If you have Max for Live hopefully you already checked out the Convolution Reverb that comes with the MaxforLive Essentials Live Pack.
A Convolution Reverb is a software that allows you to take Audio files called Impulse Responses or IRs to be used as the reverberation source. So you can add a since of real world space to your sounds.
Besides real world spaces. Convolution Reverb can convolve hardware gear like Guitar Amps, Cabinets, Digital Reverb units and Delays.
There are a lot of great free IR libraries out there you can start using straight away with the Convolution Reverb:
The Echo Thief – A professor at UCSD who travels the world and record real places
EMES Virtual Rooms – Offer Free IRs on the bottom left of the screen
Adventure Kid – Great Spring IRs
Rekkerd Impulse Response Blog – A lot of articles and posts about Convolution Sound Design
Fokke Van Saane – A lot of really unique IRs. Make sure you download the Wav version of the packs.
Lexicon 480L – Beautifully sounds IRs from the famous Reverb Unit.
Boss GT-8 – IR from the Hardware unit
CKSDE – Separated IR Downloads
You can simply add those folders to your Live browser and start dragging any sounds you want to use as an Impulse Response.
Note that as soon as you drag the first file the entire folder the file is on is going to be temporarily added to the Convolution Reverb menu so you can navigate from there instead of dragging the samples one by one.
Check out the video on the bottom to see how to permanently add them to your Convolution Reverb Built-In menu.
Convolution Sound Design
One of the best part of Live’s Convolution Reverb is the ability to throw any audio file you want directly into the wave display zone.
This will allow you to not only use reverb Impulse Responses but rather more unique and unusual sounds.
Check out the video for a cool Convolution Sound Design technique where we use Home Made Percussion (Found Sounds) to make our drums more interesting and complex.
In the video I’ll also show you how to permanently add IR folders you download to the Convolution Reverb Pro built-in Menu.
Check out the Amazing sound designer Diego Stocco and his Convolution Processing Pack offering more then 200 sounds categorized and ready to use with your Convolution Reverb. Here is a free pack from him demoing the full product.
