OPEN / learning path

space, depth, and the craft of artificial rooms

from what reverb actually is to why cheap algorithms ring metallic and why stereo reverb vanishes in mono, through to reverse swells and voicing reverb for synths. six stages on the physics and craft of artificial space, ahead of the OPEN beta.

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1 7 min

what is reverb

every space you have ever heard a sound in added reverb to it. understanding what your room does for free is the first step to using reverb deliberately.

2 8 min

algorithmic vs convolution reverb

convolution photographs a real space. algorithmic reverb paints one from scratch. they fail in opposite ways, and knowing which is which changes how you pick.

3 8 min

why reverb sounds metallic

when a reverb tail rings like a pipe, the tail has a pitch. that pitch comes from somewhere specific, and once you can hear it you cannot unhear it.

4 7 min

reverb and mono compatibility

the width that makes a stereo reverb beautiful is exactly what makes it vanish in mono. that is not bad luck. it is the same property, seen from two speakers or one.

5 8 min

reverse reverb: how it works and how to make it

a normal reverb tail decays after the sound. reverse reverb makes it crescendo in before the sound, and your ear knows immediately that something impossible just happened.

6 9 min

reverb for synths and drum machines

a synth arrives with no room attached, so reverb is not adding to a space, it is inventing the whole thing. that changes what a good reverb has to do.

7 9 min

no iLok reverb: what "no iLok" actually means

"no iLok" is not one thing. some reverbs skip the dongle but still need an account and an online activation. a few need nothing at all after the first key. here is the whole ladder, verified maker by maker.