How to add reverb to vocals

For most pop and electronic vocals, a plate reverb with 1.

Updated 2026-05-02

Short answer

For most pop and electronic vocals, a plate reverb with 1.8s decay, 20ms predelay, and 25% wet mix sits the vocal in space without pushing it back. Predelay separates the dry vocal from the tail so consonants stay clear.

Type: plate, bright and forward
Decay: 1.8 s, long enough to feel like a room, short enough to not blur the next syllable
Predelay: 20 ms, keeps consonants up front
Mix: 25 %, present but not drowning

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Pick plate over hall for vocals

Plate reverbs are bright, smooth, and dense, they fill space without sounding like a specific room. Halls have longer reflections that can blur lyrics. For pop, R&B, electronic, or rock vocals, plate is the safe default. Save halls for ballads or atmospheric productions where blur is desirable.

Predelay separates dry from wet

20–30ms of predelay creates a small silence between the dry vocal and the start of the reverb tail. Your brain hears them as separate events, so the consonants stay sharp and intelligible while the tail still adds space. Without predelay, the reverb smears the start of every word.

Decay length depends on tempo

At slower tempos (80 BPM), 2.0–2.5s decay feels appropriate. At faster tempos (140 BPM), 1.2–1.6s prevents the tail from hanging into the next vocal phrase. 1.8s is a solid middle-ground for 100–120 BPM tracks.

Mix wet, send-style

Put the reverb on a send/aux, not as an insert. Start the send at 25% and adjust by ear. If the reverb plugin has a mix knob, set it to 100% wet (since you're using a send) and control the level via the send fader. This way you can solo the wet signal to hear what you're adding.

Frequently asked

What's the best reverb for vocals?

Plate reverb is the most flexible, bright, dense, and forward. It works on pop, R&B, rock, and electronic vocals. Hall reverbs work for ballads or atmospheric productions where you want the vocal to feel further away.

How much predelay should I use on vocals?

20–30ms keeps consonants clear by separating the dry vocal from the reverb tail. Below 10ms the reverb smears word starts. Above 50ms it starts to sound like a slap delay.

Should reverb go before or after compression?

Compress the dry vocal first, then send to reverb. If you compress the reverb, the tail breathes unnaturally with every syllable. Some engineers add a gentle compressor to the reverb return for glue, but the main vocal compression goes before the send.

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