Hey Friend,
Adding subtle instrument parts to a song recording isn't the only way to make music more interesting to our ears or affect the vibe. You can also place sound effects on tracks to manipulate the end result.
These effects can have a profound effect on our mood or emotion, just like the the notes and chords of the song. They can increase energy in the song, create depth and fullness, move you along as if you're driving down the road or soaring over a canyon.
When you think about it, you begin to realize just how much our sense of hearing is tied to the emotions we feel.
We can see an image of a crying child and it might make us a little sad, but if we hear a child crying, it triggers a deeper connection. We feel compelled to investigate, and help if we can. If we smell smoke, we're curious about the source, but if we hear alarms or frantic screams, our concern is much more urgent.
Yes, our senses aren't isolated - they work in tandem with each other, but I still think it is sound that triggers the largest emotional response.
I admit, I really hadn't given any thought to the level at which our sense of hearing affects emotion until this morning. It's like something clicked in my head as I started writing to you. Now it makes sense why my mood gets even more sour when I hear my co-worker's voice in the morning!
So back to effects - the ones we can use on recordings.
Think about songs that use a sweeping sound to simulate wind. What do you feel when you hear it? Desolation? Loneliness? Abandonment?
Listen closely in both these examples and you can hear the use of reverb to create the illusion of space. Reverb can make it sound like your standing inside a cardboard box, or like you're playing in a coliseum. It's probably one of the most used effects in a producer's toolbox, because even small addition of reverb can make a huge difference in the mix.
Oops, gotta run!
Peace~
Dave | 
