June 18, 2024
Pop and club music used to be the anthems of good times. From the infectious beats of the late '90s and early 2000s to the party-ready hits that defined the early 2010s, these genres once...
Read moreJune 18, 2024
“YOU BLEW ME to stardust,” Glass Animals lead singer Dave Bayley sings on the U.K. band’s latest single “Tear in Space (Airlock).” The tantalizing track swirls with synths over a pulsating beat as...
Read moreJune 18, 2024
A couple of months ago, Blackpink’s Lisa signed a solo deal with RCA, and now it looks like she hopes to release new music soon. An Instagram Story on her official account links to pre-save links...
Read moreJune 15, 2024
UK rapper Central Cee has made headlines with his latest single, "Band4Band," achieving the fastest-selling rap single of the year. This milestone not only cements his status as one of the most...
Read moreJune 15, 2024
Forty years after they ran away with our hearts and into rock history, Bon Jovi is back with a reflective new album, Forever, taking stock of all the boys from New Jersey have accomplished.
Read moreJune 15, 2024
A decade on from his breakthrough Boiler Room DJ set, Canadian producer Kaytranada has cemented himself as a dance music powerhouse. His work blends the worlds of underground electronic sounds and...
Read moreJune 15, 2024
Central Cee, born Oakley Neil H.T. Caesar-Su on June 4, 1998, in Shepherd's Bush, London, has swiftly emerged as one of the most prominent voices in the UK drill scene. With his raw lyricism...
Read moreJune 15, 2024
Believe it or not, it’s already been a decade since the SoundCloud rap era first ignited, and we’re seeing the lasting impact of the moshpit-dwelling artists who defined the movement...
Read moreJune 15, 2024
Norwegian alt-pop sensation AURORA is set to release her highly anticipated fifth album, "What Happened To The Heart?" Following a series of successful projects—2016's "All My Demons Greeting Me....
Read moreJune 7, 2024
Tate McRae, born on July 1, 2003, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has swiftly risen to fame as one of the most exciting young talents in the music industry today...
Read moreJune 7, 2024
Beyoncé has once again proven why she is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry with the release of her latest album, "Cowboy Carter."
Read moreJune 7, 2024
In a bold move to redefine how we discover and interact with music, Spotify and Amazon Music have each introduced groundbreaking AI-powered playlist generators...
Read more
Reverb can be a powerful tool in drum recordings, adding depth, space, and character to your drum mix. However, using it correctly is essential to ensure your drums don’t sound too muddy or distant. In this article, we'll explore how to apply artificial reverb to drum recordings effectively and look at how famous music creators, like Phil Collins, have mastered this technique to create iconic drum sounds.
Reverb creates a sense of space in your mix by simulating how sound behaves in different environments. For drum recordings, reverb can help place the drums in a specific acoustic context, whether it’s a small room, a large hall, or even an open arena. However, applying reverb to drums can be tricky because of the different elements involved – each with unique frequencies and dynamics.
In your current setup, you have five mics: two in front of the drum set to capture the low end, two overheads directly above the kit to capture the highs, and a snare mic. The challenge you’re facing is deciding whether to apply reverb to only the close mics (like the snare mic) or to the room mics (the overheads and front mics).
Here are some tips to help you decide how to apply reverb to your drum tracks:
A great example of a music creator who mastered the use of reverb on drums is Phil Collins. In the iconic song "In the Air Tonight," Collins used a technique known as "gated reverb" to create a powerful, punchy drum sound that became a hallmark of the 1980s. This technique involves applying a heavy reverb to the drums, particularly the snare, and then using a noise gate to cut off the reverb tail abruptly. The result is a reverb that sounds big but controlled, giving the drums a dramatic and distinctive sound.
Phil Collins' use of gated reverb shows how creative reverb application can make drums sound larger than life while maintaining clarity and impact. You can experiment with a similar approach by using gated reverb on your snare mic or applying it to the whole drum bus to achieve a cohesive, punchy sound.
The best approach to applying reverb depends on the sound you're aiming for and the unique characteristics of your drum kit and recording environment. Experiment with different reverb types, levels, and mic placements to find the sound that works best for your project. Remember, reverb is as much an art as it is a science – so don’t be afraid to trust your ears and get creative!