As you may know, there are multiple ways to make your shootings stunning and more attractive in post production. Likewise, audio can be fine-tuned with general audio editing software, specific autotune vst plug-ins, music visualizers, etc. To better understand audio editing, there are some terminology that you need to try and get straight first, among which reverb / reverberation is the one we are going to explain here.
Then how to add reverb to audio? Can we add reverb to audio on Windows and Mac computer? Here in this quick guide, we will guide you through two easy methods to add reverb to audio.
How to Add Reverb to Audio in 2 Ways
How can I add reverb and other effects to audio output on PC?
If we are talking about how to create reverb effects in any way, you would see an answer including different types of devices, like Chamber reverberator, Plate reverberator, Spring reverberator, etc that can be found in audio effect units and guitar pedals. For those who want to add reverb effect in a vocal recording to make it sound better, digital audio workstations (DAW) and VST plug-ins might be the right way.
If you need to purchase reverb pedal for guitar or vocal, Boss VE-1 Vocal Echo, Boss RV-6 Reverb, Wampler Ethereal Delay and MXR M300 Reverb Pedal are some good options.
Method 1. How to Add Reverb to Audio with VideoProc Vlogger
Audio editing software like Audacity and Adobe Audition definitely are the top-level ones that can create reverb effect in music. There are some other free VST plug-ins that also can help you, such as MAutoPitch, Ample Guitar M Lite II, Symptohm PE, etc. Check the top ten reverb list here. Also, reverb effect can be made with audio autotune software.
In the following, we are going to share with you one of them which can help you add reverb effect to your audio file in just one click. The tool we need is named VideoProc Vlogger. It is a powerful non-linear video editor, as well as good at audio editing. It is equipped with a bunch of audio effects to make your audio file funny. And reverb is one of them.
Now let's download this software and then follow the steps below to add the reverb effect to your audio.
Step 1. Run this software on your Windows or Mac computer after the installation finishes.
Step 2. Create your project.
Step 3. Click on the +Music button to import the audio file. Then drag it into the timeline. Click on it.
Step 4. Now find the Audio Editor feature on the right side of its interface. Choose it and you will be led to the audio editing window.
Step 5. Now choose the Effects option, and then select Reverb there. Surely, if you are happy about the default reverb effect, you can customize it with the parameters below. And then click the Apply button back to the main video editing windows.
Step 6. Get back to the main editing window, you just need to click on the Export button to process the edited file.
Method 2. How to Add Reverb in Audacity
Audacity is also a great option to help you add reverb to audio. It's compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. It supports various of audio formats like MP3, OGG, WMA, AMR, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and more. Besides, it offers audio editing features like Auto Duck, Compressor, Duplicate, Echo， and more. Let's check how to add reverb in Audacity below.
Step 1. Launch Audacity and go to File - Open and import your audio file here.
Step 2. Select the part of audio that you want to add reverb and click on the Effects tab. Click on the Reverb option to enter the reverb window.
Step 3. Now you can adjust the reverb effects including tune high, wet gain, stereo width, and more. You can set these parameters as you want.
Step 4. Once you're satisfied with the results, go to File - Export to export your audio with reverb effect.
Bonus: Audacity Audio Reverb Settings
There are several settings in audio reverb plug-ins software that you can change to create different reverb effects based on your needs. Here we will take Audacity reverb as an example and explain some main factors.
#1. Decay time
Decay time, also known as reverberation time, is the length of reverb, which varies according to the basic rules: The bigger and emptier the space, the longer the decay time; The smoother the room is, the longer the decay time would be. That is to say, reverb effect would be more distinct in one place than another. For example:
- Reverb in a hall > office
- Reverb in an empty room > room with furnitures
- Reverb in a barren mountain > mountain with trees
#2. Predelay
Predelay is the time distance between direct sound (dry out) and the early-reflected sounds. The larger the space, the longer the predelay. If you want to pretend that you are singing in a large or open space, although you actually recording in a small room, turn up the Predelay value.
#3. Wet out
Wet out stands for the strength of reverb, which has nothing to do with the room size. Instead, wet out is affected by the number and texture of the objects in the room. The more the objects, and the softer the surface of the objects in the room, the lighter the reverb effect.
Difference between Reverb and Echo
Some people are confused about the difference between reverb and echo, since both are reflections and convolutions of sound wave. Then what are the differences? To make it easier to understand, let's see the following two examples first:
- Reverb: Hello ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~
- Echo: Hello ~ Hello ~ Hello ~ Hello ~
Analysis
If you have ever used audio effects unit you would know that delay/echo and reverberation effects are produced with the same electronic device, which is time-based. True, reverb and echo are persistence of sound, but with different detectable time range. And 50ms is the tipping point.
Conclusion: Reflection time of reverbin audio is much shorter than that of echo.
