Ableton Forum

Is it possible to create negative reverb effects by setting up a fully wet reverb tail and using phase inversion, so that frequencies are removed from the original signal, rather than added? I first read about this technique over at Gearsluts (link), where they describe the sound as subtle, yet "frosty", and since I plan on releasing a 17 disk album inspired by ice and snowflakes next week, I figure it would be an interesting effect to include in my sonic arsenal haha.

most reverbs have a pre-delay, and algoritms seriously change the sound compared to dry, add/removing/transforming lots of frequencies, so phase correlation relating input doesn't really exist. i think you may hear a more pronounced effect by mixing a dry signal with an (inverted signal goign to reverb) full wet if predelay is 0 samples, rather than inverting the reverb result, but feel it will be really subttle,.. anyway, just experiment and try!

I'm sure it would yield interesting results, but I imagine the wet/dry version is just too different from the wet version to do anything much in the way of cancelling out the reverb. You probably know, but deconvolution algo's are a better approach, if still very hit & miss.

For the frosty / cold digital fragility sound, you could add a (time-locked) pitch adjustment up a few semitones, and then a second pitch adjustment back down again! Or decimate the sample down to around 6-bit and mix in with the original.

for the best negative reverb effect here is what i do, load up a reverb on the master channel turn diffusion up to 100 turn wet up to 100 keep decay at 50, hit play and automate the wet signal to 0, from there, delete the effect and all other reverbs.

this is only thing i've ever seen i would describe as 'negative' reverb:

http://www.zynaptiq.com/unveil/

nathannn wrote:for the best negative reverb effect here is what i do, load up a reverb on the master channel turn diffusion up to 100 turn wet up to 100 keep decay at 50, hit play and automate the wet signal to 0, from there, delete the effect and all other reverbs.

^ this actually worked for me. Doing this, I successfully removed all reverb type sounds from my track which made everything sound cold. Cheers!

*bookmark*

d.reamonn wrote:

nathannn wrote:for the best negative reverb effect here is what i do, load up a reverb on the master channel turn diffusion up to 100 turn wet up to 100 keep decay at 50, hit play and automate the wet signal to 0, from there, delete the effect and all other reverbs.

^ this actually worked for me. Doing this, I successfully removed all reverb type sounds from my track which made everything sound cold. Cheers!

thanks, worked for me

d.reamonn wrote:Is it possible to create negative reverb effects by setting up a fully wet reverb tail and using phase inversion, so that frequencies are removed from the original signal, rather than added? I first read about this technique over at Gearsluts (link), where they describe the sound as subtle, yet "frosty", and since I plan on releasing a 17 disk album inspired by ice and snowflakes next week, I figure it would be an interesting effect to include in my sonic arsenal haha.

Thanks for the link, it's pretty funny. But what's the connection to negative reverb?

quiet_ou wrote:

d.reamonn wrote:Is it possible to create negative reverb effects by setting up a fully wet reverb tail and using phase inversion, so that frequencies are removed from the original signal, rather than added? I first read about this technique over at Gearsluts (link), where they describe the sound as subtle, yet "frosty", and since I plan on releasing a 17 disk album inspired by ice and snowflakes next week, I figure it would be an interesting effect to include in my sonic arsenal haha.

Thanks for the link, it's pretty funny. But what's the connection to negative reverb?

If you listen very carefully, you can hear examples of the effect used round the 1.32 mark. It's also discussed in the comments. Although I admit I may have violated 12 or 13 of Grice's maxims.

That little girl needs some miracle powder if she wants to achieve authentic WH sound.