Mixing
Reverb and delay tricks for cleaner mixes
April 21, 2025 · 7 min read
Most home mixes drown in reverb because the reverb is shaping the wrong frequencies. A few small habits keep tails from eating your mix.
High-pass the send, always
Roll off everything below 200–300 Hz on the reverb return. Low frequencies in reverb tails are the #1 source of mud.
Pre-delay buys clarity
20–40 ms of pre-delay separates the dry signal from the wet. The vocal stays present; the tail still feels big.
Mono delay before stereo delay
A simple mono slap-back glues a vocal without spreading it out. Pull stereo delay out only when you specifically want width.
Reverb is paint. Use it like paint, not like primer.
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