Definition of Gated reverb
Gated reverb or gated ambience is an audio processing technique that combines strong reverb and a noise gate that cuts the tail of the reverb. The effect is typically applied to recordings of drums (or live sound reinforcement of drums in a PA system) to make the hits sound powerful and "punchy" while keeping the overall mix sound clean and transparent.
As one of the more prominent effects in many British pop and rock songs of the 1980s, it was brought to mainstream attention in 1979 by the producer Steve Lillywhite and the engineer Hugh Padgham while they worked on Peter Gabriel's self-titled third solo album, after Phil Collins played drums without using cymbals at London's Townhouse Studios. The effect is most quintessentially demonstrated in Collins's hit song "In the Air Tonight".
Unlike many reverberation or delay effects, the gated reverb effect does not try to emulate any kind of reverb that occurs in nature. In addition to drums, the effect has occasionally been applied to vocals.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Gated reverb?
Gated reverb or gated ambience is an audio processing technique that combines strong reverb and a noise gate that cuts the tail of the reverb.