Effects and mixing
What is gated reverb? The 80s drum sound, and how to get it
Gated reverb is a large, bright reverb whose tail is cut off abruptly by a noise gate, so a drum sounds enormous for a moment and then stops dead. It defined the snare sound of 80s pop and rock. In EASY RAVE, every machine's REVERB has a Gated mode, so you can put it on a snare or clap in your browser for free.
How does gated reverb work?
A normal reverb rings on and fades slowly, like a clap in a big hall. A gated reverb starts just as big, then a noise gate shuts the sound off as soon as it drops below a set level. Instead of a long fading tail, you get a short, dense burst of space that stops abruptly.
The result is a drum that sounds huge but stays out of the way of everything after it. That is why it works so well on snares: massive on beat 2, gone before the next hit.
Where does the gated reverb sound come from?
The sound is tied to the drum recordings Phil Collins and engineer Hugh Padgham made around 1980, first on Peter Gabriel's third album and then on Collins' own "In the Air Tonight" in 1981. After that it spread through 80s pop and rock: big, bright, gated snares became the sound of the decade.
Drum machines arrived in the same years, and the LinnDrum's sampled snares and claps through gated reverb are another part of that 80s sound.
How do you use gated reverb in EASY RAVE?
Every machine has REVERB in its SOUND EFFECTS rack, with 2 types: Room and Gated.
- Open the SOUND EFFECTS bar at the bottom of a drum machine and set REVERB to Gated.
- Turn AMOUNT up until the snare or clap sounds big. AMOUNT goes past 1.0x if you want it drenched.
- Listen to the kick and hats. If they also sound too roomy, use the trick below.
Put gated reverb on the snare only
The reverb works on a whole machine, so on a single kit the kick and hats get it too. EASY RAVE has 3 drum machines, which gives you an easy way around this:
- Program the kick and hats on HOUSE 909 and keep its REVERB low.
- Open LinnBeats (DRUMS 3) and program only the snare or the clap there.
- Set LinnBeats' REVERB to Gated and turn it up.
Now the snare explodes and the kick stays tight. This is the same idea as sending one drum to its own effect in a studio.
What music uses gated reverb?
- 80s pop and rock: the big snare on beats 2 and 4.
- Synthwave and retro pop: the sound is part of the 80s look and feel.
- Electro and freestyle: gated claps on sampled drum machines.
- Modern pop: used now and then as a deliberate retro touch.
Try it on a slow backbeat around 100 to 115 BPM: kick on 1 and 3, a gated snare on 2 and 4. Drum patterns for beginners has the pattern.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between gated reverb and normal reverb?
Normal reverb fades away naturally, so its tail can last for seconds. Gated reverb is cut off abruptly by a noise gate, so it sounds just as big at first but stops almost immediately, leaving space for the next hit.
What song made gated reverb famous?
Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight", released in 1981, is the best-known example: its drum break is a textbook gated drum sound. The technique was developed with engineer Hugh Padgham on recordings around 1980.
Can I add gated reverb online for free?
Yes. In EASY RAVE, a free groovebox that runs in your browser, every machine's REVERB effect has a Gated mode. Put it on a drum machine, turn up AMOUNT, and the snare gets the 80s sound with no plugin to install.