The world of effects is a vast and complex one, a world that remains a mystery to many but that we guitarists must master if we are to find our own sound. From wah to reverb, from flange to delay... the possibilities are endless, and this complexity is compounded with each additional link in the chain. Effects are available in many guises today, with rack-mounted devices and software on our computers; however, we will concentrate on good old fashioned pedals.
We will make a start with reverb, maybe not as glamorous as some of the effects out there but integral to a good sound and we all use it whether we know it or not!
The Science
Reverb is the continuation of sound in a space after the origin of that sound is removed. The reverb happens when a sound is produced in an enclosed space, causing a number of echoes to build and then slowly fade as the sound waves are absorbed by the structure. The reverb effect is at its most noticeable when the source of the sound is silenced but the echoes of it continue until the volume reduces such that they cease. The length of time it takes for these echoes to fade (or ‘decay’ time) is taken in to account in the design and construction of buildings designed with performance in mind. In comparison to a distinct echo that is 50 to 100ms after the initial sound, reverberation is many thousands of echoes that occur in very quick succession (.01 – 1 ms between echoes). As time passes, the volume of the many echoes is reduced until the echoes cannot be heard at all.
So, if you’re playing a guitar indoors you’re using reverb whether you like it or not!
In Practice
It is often desirable to create artificial reverb for performance or recording purposes and most of your amplifiers may well already have some sort of reverb included. A number of systems and methods have been created over time to create or simulate reverb.
Guitar amplifiers frequently house a spring reverb unit – a spring with a transducer at one end and a pickup at the other used to create and capture vibrations across the spring. You can find out if your amp is using spring reverb by giving it a shake and seeing if you can hear the springs rattle around – in fact musicians have been known to do this deliberately in performance to generate some thunder clap type noises, though having both hands occupied with a guitar doesn’t make this very easy for us.
The first reverb effect created for recording was a chamber reverb which used a real space as an echo chamber. A speaker would play the sound and a microphone would record it again. It is a common technique in studios but is limited in so far as it requires a dedicated soundproof space and varying the reverb is very difficult. Plate reverb is also available and works similarly to spring reverb with the obvious exception that it uses a plate in place of a spring. The decay time can be changed by moving the pickup closer or further away from the transducer.
Finally we have digital reverb which is where it’s at for pedal effects. A digital reverb uses a processing algorithm to create multiple delay circuits resulting in a series of echoes. These units often mimic the responses of specific structures – those of you who already use a reverb unit will have seen labels such as ‘Church’, ‘Hall’ and so on. A digital reverb will usually also approximate spring and plate reverb.
Products
You may find the reverb unit in your amp is perfectly well suited to your needs. I find that reverb is one of the ‘less is more’ effects and that the most pleasing results are usually found around the ‘4’ mark on the dial, so try to resist the temptation to go straight to 11! Many amps today do not feature a reverb circuit, and some of you may find the built in reverb not to your taste – there are as ever a myriad of products available.
The BOSS RV-5 is the latest revision of reverb pedal from BOSS who as ever provide something of a standard with their bomb-proof construction and easy to use features. The RV-5 is no exception, allowing the player to dial in several different types of reverb and control the settings of each allowing pretty much limitless possibility for reverb. Unusually for BOSS this pedal is at the top end of the price range, retailing at the $149 / £129 mark... where it finds itself in some serious competition.
The Line6 Verbzilla beats the BOSS unit on price coming in at around the $100 / £100 mark. It matches the BOSS on features and adds a few extras. The ‘Ducking’ setting is particularly interesting – the Verbzilla when used in this mode will decrease reverb volume while you play and increase it when you stop, adding to the feel of a sound resonating in a large hall. The sheer number of reverb models available on the Verbzilla make it a good choice for those of us who are called upon to play several styles and need some flexibility. To me the only downside is that the pedal feels a little flimsy and I’d be nervous about using one live... but I do have big feet!
My recommendation for a reverb pedal goes to the Digitech Hardline RV-7. I usually consider Digitech products to be for the hobbyist and have been guilty of dismissing them out of hand, but when, I was handed an RV-7 to try out I was pleasantly surprised. To me this pedal takes the best features of the BOSS and Line6 offerings and brings them together so you get the range of sounds and ease of use of the Line6 with the robust construction and familiar layout of the BOSS. Digitech have licensed the Lexicon technology usually found in rack units and although the unit isn’t the cheapest option out there at $129 / £109 RRP the quality of it would be worth paying double for. This pedal is so good that my Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail went on to ebay, and I’ve had that pedal for a very very long time.
So that's reverb in a nutshell...
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