[This article was first published in the March, 2009, issue of
Larry's Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Updated June, 2009. Click here to subscribe.]

I got an email recently asking me how to add reverb to an audio clip in Final Cut. The problem the writer had was that the reverb cut off as soon as the clip ended.

The trick is that you need to have the effect of the reverb filter continue after the clip ends. It requires nesting. Here's how.

Edit the clip you want to add reverb into the Timeline. Move it to a different track to separate it from other clips. Then, add a 3-5 second audio slug after the end of the clip.

Note: To add a slug, click the Video tab in the Viewer, then go down to the lower right corner and click the Generator menu - it has a small letter "A" on it. Adjust the length of the slug in the Viewer before editing it down to the timeline.

Select both the audio clip and the following slug and choose Sequence > Nest items.

Name the nest something that will help you remember it. In this case, I called it Clip with Reverb, and click OK.

FCP has replaced your original clip and slug with another sequence, called Clip with Reverb. This process of putting a sequence into another sequence is called nesting.

What nesting allows us to do is to treat a group of clips (either audio or video) as a single clip. In this case, to apply a reverb filter so that when the sound ends in the clip, the reverb will continue, or ring out, over the slug.

The last step is to apply Effects > Audio Filters > Final Cut Pro > Reverberation.

NOTE: To adjust the amount of reverb, OPTION+double-click the sequence to load it into the viewer. To make changes to the audio clip or the slug, double-click the sequence.

Settings for this filter that I like are to adjust the effect mix to around 10 and the type to either Hall (Large) or Thin Plate (Long).

As with any effect in Final Cut, experiment until you find the settings you like.

Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.

The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. However, the author assumes no liability in case things go wrong. Please use your best judgment in applying these suggestions.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. This newsletter has not been reviewed or sanctioned by Apple or any other third party. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned here for editorial purposes only.

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