Solid State Logic has added SpringVerb to the SSL Verb collection of plug-ins, joining PlateVerb and GateVerb.
All three plug-ins offer distinct sonic textures – spring for retro bounce, plate for smooth studio polish, and gated for punch. Spring reverbs naturally emphasise the mid and high frequencies. Modelled on the most sought-after of spring tanks, SpringVerb combines ‘authentic vintage hardware character with the flexibility of modern SSL control’ reminiscent of the treatment used heard on countless classic recordings across rock, pop, electronic music and reggae/dub.
The SpringVerb plug-in gives precise control over the brightness associated with springs, with dedicated damping to tame problem areas before they build up, plus intelligent ducking to keep the effect sitting where it is required. While classic hardware tanks are limited by their physical design, adds musical parameter control for sonic shaping that impossible on traditional units.
Users can smoothly fade between single, double and triple-springs – the more springs, the denser and complex the reverb. Meanwhile, the Time knob controls decay length, with the Sync button allowing it to lock to tempo-based values when desired. The Freeze button stops new input and will create an infinite reverb tail until it is turned off.
Users are also able to adjust ‘spring tension’, which changes the reverb’s character. Tightening the springs makes the sound travel faster making it feel more controlled, while loosening them adds the classic ‘twanginess’ of spring reverbs, with more noticeable bouncing echoes. A dedicated Width knob can be rotated fully anti-clockwise to reduce the stereo image of the reverb to mono; many vintage spring tanks were wired in mono, so this can is one way users can recreate a vintage sound. The stereo image can also be expanded beyond 100 per cent to push the reverb out to the sides of the stereo field.
At the heart of SSL SpringVerb is the interactive Spring Tank: a visual recreation of that which is found on vintage hardware, but fully interactive. The springs expand or contract with the Tension control. For creative bursts, the Boing button can be used to cause chaotic resonance.
Other controls include a pre-delay, which can impart a rhythmic slap back effect while locking to a host tempo; a Drive section that can add saturation to the input signal mimicking the harmonic richness of hardware; and damping knobs which can remove certain frequency components helping users ‘tune’ the specific frequency response of the reverb.
SpringVerb is the latest addition to the Complete Access Bundle subscription.
More: www.solidstatelogic.com