Anyone big on using impulses?

metanoiastudios · Post by **metanoiastudios** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:50 am

Are you guys big on using impulses on your mixes? I have been meaning to try this, but (maybe to me) it seems that it's something you'd only do on less important, backing tracks. Have you guys used them on primari tracks, such as guitars, vocals, etc?

I recently discovered that there's also preamp impulses and other cool stuff. I'm kind of interested to try these out the most.

henge · Post by **henge** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:17 pm

Yeah,I just picked up the Acousticas Impulses and they're great!

joninc · Post by **joninc** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:09 pm

i use the SIR freeware all the time - lead voc - drum verbs - whatever.

hunt around a little - the plates impulses are awesome/

xhavepatiencex · Post by **xhavepatiencex** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:46 pm

I use sir too, I am a big fan of the impulses I have gathered from around the web for free. I use them on whatever needs reverb.

metanoiastudios · Post by **metanoiastudios** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:43 am

Yeah, that SIR has enough features for what I want to do. The main thing I've used impulses on so far is to add a little sense of space in the overheads if I have a very dry sound (which I tend to get in my "live room"). Also there's some pretty cool channel and preamp emulators that can sometimes have a nice effect on snares or other percussive instruments.

Anyone know some good impulse websites, besides www.noisevault.com?

snoopy23 · Post by **snoopy23** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:59 pm

I generally use impulse when I am orbiting too close to a planet or maneuvering near a space station. Otherwise I stick to warp, it just gets me there faster.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:01 pm

I've used impulses a lot. Convolution reverbs as per usual, and often making custom impulses to mutate tracks. Tuned drone resonances, fluttery frequency-smeared delays and reverbs.

*Any* short-ish audio file can be used as an impulse. If the result sounds too murky, the file may need a 6db per octave high boost slope. (Convolution multiplies low end when you feed standard-spectrum audio into it). I keep a preset in adobe audition set up for a 6db per oct hi boost for this purpose.

Cymbal hits can make cool reverbs. Maraca and shaker hits can make good woody smeared resonances.

Voxengo curve eq has a nice selection of preamp and gear impulses included that you can use or not use. Subtle, but colorful. Voxengo boogex is free and has usable cab impulses.

casey campbell · Post by **casey campbell** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:49 pm

it took me a little while to get used to the sound of impulse based verbs, but i have found that i absolutely love them now.... very realistic when used properly...

Wilkesin · Post by **Wilkesin** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:59 pm

pipelineaudio made a bunch of gear impulses you can grab (along with other things) at http://stash.reaper.fm/tag/Reverb-Impulses

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:26 am

I like impulses, especially plates, as stated above. I don't get a lot out of the hardware impulses (ex., a compressor or board impulse).

That said, I really like Cool Edit's "Full Reverb" effect, and it is actually impulse-based.

Bill @ Irie Lab · Post by **Bill @ Irie Lab** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:35 am

Impulse 'verbs are good, good stuff.

I technique I've been experimenting with is using drumSynth (get it free here) www.threechords.com/hammerhead/drumsynth.shtml

My thing is to make a .wav with the primary frequency a chord or scale tone and using that as the impulse file.

I won't try to describe what putting this on a stem or the master buss sounds like, but I'd say check it out!

Bill

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:35 am

Hi,

I like using them by sampling the acoustic space where I recorded someone, and then if I need an overdub and cannot go to the original studio / space, I have the acoustic impulse of that space.

It does take a little messing, but really good results are possible.

I did this on the latest album I mixed, from Steve Martin.

There were a couple of overdubs that we could not fly to New Jersey for, so I took a little of empty recording from each mic, and built an acoustic impulse space of the studio the band was in. I was able to blend this in with a very dry overdub, and it worked very well.

I also sampled a certain studio chamber, as there were edits done after having recorded the chamber effect, so I needed to recreate the chamber effect on tails of edited sound that did not have the chamber on them.

You can't tell the difference...

As far as purchased impulses, I absolutely love the ones from Spirit Canyon Audio. I have all three sets. They are extremely cool and useful.

Cheers

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:35 am

noeqplease wrote: I did this on the latest album I mixed, from Steve Martin.

Saw him promo'ing it on Colbert; ver' cool.

Relevance?

Well, there's a guy with whom to discuss "impulse control."

henge · Post by **henge** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:44 pm

Just got the Acousticas impulses and am very impressed. Load them up into SIR and your good to go!

sasha222 · Post by **sasha222** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:02 pm

I'm using altiverb, which is awesome. lots of free impulses on the net for it too. Only problem is it is a cpu hog.. sounds great though.

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Anyone big on using impulses?

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