May
9
Written by:
masterblogger
5/9/2011 7:20 AM
IK Multimedia’s Classik Studio Reverb plugins provide four different algorithmic reverbs.
I’ve seen references to
“convolution reverb” and
“algorithmic reverb.” What’s
the diff erence between them?
Is one type better than the
other? How do you know
which kind is best for a
particular project?
JOE PASQUALE, HACKENSACK, NJ
Convolution and
algorithmic reverbs use
diff erent technologies.
A convolution reverb
gets its sound by
loading an impulse,
which is a sampled
“snapshot” of a room’s
decay characteristics.
One way this is
performed is by
recording a starter
pistol shot and decay.
Loading this impulse
into a convolution
reverb tells it how to
process an incoming
signal so that it decays
in the same way as the
impulse.
Algorithmic reverb
synthesizes a room’s
characteristics by
creating algorithms
that generate a
particular number of
refl ections, subject
them to highfrequency
damping,
add pre-delay, simulate
a particular room size,
and so on. Although
this is an “imaginary”
reverb, the algorithms
are based on analysis
of the way acoustic
spaces aff ect sound.
You can think of
convolution reverb as
similar to keyboard
samplers, while
algorithmic reverb is
more like virtual analog
synthesizers.
As for which type to
choose, convolution
reverb is more “literal,”
while algorithmic
reverb is more
“impressionistic.”
Convolution reverb is
more fl exible in that
you can load diff erent
impulses and obtain
entirely diff erent
sounds—even
impulses of tunnels,
or something like the
body of an acoustic
bass. However,
it’s less fl exible in
other ways because
changing individual
parameters—decay
time, damping, and
so on—is diffi cult,
or in some cases,
impossible. Algorithmic
reverb limits you to
the chosen algorithm,
but you have far
more fl exibility to
edit the algorithm’s
parameters.
Each type of reverb
has its own sound
quality, and neither
one is “wrong” unless
it doesn’t sound right
in the context of your
music. Try diff erent
types of reverb, and
it should be obvious
which works best with
your recordings.
THE EDITORS