My Top 3 Reverb Plugins
Adding effects into a mix, especially reverb, is without question my favorite part of the mixing stage. Everybody, from artists-to-producers-to-engineers, love adding that luscious, wet sound that provides a unique sense of space in a mix. Reverb adds depth, width, and texture to mold the environment of a track. Today I share my top three favorite reverbs that I use in almost every one of my mixes to help you achieve your signature sound.
#1. Altiverb 7
Altiverb 7 by Audio Ease
The secret to a great sounding reverb is to use more than just one. For me personally, I like to use three, a room, plate, and hall reverb. When it comes to choosing the perfect plugin to emulate the intended sound I am going for, I almost always choose Altiverb 7 by Audio Ease. Now right off the bat you are probably looking at the price and thinking to yourself, “Oh hell no!” Yes, it is $600, but there’s a reason it’s that expensive. No other reverb comes close to matching the quality you get from Altiverb. This reverb gives your track a luxurious, modern style to any instrument or vocal you blend it in to. Altiverb has an insane number of presets ranging from legendary music halls, such as Disney Hall and Sydney Opera House, to actual hardware reverbs like the L480 and the EMT250. I highly recommend saving up the money and purchasing this plugin if you’re serious about finding your style. In the meantime, get your hands on any reverb you can find and practice, practice, practice. You won’t do yourself any good if you spend all your hard-earned savings on a plugin like Altiverb and have no idea how to use it.
#2. H-Reverb
Waves H-Reverb
Previously I mentioned no other reverb compares to the Altiverb 7 by Audio Ease. And while that may be true, you can get close emulating the quality of a $600 reverb with H-Reverb by Waves. When it comes to the best, most reliable brand of plugins on the market, Waves has always remained number one to me. I personally love using H-Reverb to find a nice medium-sized reverb for my vocals. In my opinion, it produces an upbeat sound that brightens up the feel of the track. When I hear it, I feel like I am listening to a song on the beaches of the Caribbean while the sun is setting. This reverb is unique and gives the user a lot of freedom to paint the environment he/she desires.
#3. Manny Marroquís Reverb
Manny Marroquin Reverb
I am I huge fan Mike Dean. Mike has produced and mixed for some of the greats like Travis Scott, Kanye West, and The Weeknd. For those of you who like this style of production with a ton of reverb, Manny Verb by Waves mirrors this sound the perfectly. It is a quick and easy Travis Scott sounding reverb that I use on every hip-hop track, but more specifically, on adlibs and background vocals. This reverb is great at pushing those adlibs further back in the mix to create a wide three-dimensional space. Manny Verb may not come with as many presets and options as Altiverb 7, but with a great sounding default setting built right into the plugin, all you need to do is slap it on and you’re good to go.
These reverbs are what I use in almost every track to produce a jaw-dropping ambience and provide the listener with a three-dimensional sense of space. If you are struggling to get the desired effect you are striving for, these reverbs will be sure to help you get to your destination. And remember, if you are using just one reverb, try using three or more to help you get there as well. All three of these reverbs come with a limited free trial, so make sure to test them out before buying.
