Add Interest to Drum Loops With Reverb

Reverb is one of the most versatile effects out there. You can use it as an insert effect, on a return bus, and in many other creative ways. It gives space, depth, color, and many other attributes to every processed audio. This tutorial will show you how to use it in one of the most creative and exciting ways. We will start by opening a previously made project within our SoundBridge: DAW. This project contains a simple sequence with all elements of a full mix.

For the sake of this tutorial, we will concentrate on one particular element: the drum loop. Let's hear how it sounds.

~Drum Loop - Unprocessed

Chop Up and Process With Reverb

We could say that this drum loop sounds pretty clean, even dull. However, we can try to fix that. First, we select the drum loop block and use the cut tool to divide the hits.

Next, we will choose which hits to process independently. Then, we will duplicate the drum loop channel and move each type of hit to its track. You can check that out in the picture below.

The idea is that every drum hit we have selected has a different setting. For this purpose, you can use any reverb, and more complex types will naturally offer more possibilities. Let's hear the difference between the unprocessed and processed drum loop with an additional kick drum and the bassline.

~Drum Loop + Kick drum and Bassline- Drum Loop Unprocessed

~Drum Loop + Kick drum and Bassline - Processed with Reverb

Finally, we can hear the difference with and without the effect on the drum loop hits in the context of the whole mix.

~Full Mix - Drum Loop -Unprocessed

~Full Mix - Drum Loop - Processed With Reverb