How was reverb originally recorded?

Answer 2

Studios would typically have rooms dedicated to recording reverb. They would send the recorded song into this room, and record the room using a few microphones.

Question 3

What make up the main characteristics of a ‘real’ room reverb?

Answer 3

1. A logarithmic decay (whose length is dependent on the size of the room and the type of surface materials)
2. More low-frequency energy w/ longer decay times
3. The bigger the room, the greater the pre-delay.

Question 4

What is pre-delay?

Answer 4

Pre-delay is the delay time between the attack of the original signal and the onset of reverb.

Question 5

What is the time frame for decay times in a “hall” reverb?

Answer 5

Decay times in a “hall” reverb tend to fall between 2 and 3 seconds

Question 6

What is the time frame for decay times in a “room” reverb?

Answer 6

Decay times in a “room” reverb tend to fall between .5 and 1.5 seconds.

Question 7

What are two prominent types of artificial reverbs?

Answer 7

1. Plate reverb
2. Spring reverb

Question 8

How are plate and spring reverbs recorded?

Answer 8

The signal is fed electronically to the reverb device, and these mechanical vibrations are then picked up, generally via contact mics, and fed to the device’s output.

Question 9

What are the main characteristics of plate reverb?

Answer 9

Plates tend to have:
1. Shorter, more linear, decay times
2. Less low-frequency and more high-frequency energy (“shimmery”)

Question 10

What instruments are plate reverbs typically used on?

Answer 10

Plate reverbs are typically used on percussive instruments (snare, percussion), as well as vocals.

Question 11

What are the main characteristics of spring reverb?

Answer 11

Spring reverb tends to have:
1. Denser, inversely logarithmic (accelerating) decay
2. Darker, mid-range sonic stamp

Question 12

What instrument is spring reverb typically used on?

Answer 12

Spring reverb is typically used on guitars.

Question 13

What is often inserted on the way to a spring or plate reverb?

Answer 13

An electronic delay is often inserted on the way to a spring or plate reverb to create a more realistic effect and to benefit the clarity of the performance.

Question 14

What does reverb add to an overall mix?

Answer 14

Reverb creates the aural impression that instruments live in a physical space.

Question 15

What control is used to really cement how an instrument is perceived in terms of placement in the three-dimensional space in a mix?

Answer 15

The wet/dry balance control on the reverb is how an instrument’s perceived placement within that three-dimensional space is achieved.