How to Add Reverb to Vocals (and Pick the Right One)
Reverb is the difference between a voice memo and a record. It puts your voice in a space — a room, a hall, a studio — and instantly makes it sound produced. Here's how to add it on iPhone, and how to choose the right type.
The reverb types, translated
- Small Room — subtle, intimate, "expensive studio" sound. The safest default for spoken word, acoustic covers, and close vocals.
- Medium Room — the modern pop vocal space. Noticeable but tight; works on almost everything.
- Medium Hall — big, emotional, long tail. Ballads, slow choruses, cinematic moments. Too much for fast lyrics.
- Plate — the classic bright vocal reverb used on records since the '60s. Adds sheen without sounding like a physical room.
Adding reverb in Voice Tune, step by step
- Record or open a vocal in the free Voice Tune app.
- Clean first. Run De-Noise before reverb — reverb makes any noise in the recording permanent.
- Enable Reverb in the effects rack and pick your space (Small Room, Medium Room, Medium Hall, or Plate).
- Set the Mix dial. Start at 25–35% for singing, 10–20% for rap and spoken word. The right amount is when you stop noticing the reverb and just notice the voice sounds good.
- Optional: add Delay. A short delay before reverb adds rhythm and depth — Voice Tune's Delay has Short, Long, and Robotic presets with Time, Mix, and Feedback dials.
The golden rule: if a listener says "nice reverb," you used too much. Set the mix where it sounds good, then pull it back 5%.
Reverb recipes by use case
- Acoustic cover: Small Room, ~30% mix, no delay.
- Pop vocal: Medium Room ~30% + short delay at low mix, after pitch correction.
- Ballad chorus: Medium Hall, 35–45% mix — let the tail bloom between phrases.
- Melodic rap: Plate 15–25% + hard pitch tuning. See the T-Pain effect guide.
- Podcast/voiceover: Small Room under 15%, or none at all.
Common questions
Should reverb go before or after autotune?
After. Tune the dry vocal first so the pitch detection hears a clean signal, then add reverb as the final polish.
Why does my vocal sound like it's "in a bathroom"?
Either the mix is too high or the recording room itself was echoey. Reduce the mix, and next time record in a soft-furnished room — see our recording guide.
Can I add reverb to a recording made in another app?
Yes — bring the file into Voice Tune and apply the full effects rack: reverb, delay, EQ, compressor, and de-noise.
Give your voice a studio space
Four reverb spaces, delay, EQ, and more — free in Voice Tune.
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