While we can manipulate those regular sounding ’verbs with ease, it’s time to explore how to make all manner of reverb-based effects…
So far we’ve been looking at using reverb as reverb – that is, using it to create acoustic spaces and interesting ambiences – and we’ve also seen that there are all sorts of creative things we can do within this context. But there are also various ways in which we can harness reverb as a sound source or instrument in-and-of itself, and use it to create special effects that have a distinctive character all of their own.
A good example is a strange resonance trick that many (but not all) algorithmic reverbs can pull off. If we combine a small reverb/room size with longer decay times, and get the wet/dry balance set just right, what we can end up with is a resonant, reverberant, somewhat pitched, somewhat comb-filtered sound that would be tricky to create any other way.
Adjusting other reverb parameters, such density, spread and damping can impact this effect in useful ways, and adding modulation creates phaser-style effects. What we’re actually doing here is a bit of Karplus-Strong string synthesis, with the reverb acting as a resonator and wave-guide – sound designers take note!
Not all algorithmic reverbs can do this, and those that can will tend to create different results, so try it with a number of different plugins to see how each responds.
Convolution reverbs can also create fascinating filtering and colouration effects (convolution is, after all, used for such things as well as for reverb), so remember to hunt out and experiment with unconventional impulse recordings to see what results they produce.
All rise
Originally, in the pre-digital days of tape, reverse reverb was created by swapping the tape reels so that everything played backwards, recording the ensuing reverb to the reversed tape, then putting the reels the right way around again. On playback, the reverse reverb fades in and builds towards the sounds that actually spawned it, just as it should do.
Many reverb plugins offer reverse reverb effects and these can be useful, but they’re not the real deal because the seed sound always occurs before the reverb itself (plugin developers having not yet cracked time travel!). Creating a real reverse reverb in a DAW is easier than it was with tape, but it’s still a bit of a faff.
Reverse reverbs are, of course
