The latest addition to the Solid State Logic and Slate Digital Complete Access Bundle of FX pedal style plug-ins, GateVerb is a nonlinear, gated reverb with the characteristics associated with 1980s music production.
Where ‘linear’ reverbs maintain consistent decay patterns and tonal characteristics, often emulating natural spaces such as halls or cathedrals, nonlinear reverbs allow decay patterns to be determined in unconventional ways, resulting in complex, evolving reverbs that can vary in intensity and character.
Industry folklore has it that this unique sound was discovered by accident during a recording session for Phil Collins’ track ‘Intruder’ when a ‘listen mic’ – which featured very aggressive compression – was left on during recording in the Stone Room at the Townhouse Studios in London, resulting in an expansive reverb that disappeared in an instant.
This subsequently became sufficiantly in demand that it was made available in hardware FX units and went on to define the sound of the 1980s. It can be heard on tracks like Phil Collin’s ‘In the Air Tonight’, Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’ and Bronski Beat’s ‘Smalltown Boy’. Nonlinear reverb techniques are still in use today by many popular producers and engineers.
SSL’s GateVerb helps impart new sonic textures and dynamic changes to a track, while offering precise control over the reverb tail and other elements. This can result in clear, punchier mixes, with more texture and character. Its wide range of control includes Density, Time, Colour, Size and Retro, as well as ducking and sidechaining features, ability to time-sync pre-delay and time parameters according to the pre-defined tempo of a DAW.
‘GateVerb is an incredibly powerful creative tool that can add clarity, punch or an extra degree of vibe to almost any mix,’ says SSL Plug-in Product Manager, Jon Sandman. ‘With its highly flexible set of controls and creative parameters, GateVerb can help users take control over how their reverbs morph and change over time. This can have a significant effect on the overall outcome of a mix.’
Key features:
- Density, Time, Colour and Size controls.
- ‘Ultimate ’80s vibes’ when paired with the LMC+ plug-in.
- Advanced mix control.
- Gate and trigger controls.
- Freeze and kill.
- Sidechain and ducking.
The new plug-in is available in VST, VST, AU, AXX formats and as part of the SSL and Slate Digital Complete Access Bundle.
