Reverb

[rock soderstrom]

There are a handful of plugins (effects and processors) that have optional usb controllers, but those can quickly clutter the workspace. Plus, DAW plugins automatically recall the session’s settings, rather than notating an outboard units settings. I like you idea in principle, but in practice it takes a certain dedication to a slower workflow. I’m interested to see how this works for your team.

It's true, there are already few hardware controllers for plugins and they tend to occupy the desk, but with a touchscreen solution you don't have to write anything down, they are just plugins as well.

I think the advantage of such solutions lies in the better communication with the musician during tracking, you're not just staring at the computer monitor armed with a mouse, but are much more open to what's happening in the recording room.

Another advantage I think is the fact that, especially in a band (rehearsal/demo recording)context, they usually work without a dedicated operator/audio engineer, so simple tools for controlling the rather static recording situation are a real advantage.

 

[rock soderstrom]

Secondhand/inexpensive tablet, running some KVM software? You'd need wifi on the host, of course. I can't think of any showstoppers at the moment, and I'll be doing something similar, but I haven't actually done it yet.

That's a good idea, I've already thought about it. An old iPad or similar comes with everything it needs!

I even still have an old iPad 3, but unfortunately it's already in permanent use as a sound generator on my master keyboard. Good old Garageband still sounds convincing after all these years...

 

[gyraf]

I'm still trying to persuade the good people at Relab to support the real hardware larc..

 

[allergies.for.all]

I’ve been working on a cover of Laura Nyro’s the Wind with my partner and I’m always floored by the sound of reverb on 60’s recordings. I’ve got a cheap lexicon I don’t use very much and I also have some Waves Abbey Road plug-ins I like until I’m actually using them.

I find it very difficult to achieve the level of lushness and presence yet somehow not drowning in it like in recordings of Laura Nyro, the Beach Boys, or Brazilian stuff like early Gal Costa.

I’m sure they had access to amazing plates and probably rooms designed for certain sounds, but for some like me who has a studio full of DIY equipment and a computer, how can I get close to that sound?

Is there any reverb builds that y’all know of? A plugin many recommend? Or should I just set up a speaker and a mic in my garage or something? ;D

It's not just the chamber, but the level of the signal hitting the speaker in the chamber, and the gain of the pre recapturing the verb. If you listen to those old Beach Boys the reverb is super saturated. Part of what makes it lush is saturation. I've had good results just using a big room (or small, doesn't matter that much). Speaker on one side, mic on the other, and CRANK the speaker aux. Then on the capture mic, crank that gain. Use a compressor on your capture, shelf the nastiness out of the high end. Another thing I find useful is then compressing the vocal or instrument in series with the chamber capture, so they don't sound like separate entities (Rather than using something like an aux send for the reverb).

For the Brazilian style verb, pick up an old Ross mixer from the 70's or with a built in sprint reverb. People give them away.