How to Make Beats (with Reverb FX)

Out of all the effects that can be applied to drum samples, reverb should be up there with the most-used, but it is not, and when it is used, it is often abused by so-called music production professionals and audiophiles. When used correctly, it can help any beat go to that extra level.

When using the reverb on a single drum sound, you need to ask yourself the precise purpose that the particular sound is supposed to serve. Is it to add some spatial characteristics to the loop? If you make rap beats, if it’s a constant sound: will it drive your audience berserk after a few listens, or is it moderate in nature? Sometimes it is very easy to overuse and ruin an otherwise good song by using reverb incorrectly.

The length of the reverb on any particular cannot really be determined on a global scale, but needs to be adjusted on a project-by-project basis for maximum effect and precision. Some people say that you can use a longer tail on the reverb for samples in a slow-tempo song, and if you’re particularly aiming at one of the drum samples, it will relieve the others from needing to perform for the sake of performing. In a slow tempo song, you can either have many samples triggering all the time, back-and-forth collaboration, or strategic placements with reverb, which fills space effectively.

You can apply a single reverb patch to all of your drum samples, and there are hundreds of ways this can be achieved, and equally as many different programs and plug-ins to use for the task. With environment simulations (called Impulse Responses -or IRs for short), you can make your song sound like it was recorded at any world-famous location you have IR files for, such as the Louvre Museum if you wish. You can also apply the IR sound processing to your instrument tracks so that there is a total coherence between tracks.

Having said all of the above, however, you can certainly test and note the results. Whatever sounds good is what you should go with. Don’t worry about semantics – as long as it works for your audience that is all that matters in music.

To really get experienced enough to make your own beats, you need a natural knack for applying reverb effectively. You do need to try out different settings. Turn knobs, even if you’re not sure of what they do. The deeper you get into it, the more knowledgeable you will get with time. Of course, there are always points at which you should read the manual and ask for advice if you’re not sure why something works or doesn’t work. Also, try different programs as they will have different parameters for you to modify and you may find one plug-in that just ‘clicks’ with your workflow and that you find really good – you may amass a collection of favorite plug-ins to use for modifying drum samples.