Apple Soundtrack Pro 3 - Manual (Page 278)

Reverb
Reverberation, usually shortened to reverb, simulates the sound of acoustic environments
such as rooms, concert halls, caverns, or the sound of infinite space. In any acoustic space,
sounds echo off the surfaces of the space (the floor, walls, and ceiling) over and over,
gradually dying out until they become inaudible. Reverb effects consist of thousands of
delays, of varying lengths and intensities, that simulate these natural echoes. Reverb helps
define the sense of space in which sounds take place and can be used to simulate both
realistic and fantastic acoustic environments.
Space Designer plug-in
The first form of reverb actually used a room with hard surfaces (called an echo chamber)
to add echoes to the signal. Mechanical devices, including plates and springs, were also
used to add reverberation to the output of instruments and microphones. Digital sound
recording has made it possible to use digital reverbs, which use complex algorithms (sets
of equations) to simulate various acoustic environments with greater accuracy and
flexibility.
Simple reverb effects provide parameters for the decay time or reverb time, which let you
set how long the reverb lasts before dying away, and the mix or level, which you use to
set the ratio of the effected signal (called the wet signal) to the original (the dry signal).
More sophisticated reverbs can include the following parameters:
• Room type: Lets you set the type of space the reverb will simulate: a small or large
room, a hall, or another type of acoustic space.
278 Chapter 10 Working with Audio Effects