reverb
An audio effect that simulates the natural reflections of sound in a physical space.
In Depth
Reverberation occurs naturally when sound bounces off surfaces in a room, hall, or cathedral. Artificial reverb recreates this effect electronically. Spring reverb, used in guitar amplifiers since the 1960s, passes the signal through a physical spring. Plate reverb uses a vibrating metal sheet. Digital reverb algorithmically models any space from a small room to a vast cathedral. Reverb adds depth, warmth, and spatial dimension to recordings.
Phil Spector's legendary Wall of Sound production technique relied heavily on layered reverb, recording multiple instruments playing the same part in a large echo chamber.