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. four stages on the physics and craft of artificial space, ahead of the OPEN beta.

see OPEN plugin →

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.