The Evolution Of Reverb

From springs to plates, modelled to convoluted, the choice and variety of reverb available to the engineer has never been greater. Mark Cousins finds the room in his studio...

For something as fundamentally important to the process of recording as reverb, it comes as little surprise to find that a variety of methods and techniques are used to apply it in the studio. Generally speaking, the different types of reverb can be divided into two distinct categories: electromechanical devices that use transducers and physical components to create reverb; and the more hi-tech, DSP-based units and plug-ins that apply complex number-crunching to create a similar sense of ambience and space. While the methods and techniques vary, opinion is sharply divided as to what produces the best sonic results. With a better technical understanding of the principles involved, though, you should be able to make a more informed choice over which reverb to use.

This feature first appeared in Music Tech Magazine issue 38
Filed under Ten Minute Masters

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