Reverb on Drums

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BeniRose

BeniRose

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Is there any advice you guys could give to putting reverb on drums? I generally struggle in this because I like a short, small reverb on the drums because I think it sounds more natural, but I usually can't hear it when I mix it in, so I also try to layer a second, more quiet, longer reverb that will stand out in the mix, but then when the drums are by themselves, it's a little too much. Any good tips? Thanks!
 
Apparently, to some people, putting reverb on drums is illegal or morally wrong.


Myself, I find I like a good amount on the snare and toms and if someone doesn't like it, too bad. I want my drums to sound like they're in a room!
 
I want my drums to sound like they're in your face, so I use very little reverb. Just a touch for some flavor. :D
 
I always add reverb to my drums, even if it's just a bit and very short. I'll put it on the overheads and snare. Sometimes even a touch on the kik.

I often find myself using the same reverb on whatever other instrument(s) I'm adding reverb to, so that they sound like they're all playing in the same room.
 
Well, when the drums are by themselves, you could always just turn off the extra reverb. That's what automation's all about!
 
Yeah, I'm actually gonna be doing that. But I didn't know if there were specific plates you guys prefer for different drums (and of course different applications, you wouldn't mix some latin drums with loads of reverb the way you would a wall-of-sound rock band)
 
That's true. I'm not the one to be asking about specific types, though. I haven't managed to find one I really like yet :P
 
Maybe someone can post how they run reverb on their drums. Like I'm currently running two reverb aux channels. One has a really short, almost echoey sounding reverb (using logic's SpaceDesigner) and another has a nice long cathedral setting (also using SpaceDesigner). I'm running a pretty heavy send to the first aux and a pretty light one to the second. This is working, but I'm not super happy with it, so I'm wondering what other people are doing to put reverb on their drums? Are you inserting or using aux channels? What types of plates/settings are you applying? How much do you saturate (wet/dry?)
 
I'll often run two reverbs on the drums (using aux sends and returns on my 32 channel board). The 1st verb is dedicated to the snare and toms to give them space and an extended decay (sometimes, I'll even send a little of this verb to the cymbals and maybe a hair to the kick) - I'll call this a "warm hall" sound. While often by themselves the drums may seem a little too processed, in a mix it sounds fine.

I then use a second reverb (which I'll call a bright room sound), which I add to all the tracks (including guitars, etc) - to make it sound like everything is in the same room. This verb is subtle and when isolated can hardly be noticed - but it adds a certain degree of continuity to all the tracks.
 
i usually just use a little on the snare, to breathe a little life into it, but other than that nope.
 
I like just a little plate reverb to make it sound like you're playing in a bar-sized room. However, I record in my family room sized music studio in my basement. It's carpeted with wood paneling and a dropped ceiling. If you already record in a lively bar-sized room you may not need anything, unless you're going for that "wall of sound" type of recording ala Pink Floyd.


Tom
 
I use the only generic little setup that I know,
I will get a little crazier after I get more experience.

MY setup is

1. Plate Reverb
2. Room Reverb


I put both reverbs on the snare, and then use a small amount of the room reverb on the overheads, toms, etc. I even put a very very small amount of the room reverb on the kick.

I then will use those same 2 reverbs on anything else. Vocals, guitars, bells, shakers, etc.
 
What I like to do is to copy the original drum tracks and place them on new separate tracks and add quite a bit of reverb to one version of those tracks and leave the others just completely dry. Then I adjust the volume to get the right amount of reverb that I'm looking for. I find that it works very well and sounds good that way. BTW a great freeware reverb plugin is called "Ambience".
 
2000ContourSVT said:
What I like to do is to copy the original drum tracks and place them on new separate tracks and add quite a bit of reverb to one version of those tracks and leave the others just completely dry. Then I adjust the volume to get the right amount of reverb that I'm looking for. I find that it works very well and sounds good that way. BTW a great freeware reverb plugin is called "Ambience".
Click to expand...

that's what a send is for. try it. it will save you quite some cpu power and keeps everything nice and neat. also, you'll only need one instance of each type of reverb you wanna use.
 
2000ContourSVT said:
What I like to do is to copy the original drum tracks and place them on new separate tracks and add quite a bit of reverb to one version of those tracks and leave the others just completely dry. Then I adjust the volume to get the right amount of reverb that I'm looking for. I find that it works very well and sounds good that way. BTW a great freeware reverb plugin is called "Ambience".
Click to expand...

Here we go again.....

Copying the track does absolutely nothing other than make it louder. You would get the exact same result by not doubling it, and simply putting reverb on the snare track.
 
RAMI said:
Here we go again.....

Copying the track does absolutely nothing other than make it louder. You would get the exact same result by not doubling it, and simply putting reverb on the snare track.
Click to expand...

I thought this too. Surely this is why a reverb plugin will have wet/dry sliders?
 
Whatever you do.........

Don't record your tracks with reverb applied. Record them clean and then add what you feel it needs in the mix. I tend to use far less reverb (I use some) on the drums than I do on the other instruments like guitar/oud/saz or a singer. As I'm doing a final mix, I may change how much effects I am applying to given tracks countless times before I'm satisfied and then I will probably change it again until it's "just right".
 
RAMI said:
Here we go again.....

Copying the track does absolutely nothing other than make it louder. You would get the exact same result by not doubling it, and simply putting reverb on the snare track.
Click to expand...

Lol. What the fuck is going on with these people? :D
 
Greg_L said:
Lol. What the fuck is going on with these people? :D
Click to expand...
I think some dude wrote a bogus "How To..." book, and now he's lurking around music forums laughing his ass off that people are using his "methods".:D
 
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