Understanding and using Reverberation (Reverb):

To understand sound the thought of dolphins always comes to thought. Sound is unique, because it travels in short ranges depending on the amplitude. Sound is measured in decibels or DB. The distance on how far sound travels depends on the strength or amplitude. A good example would be if I'm at the top of the stairs calling you and you're in the basement, technically I have to yell louder for you to hear me. That is an example of me adjusting my volume and strengthening my sound waves, therefore increasing my decibels. Now lets focus on reverberation (reverb): Reverberation can be compared to reflections in a mirror. The more mirrors the more reflections. Sound can be reflected also. A good experiment would be to put three microphones in a room and start screaming. As long as the microphones are connected to speakers you will hear multiple screams. This is one example of reverberation. Another example is acoustics, good musicians will notice that some rooms sound much better than others because of the material in the walls etcetera. In some rooms when you scream you will hear an echo, which in theory are sound waves bouncing off of a certain type of material. Do not confuse the term reverberation with the term echo. Please note: an echo is the sound of explosion replicating in the air and reverberation is the sound of explosion being heard coming back to the ear. In music today there are many things to experiment with sound. You can try bouncing sound waves off of card board, plastic, aluminum, or even porcelain and you will notice each has a different sound reverberation. Many music software and video programs also use reverberation to adjust sound waves as well. Reverberation is used in movies, music, and even theatre. When using the reverberation setting you will notice a change in the pitch of the sound. The sound may sound hollow or solid. Now all you have to do is try it.