Adding Reverb and Spatial Effects Improves your Composition

Hey guys, I just wanted to share this, When I started producing I had no idea how important it was to add reverb to certain instruments to achieve a sense of space or dynamics within the track.

It was till after a year of producing music, I have learned that adding effects to certain sounds can really change the whole track from sounding dull and boring to live and actually sit within a space and hold a position within my composition. 

I would like to share my advice with new and experienced music producers that this is 100% a fact, adding Reverb to certain instruments is used by all sound engineering to uplift, darken, warm-up, brighten add space to any music production project. If you're simply not adding reverb to a certain instrument within your project to achieve diversity, space or realism, then your compositions will probably sound dull and boring. Unless your instruments, drums or samples have already been edited or altered and contain reverb effects. But this is less likely since most sounds come in mono and hold no effects.

I would like to explain on what I use my reverbs on

Before you start wondering how to add reverb, all DAW's such as FL Studio, Cubase, Logic Pro and Logic Pro X, Ableton Live or any other major DAW's (Digital Audio Units) come with Effects Channels feature, This effects channel feature within your DAW is where you simply add a stack of effects on each sound or instrument that is used inside your DAW, to change the EQ, add compression, add limiters or add any other post effects such as reverb, in fact there are over 1000s of free VST plugins which can be downloaded externally and added to your DAW.

So why do I recommend adding reverb to your instruments or drums?

It's to make the sound, instruments, sample output simply have space within the music composition of your project and not sound dull, mono and boring.

Here's a list of some cool free Reverb VST plugins I would recommend all modern music producers to try out.

• EpicClouds Reverb VST (free)
• Solaris Reverb VST (free)
• DReverb Reverb VST (free)
• Borealis Reverb VST (free)
• Orilriver Reverb VST (free)
• Convology Reverb VST (free)
• Reverb Solo VST (free)
• Airspace Hybrid Reverb & Delay VST (not free)

 

Why do I recommend adding spatial effects to your instruments or drums?

There are many spacial effects, which have a combination of highly programmed presets, in fact with just with a click of a button, any sound target input can be altered to have effects and sound very cool, from dull and boring instantaneously be placed inside a galaxy, space, cave, horror, gated effect and there are 1000s of different possibilities, the list just goes on.

This is what I recommend for Spatial Effects

1. Ujam RETRO Effects VST (not free)
2. Finisher Micro Effects (free)
3. OCS-45 Cassette Simulator VST Effects (free)
4. Spacer Free Soundscapes Effects VST (free)

 

What do I like to use Reverb Effects on to improve the sound of my track within my music production project?

Here is a list of what I like to use my reverb VST plugins on when it comes to music production, based on my 18 years experience as a music producer.

• Reverb on snare sounds (only around 10/15% input reverb, to add slight space to my snare)
• Reverb on vocals to make any vocals have sense of space and be more ambient. (Usually a room style reverb, but can be creative with all type of reverb for different style of vocal style outputs)
• Reverb on percussions, percussions within my drum patterns simply sound dull without reverb, adding reverb makes them sound better, add space and have more meaning within my track or instrumental composition.
• Reverb on piano and synths, synth and piano instruments sound dull and boring with no reverb, adding reverb add space, more dynamics and can change the emotion of the sound. I like to add Cave or Hall style reverbs to piano instruments to make them sound a lot better, and also add all type of reverbs to my synths, to make them stand out. 

 

In fact there are endless possibilities of adding reverbs to your existing projects or compositions when it comes to music production, this technique will simply improve the final sound output, and again as I have repeated this many times, space, dynamics, and stop the instruments/samples/drums from sounding dull and boring. 

The same goes for spatial effects, these effects can be pretty much be used to improve the instrument or drums, to add space, sound more dynamic, or have some sort of sound effect, as spatial effects usually come with tons of built-in-one-click presets which can make the instrument or drums simply sound like something completely different and amazing.

Spatial effects use a combination of delays, modulation, limiters, oscillators, equalizations, reverbs and other sound engineered algorithm effects to completely alter the final sound output. Making it quite fun when it comes to music production. 

I personally like to use spatial effects on my instruments such as synths, pianos or other melody compositions to add some cool spatial style matrix futuristic feel to my sounds. This is possibly the best way I can explain this in text format.

Check out the spatial effect video below, using UAM-Neo to add spatial effect to any sound and instrument.  

Also, here is a great video demonstrating a great use of Reverb effects when it comes to music production.

Hope that you guys enjoy reading my explanation of why using reverbs and spatial effects on your sounds, instruments, and samples is very important. 

It's so important that all music engineers add reverbs and spatial effects to their mix and master, as both of these effects play a huge role in the final sound style and output within the composition.