When processing vocals there is nothing better than a lush reverb to bring out the performance. There is something about the stereo expansion of a plate reverb to the ethereal quality of a hall patch that makes a solid vocal shine. Sometimes, however, a vanilla reverb is just not enough and your project may demand something a little more impressive.
Reverse reverb is an effect that has been used for some time to complement specific vocal passages or even entire performances. It actually ends up sounding a lot more technical than it is to create. In this instance we show you one way to create the effect inside a DAW with nothing more than a single reverb plug-in and a vocal sample. You should find that the whole process takes very little time and the results are very easy to mix.
Step 1: The best way to start is to choose the reverb you want to reverse. This is usually an amplified version of the patch you would use in the mix. Think longer decay times and stronger wet mix. Here we are using a long algorithmic patch.
Large Vocal Verb
Step 2: Once you have settled on the patch you plan to use, export the results as a 100% wet mix. This means you will end up with only the reverb signal. This can be exported back into a new audio track for further editing.
100% Wet Reverb
Step 3: Now simply reverse the new audio you just imported. This will need to be shuffled around until it is timed perfectly to rise to every phrase in the vocal. Once in time, mix to taste and engage the original reverb but with a reduced wet mix.
Reverse Reverb Mix
