What Is Reverb?

Reverb can be thought of how sound behaves in physical space. It’s the natural trail or echo that happens when audio reflects off walls, ceilings, and surfaces before reaching your ears. In synthesis, reverb is used to add depth, atmosphere, and space to otherwise dry, close-up sounds.

Whether it’s subtle or massive, reverb helps your sound feel like it lives in a place — or on another planet entirely. Reverb can be made from super fast delay lines, and many popular reverbs are created in this vein.

Types of Reverb

• Room: Small, tight spaces. Good for natural closeness and realism.
• Hall: Big, long trails — classic lush synth reverb.
• Plate: A smooth, metallic-sounding reverb. Often used for vocals and snares.
• Spring: Twangy, vintage vibe. Mechanical and great for dub or lo-fi stuff.
• Shimmer: Reverb with pitch-shifted reflections. Ethereal and dreamy.
• Granular / Diffused: Weird or abstract textures — often digital and modulated.

Key Parameters

• Decay / Time: How long the reverb lasts.
• Mix: Balance between dry (original) and wet (reverb) signals.
• Pre-delay: How long before the reverb kicks in — useful for keeping things punchy.
• Damping / Tone: Controls brightness and tail behavior.

Creative Uses

• Send synth leads or pads into a hall for cinematic depth
• Add spring reverb to drums for old-school dub vibes
• Use shimmer for ambient textures and soundscapes
• Put a filter or VCA after your reverb for evolving trails

Whether you're adding a whisper of space or drowning your sound in infinity, it’s one of the most expressive tools on the board.