TC electronic SDN BHD M3000 - Manual (Page 28)

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Constructing a Reverb Preset with the VSS™ algorithms
The following few paragraphs are thoughts about the usage of the VSS™ algorithm.
They should be taken as guidelines rather than fact.
The relationship of Early Reflections and the Reverb tail is very important in this algorithm.
Adjusting the balance between the Early Lev and the Rev Lev parameters is one of the easier ways
to make a HUGE difference in the sound of your reverb!
When you start building your preset you should try this:
- First turn the Rev Lev all the way down and then turn the MIX level up to between 60% and
70% if you are in mix mode, or push the return faders up on your console if you are in 100%
wet mode (see I/O- The Signal Page on page15).
- Then begin changing the Early Type and Early Size parameters until you select a room shape
that compliments the program material.
- Re-adjust the wet/dry balance until it is pleasing, then bring up the Rev Lev until the tail of the
reverb becomes audible.
- Add just enough tail to make it work together.
- Adjust the Decay time accordingly.
On some presets you may choose to have very little Early Reflections or none at all.
Certain “ambience” style presets might have little or no “tail”. That is up to you.
The M3000 was designed to have the smoothest Reverb tail ever developed but it is the Early
Reflections that define the “personality” of the room, so try to experiment with this relationship!
By using these parameters correctly you can create a BIG sound without having a mix swimming in
reverb wash.
Note: When using small room sizes and short Decay times on percussive signals, the Reverb level
and Early level must have an approx. level difference of 4dB in order to prevent a slap effect.
Getting the most out of the Early Reflection Patterns of the M3000
Early Reflections defines the actual feel of the room, where the Reverb tail is the less defined
”bowl” of reflections that follows. The major part of the Early Reflection patterns of the M3000 are
simulations of existing rooms and are based on a large number of reflections (40-100), which have
been processed through an advanced algorithm.
There are a number of different types and sizes covering a lot of different acoustic spaces that you
need for music and post production.
As the patterns are simulations of real rooms, the delay times of the first reflections are sonic and
spatially “connected” to the direct signal. Using Pre Delay together with Early Reflections should
therefore be considered very carefully, as the acoustic space created by the pattern tends to
“collapse” if too much Pre Delay is added. If you want the well known slap back reverb effect, you
should use Rev Delay on the Reverb tail instead and reduce the level of the Early Reflections.
VSS™ INTRODUCTION
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