Reflectivity and reverb connect because reverberation is the very action of a sound being reflected. To begin to understand this, let us remember that reverb time is the time it takes for an impulse to decay in a specific space. In acoustic spaces, there are many reflections that hit the receiver each time they reach the surface. At some point, the absorption of the surface causes them to decay. The reflectivity of a space depends on the level of absorbency of the materials used. So some spaces are more reflective than others.
You can consult other general facts about reverb here.
Reflectivity and Reverb: Diffraction
Diffraction is a phenomenon that occurs in large empty spaces with hard smooth walls. When this happens, the number of reverb increases. In contrast, when something interferes with the sound, some frequencies will go around it and the surface absorbes it. As a result, the diffraction phenomenon arises and the reverb time decreases. In audio production, reverb effects are obvious, and they are an essential part of every mix. They enhance songs because they add warmth, depth, and space.
Reflectivity and Reverb: Parameters
Software and hardware reverb include basic parameters, such as type, room size, pre-delay, time, damping, and mix. Firstly, the type feature determines the mimicked type of space, as well as the device or the digital process. Secondly, the room size adjusts the size of the virtual room. Moreover, as mentioned before, the type parameter determines it. Thirdly, pre-delay mimics the time it takes for the first reflection to return to the source after it has been spread. Fourthly, the reverb time, also known as tail, determines the time it takes for an impulse to lose energy in a virtual space. In fifth place, damping is the absorption of high frequencies in the reverb. Finally, the mix, dry and wet, determines the balance between processed and dry signals.
Types of Reverb
There are several reverb types: stereo pair, spring, sampling, chamber, plate, and digital emulators.
To begin, you achieve stereo pair by mixing the output of a stereo pair in a room. This technique can accurately recreate the subtleties of a real room. Yet, when the room recording is not sympathetic to the overall mix, this method can turn into a limiting technique.
Un second place, spring reverb is an electromechanical device that uses transducers and steel springs to create replicas of the input. Following this, sampling, also known as convolution, is an advanced reverb device that analyzes the response of a room. This analysis captures several qualities regarding the time and frequency domain of the response.
Chamber reverb involves an enclosed space with several mics that vary in size and shape, whereas digital chamber reverbs typically mimic small spaces with a short reverb tail. In addition, plate reverb is a manmade device that works on one dimension and uses an electromechanical transducer to induce vibration. It also includes a sheet metal surface and a dampening mechanism to adjust decay time.
Modern studies frequently use digital reverbs, aka algorithmic. These devices mimic both natural and mechanical aspects of reverbs. Also, they are easy to manage and provide a lot of control.
