How to Add Reverb to Your Vocals

Reverb creates the sound of a space for the vocals to sit in, whether large or small.

Use Reverb to add depth, atmosphere, and professional polish to your vocals.

How to Access Reverb

In Performance View:

 

1. Tap any of the Vocal Controls at the bottom of the screen
2. Tap Reverb
3. Choose a preset or select Custom (Premium only)
    

After Recording (In Edit View):

 

1. Tap on your vocal segment
2. Tap FX & Volume
3. Tap Reverb
4. Choose a preset or select Custom (Premium only)
    

Free Reverb Presets

Everyone gets these reverb presets for free:
 

Bypass

No reverb (the effect is "bypassed").

Use this when: You want completely dry vocals with no space or atmosphere.
 

Stereo Width

Wide reverb effect best heard in headphones.

Use this when: You want your vocals to feel wide and spacious. Listen with headphones to hear the full effect.
 

Large Hall

Use this when: You want the sound of a big concert hall or auditorium.
 

Small Club

Use this when: You want the intimate sound of a small venue.
 

Long and Narrow

Use this when: You want a unique, elongated space that adds character.
 

Cathedral

Use this when: You want a huge, reverberant church-like sound.
 

Medium Room

Use this when: You want a natural, moderate amount of reverb that works for most songs.

Custom Reverb (Premium Only)

With Voloco Premium, you can unlock all custom parameters of Reverb to sculpt your sound as you see fit. Tap Custom in the Reverb panel to activate.

Mix

Adjusts the ratio of Wet to Dry signal. The higher the Mix, the louder Reverb will sound.

When to adjust: Turn this up for more obvious reverb, down for subtle reverb.
 

Width

Adjusts the amount the Reverb tail will bleed into the left and right sides of the Stereo field.

When to adjust: Higher width makes the reverb spread out in the stereo field. Lower width keeps it more centered.
 

Damp

Dampens the Reverb tail and adjusts how long the Reverb will ring out after receiving input.

When to adjust: Higher damp = shorter reverb tail. Lower damp = longer, more sustained reverb.
 

Room Size

Adjusts the size of the artificial "Room" the Reverb exists in. A larger Room Size will add more reflections and density to the sound.

When to adjust: Bigger room = more reverb and reflections. Smaller room = tighter, more controlled reverb.
 

Pre-Delay

Adjusts the amount of time before the Reverb tail will begin sounding. A longer Pre-Delay can assist to add clarity to your mixdown & make your Dry signal stand out more.

When to adjust: Add pre-delay if your vocals are getting muddy or lost in the reverb. This creates separation between the dry vocal and the reverb effect.

Tips for Using Reverb

Start subtle. A little reverb goes a long way. It's easy to add too much and make your vocals sound washed out or distant.

Match the reverb to your song. Intimate ballads work well with small room reverbs. Epic choruses sound great with large hall or cathedral reverbs.

Use headphones to judge. Reverb effects are easier to hear accurately with headphones, especially stereo effects.

Less reverb for rap. Hip-hop and rap vocals typically use very little reverb to stay upfront and clear. Try Small Club or a low Mix setting.

More reverb for atmosphere. Pop, R&B, and indie music often use more reverb to create mood and depth.

What Does Reverb Actually Do?

Reverb simulates the natural reflections you hear when sound bounces off walls, floors, and ceilings in a space.

Without reverb: Your vocals sound dry and right in your face, like you're recording in a padded room with no reflections.

With reverb: Your vocals sound like they exist in a real space, adding depth and making them feel more natural and polished.

The reverb tail: This is the sound of reflections gradually fading out after you stop singing. Longer tails = bigger spaces. Shorter tails = smaller spaces.

Common Reverb Mistakes

Too much reverb: Makes your vocals sound distant, muddy, and amateur. If someone asks "why do the vocals sound far away?" you probably have too much reverb.

Wrong reverb for the genre: A huge cathedral reverb on a trap song might not fit the style. Match your reverb choice to your music genre for the best results.

Reverb on everything: You don't need reverb on every single vocal. Sometimes dry vocals sound better, especially for aggressive rap or spoken word.

Reverb and Other Effects

Reverb works alongside your chosen FX effect. You can use reverb with Hard Tune, Natural Tune, or any other vocal effect.

Typical signal chain:

1. Choose your FX (Hard Tune, Natural Tune, etc.)
2. Add Compressor for punch and consistency
3. Apply EQ to shape your tone
4. Add Echo for depth
5. Add Reverb for space and atmosphere

Reverb comes at the end of the signal chain because you want to add space to your already-processed vocal sound.

Premium Features

Upgrade to Voloco Premium to unlock Custom Reverb with complete control over Mix, Width, Damp, Room Size, and Pre-Delay. Create the perfect space for your vocals with professional-level reverb controls.