This afternoon, at rehearsal for an upcoming concert showcasing the release of his new CD, Joe Walsh watched me struggling to remember the correct keystroke sequence for taking a screen shot on my Avid VENUE console. Joe asked why I needed the screen shot, and I told him that for the past 10 months I had been writing this column about Waves plugins for FRONT of HOUSE magazine. He then asked which particular plugin would be the subject for this month’s entry. My answer was that I would be discussing the Renaissance Reverb that we are currently using on background vocals.
The conversation then turned to the process by which I would select one particular reverb over another for this usage. I answered that the specific musical application and the desired goal determine the selection. A reverb that one would apply on a lead vocal would exhibit different characteristics than a device employed to enhance a group vocal. A lead vocal benefits from coloration, body and duration. Background vocals simply need a sense of space and a little added sparkle. I turned to the Renaissance Reverb because I had discovered a plate algorithm available with this plugin that I had been using for horns last year on the James Taylor tour.
Joe and I next discussed how background vocals and horns display certain similarities that would lead one to use a similar algorithm on both. The desired reverb should be both transparent and pitch-neutral while creating a sense of live space and an added dimension of depth. In Joe’s band, we have Gia Ciambotti, Marilyn Martin, and Rickey Washington as our singers. Each is a remarkable soloist, yet all three are extremely gifted at blending their voices and singing as a tight, complementary unit.
Drawing with Sound
Last year, I was extremely pleased with the results obtained by using the Renaissance Reverb on the horns in James Taylor’s band. I was also impressed by the Renaissance Reverb interface that made the initial programming an easy task.
The one-page display format has simple click-and-drag controls that allow me to have an uninterrupted workflow process while tailoring the reverb parameters to fit my requirements. Even the user guide is cut down and straightforward. It contains this brief operational description:
The three main graphs on the upper part of the window show the time and frequency response characteristics. You can change the Damping and EQ by a simple click-and-drag on the markers. In the lower part of the window are the nine slide controls, divided into Properties and Levels of the reverb sound.
This is as easy as reverb programming gets. The actual process is like drawing with sound. I have experienced plugin reverbs with too many parameter controls, others with too few. Renaissance Reverb is just right. The parameter labels don’t require one to learn a whole new nomenclature. Adjustments made to windows or sliders don’t call for one to guess at the relationships implied by obscure numerical scales. Readouts are in units of time or percentages of the property being manipulated. The programmable features are both relevant and necessary to fashioning a custom reverb sound.
Selecting an Algorithm
The first choice one makes is to select a starting algorithm from the drop down menu labeled Reverb Type. I was specifically looking for a plate, because the characteristics of that unit would best satisfy the requirements of transparency and lack of coloration I desired to hear. There are two plates among the 12 algorithms offered, and I chose Plate 1 because it was the more pristine of the two.
While I was comparing the plates, I readily admit that I went window-shopping and checked out the sound of the other 10 algorithms just to have that knowledge in my back pocket for future use. In many ways, the Renaissance Reverb reminds me of using the AMS RMX 16. The sound of each algorithm fires the imagination, and I can definitely state that I will be developing some “go to” presets from many of the reverb types. I keep going back to thinking about populating the 9 memory slots on the RMX 16 with my personal variations of their presets, and I see and hear many parallels in the way I envision using the Renaissance Reverb.
Decorrelation
The next global choice after selecting an algorithm is contained within a control box labeled Decorrelation. This was the only parameter name on the plugin that caused me to consult the user guide. It was a little like having to stop and ask for directions.
This controls the amount of correlation between the two channels (left and right) within the early reflections. The effect is subtle but can be very important in fine-tuning the color of a sound. You can simply cycle through the variations by repeatedly clicking on the button.
The Plate 1 algorithm includes early reflections, so I stepped through the six variations and settled on the least obvious. It‘s often desirable to add a little roominess via early reflections to a mic in wide-open, large stage settings to make the sound a little more intimate. However, too great a concentration of early reflections at too high a level could adversely influence the transparency I am trying to retain in this reverb sound. The background vocals should complement and enhance the lead vocal and not compete for space in the mix.
The combination of the graph displays and simple sliders makes it possible to get through customizing a reverb sound in minutes. I program a vocal reverb using my own voice. I talk, I sing, and I make unusual noises like clicks, pops and sibilant sounds. I imagine that someone walking past me while I have the headphones on and a microphone in my hand would be amused, scared or some combination between the two.
The included screen shot shows the outcome of the manipulations I made to the remaining control parameters. All choices were made to construct a transparent, crystalline sound that gives dimension and polish to the background vocal parts. The programming ease and great sounding reverb programs make the Renaissance Reverb an invaluable addition to my virtual equipment rack on the VENUE console. In subsequent weeks, I will be designing drum reverbs to use with Steve Gadd on the upcoming James Taylor tour.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
