Understanding Reverb Settings (Easy Beginners Guide)

Mixing with reverb is a fundamental skill to learn when you’re first starting out. This video will explain what reverb is in music, what the main parameters do and which two are the ones you really need to focus on when you first begin mixing music.
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Waves H-Reverb www.waves.com
Waves RVerb www.waves.com
Valhalla Vintage Verb valhalladsp.com
Valhalla Room valhalladsp.com
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - What does reverb do in music production?
01:00 - Reverb and muddy mixes
01:12 - Mixing with reverb
01:42 - What is reverberation?
02:00 - What is reverb in music?
02:32 - Drum reverb in a tiled room vs a small room
04:31 - How to control reverb effectively
04:48 - How reverb develops over time
05:13 - What is the direct sound in acoustics?
05:23 - What are early reflections in reverb?
05:39 - Late reflections or reverb tail
06:01 - Reverb parameters
06:48 - Long reverb on vocals example
08:01 - Guitar Reverb Example
10:44 - What is pre-delay in reverb?
11:44 - EQ Damping in reverb explained
12:11 - EQ filters in a reverb plugin
12:38 - What does diffusion do in reverb?
13:01 - Reverb density example
14:41 - The two most important reverb controls
15:34 - How much reverb is too much?
15:48 - Mixing with reverb on headphones
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-- What is Reverb in Music? --
Reverb is probably the most popular effect to use in mixing music. Too much reverb will ruin a mix and is a tell-tale give away of an amateur mix.
Using reverb in music is something that seems straightforward on the face of it but once you start to use it, you might be surprised to find how quickly your mix starts to lose definition and turns muddy. Reverb in music is great for adding depth, width and height to a mix and is a skill you need to learn if you want your mixes to sound professional.
In this video, I’m going to explain the main reverb parameters; decay or reverb time, pre-delay, EQ damping, EQ filters, diffusion and density. If you want to go more in depth with reverb and delay too, then sign up to my EQ Essentials waitlist because there’s also going to be an Effects and Compression course to accompany it!
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My name is Sara Carter, I’m a professional mix engineer with over 18 years experience, and on this music production channel I’m going to share some of my best mixing tips using a simple mixing tutorial style that will teach you how to mix music like a pro music producer in your own home studio.
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-- Related Content --
Mix With Headphones • Mixing With Headphones...
Mixing Mistakes To Avoid (5 Top Mistakes) • Mixing Mistakes To Avo...
Vocal Compression Settings For Beginners • Vocal Compression Expl...
#WhatIsReverb #MixingTips #MusicProduction #HomeStudio #MixingTutorial
~~ Music Credits ~~
Drums - Dark Orange by The Sandwich open.spotify.com/track/5KqAZy...
Vocals - Mafer Labastida, There Is No Rush - BPMoore open.spotify.com/track/1HXNHm...
Music bed: www.bensound.com
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DISCLOSURE: I often review or link to products & services I regularly use and think you might find helpful. Wherever possible I’ll use referral links, which means if you click one of the links in this video or description and make a purchase I may receive a small commission or other compensation.
Many of the links to products/gear are links to those products on Amazon. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and related sites.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Do you use different reverb types for different instrument groups? What’s your fav reverb plugin?

[@soulbeats5922]

Great topic! This helps people like me who are trying to learn Reverb! My fav reverb plugin is Valhalla Vintage Verb Thank you.

[@MarcBecker_Music]

I love the Valhalla reverb plugins, especially the Room and VintageVerb. My all-time favourite room reverb is still the Tegeler Audio Manufaktur Raumzeitmaschine. It's a stellar outboard unit.

[@tomix1970pl1]

Very nice explenation.But i would like to know how much reverb so whole truck would sound like in the same space.This was vocal alone.And tutarial was good.I do heavy music.How about reverb in heavy music.If on vocal than how much.What if song is fast?Thanks.

[@saracarter3518]

@@soulbeats5922 you're very welcome!

[@saracarter3518]

@@MarcBecker_Music Nice

[@sammiller9855]

Your one of my favourite mixing teachers! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Wow, thanks!

[@biggabiggap7305]

You have an excellent teaching style, Sara!! Yes would love a video on the different sounds different reverbs make. 💥👌🏽

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thanks Bigga Bigga P that means a lot 😊

[@DreamsOnPlastic]

Great intro to reverb, appreciate how orderly the steps in the signal processing where shown. Have started to tinker more with verb in restoring old dj mixtapes, combing verb with stereo widening has nice expansion possibilities on a master of nothing but dry audio, oh the days when djs only had mixers and maybe a compressor 😀

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bksmith600]

Great Video Miss Sarah, the how to's and the why's. Very Helpful. Waiting on Your Courses. Thanks

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thank you! Hopefully, the courses will be coming very soon

[@curtismech]

Thanks Sara! Another brilliant video. Appreciate it!

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

You're so welcome!

[@iamkxtv]

This was EXTREMELY helpful. Thank you, Sara!! 💯🙏🏿

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Glad it was helpful!

[@eugenesmithmusic6027]

Thank you for this video Sara… I just came across you and this channel after your conversation with Robert at Home Studio Simplified a few days ago…. So glad to have caught that! WRT reverb I seem to have issue with getting the decay (maybe) correct on vocals. On vocals done professionally the reverbs to me have such a sweetness that sonically fits whereas when I try this it seems slightly dissonant and dark.

[@martinfrancis7907]

Well done Sara. That's the best explanation I've heard regarding reverb

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Martin Francis, thank you so much :)

[@tommyd777]

An absolutely excellent video! Superb

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thank you!

[@rocktonmusikschule]

Your content is simpy amazing. You can really explain the subject and thats seldom here on KZbin. Thanks Michael

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Wow! Thank you so much for your amazing feedback, I'm glad to have helped

[@usinganear]

I've really been loving your videos! So much great info. Quick question--the dry vocal at 6:54 sounds to me like there's something else going on. I put my computer in mono for that part because I thought the raw vocal sounded a bit "3D" and wide. Sure enough, the sound changed when in mono. Was there already a really short reverb or delay on that "dry" signal before you applied the super wet delay? Thank you so much! Looking forward to watching every video on your channel :)

[@yemiquerecordsyemeret9741]

Giving thanks for the knowledge your a good teacher

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

I appreciate that, thank you. Thanks for watching!

[@MarcBecker_Music]

Great video. Thank you, Sara

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thanks Marc!

[@blqckpop]

Great explanation! 😎👍

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Glad you liked it!

[@Big_Stewdio]

Great video - wish this existed about 6 months ago when I was doing a deep dive on reverbs and auditioning a lot of different plugins. I know you don't want to overcomplicate things but the only other aspect which I think is really important when dialling in reverb is the mix between early/late reflections. Sometimes I actually have two different reverb settings (one for early reflections and one for the reverb tail) and dial them in separately. At the very least, the balance between early and late reflections is key to how the reverb will sound. I know this may sound too advanced for a beginners guide but imho it is as fundamental to how the reverb sounds as the other things covered in the video.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Hi Darren, thanks that's a really good point and I agree that it would be more appropriate for a more advanced reverb video 👌

[@ianwillett4009]

Thanks 😀

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

You're welcome 😊

[@kenmcdonald8845]

Hi Sara, Fantastic! I discovered your channel after I heard you on the Recording Rockstars Podcast. And I'm So Happy I did! You are such a knowledgable engineer and have such a gift for communicating that knowledge! I would love a video about the different types and flavours of reverb and if possible what types are most commonly used in the most common genres.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thank you so much!!

[@limbophonic1]

Thanks Sara, yes to making a video on various types of verb and genre

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Great! Yes, I'll get that scheduled 😀

[@ELLIOT8209]

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing please include examples of reverbs that have tempo Sync feature.

[@jonre6214]

GREATES REVERB VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thanks Justin!

[@Gratulsangeet]

Great video Sara mam Thanks...

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

You’re welcome!

[@Zelectrocutica]

Reverb is definitively hard to master this video help a tons I can't wait for advanced reverb videos! thank you so much!

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Glad it's helped! thanks for watching

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

What would you like to see covered?

[@marcusm1916]

Hi! Is that Oxford English, very British, I like that: D I like to watch your videos, even if I count myself among the advanced, I sign up for one or the other to see how people do it. If I were a beginner I would register for your courses, you explain that really well. What I also think is great that you use a German subtitle, that makes it even more likeable. How many Germans make a video in English and it sounds creepy, there can still be so much good information in it, I switch off. Stay the way you are, you do it really well. LG.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thanks Marcus M that means a lot 😊

[@vlakanas]

For Reverb, best to send to the Drum aux, or just the same to send, say to the main Sub Mix or Mix Buss? Thanking you in advance.

[@paulc7798]

Thank you for the video's. I often see producers who have maybe two or three reverb buses and delays that they send varying amounts of lots of different instruments tracks to them. What are the best settings to use in these cases as the only setting that would change is the send amount. Could you recommend a ball park preset to use? Thanks again.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Think in terms of size or length. Small, medium and large reverb, short. med and long delay. Good effects starting points can often be found in presets.

[@ashfaqtulu9027]

❤❤❤❤

[@clearlyepic9958]

I think I’ll subscribe 😉

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thank you!

[@retrochannel1763]

Very informative video. I use cubase standard plugin Room Works. For distorted Guitars very small room sound. For clean Guitars a vintage spring sound and for Bass guitar no reverb at all. I'm mixing only for my own band, it's just a hobby, so I didn't dig very deep in this topic. Not yet. Thanx for the good work.

[@couchcamperTM]

it's a rabbit hole^^ keep it simple, focus on the music, have fun. never mix for hours. but I assume you knew all that already :-)

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

@@couchcamperTM Great advice!

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Those reverbs sounds perfect to me. Plate for vocals?

[@retrochannel1763]

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing thank you for responding. No, I need reverb plugins (Plate, Spring) only for Guitar, because I record it directly and dry into the DAW. Vocals i record with natural ambience/reverb of the room. there are about 5 meters space behind me, when I'm singing. so, there are no hard reflections. It's just indie-punk-whatever :) and not professional work. Only for Demo-"Tapes" and to check, if arrangements are good working. But my interest in this work awaked already. If i was younger, this would be my choice of vocational training. keep on the good work!

[@retrochannel1763]

@@couchcamperTM Yepp! I've made already the experience of mixing the whole night and next day deleted all I've done :))) Thank you for advice though!

[@stevegeorge7773]

I am a little confused as in 8:00 your using the volume control and not the reverb controls.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

By using the volume control, I'm just increasing the volume of the reverb whist maintaining the decay time. I want it louder, not longer, otherwise the reverb tails start to overlap into the next vocal line and will build up to sound too mushy. Hope that helps.

[@StratsRUs]

You got a nice Victoria Wood type voice.

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Thank you! 😊I'm a big VW fan actually!

[@StratsRUs]

@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing I was in two minds whether to say as it looked a bit creepy written down ! Thanks

[@billribas]

Is somebody cutting the grass around the 12 minute mark?

[@SaraCarterSimplyMixing]

Haha! Yes, probably. I had to stop recording and pick up later 😂