I'm really loving Valhalla Room on just about everything! I'll be buying Shimmer next. Would it be feasible to create a spring reverb sound in either one? -Perry-

Not really, at least as far as I understand spring reverbs. Shimmer can get the "short & metallic" part of spring reverbs, by using the Small Stereo mode, but it can't get the "DWIPP!" sound. This is caused by dispersion, which means that the speed of sound is different in a spring for different frequencies. I haven't tackled this in a plugin yet.

xoxos recently released a spring emulation. I haven't checked it out yet (I need to fire up a Windows machine to do so), but he has some interesting physical models, so it would be worth checking out.

Sean Costello

And you should also definatelly check out SKnote Necklace

Also physically modelled. I believe the developer actually build a real hardware spring reverb, to model its behaviour in software afterwards..

Very nice Spring Reverb emulation in my opinion

In order to get a demo version you'll have to contact the developer.

One interesting feature is that when you tap on the springs (on the GUI), you actually hear the impulse response which is very handy when tuning the reverb.

That might also be an interesting feature for your reverbs, Sean!?

Thanks Sean & Nielzie for the replies. I bought "Necklace" and it's pretty cool for what it does! -Perry-

You should definitively check this one
http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=28

Yeah, GSi Type 4 is a great guitar amp spring, with all the blips and boings (and even a button to "kick" the amp)!

Reviving this thread, any chance of one or more of the current plugins getting a "spring" model? I'm thinking of getting the whole Valhalla plugin set and forget about looking for other reverbs, but I don't understand if there's something in sight about this...

Thanks,
Mario

If I ever did a spring model (and I'm not planning on it right now), it wouldn't go in any of the current plugins.

Sean Costello

I was reading about the Reverbs the other day and didn't see much details on Spring type. What type of sounds are these good for? Any examples (songs/tunes) where these are used exclusively.

I always associated spring reverb with electric guitar. Especially twangy stuff like surf music. Famous example is the guitar from the original James Bond theme.

Spring reverb was heavily used in dub music - not dubstep, but the original 1970s dub music. King Tubby tracks feature spring reverb very high in the mix, often processed by a swept highpass filter.

Surf guitar tends to have a lot of spring reverb. Other guitar tracks use spring reverb, but the percussive clean guitars in surf tend to bring out the "DWIPP!" sound of a spring reverb.

Some of the early synthesizers had spring reverbs built in or as an option. The ARP2600 and EMS Synthi/VCS3 had built in spring reverbs, while the Moog Modular and Buchla modulars had optional spring modules. Put a spring reverb on percussive electronic sounds, and things instantly sound old and mysterious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDlKaG24CPU

Sean Costello

One of the best tricks (invented by Lee 'Scratch' Perry, afaik): smacking the spring verb, then dropping on the floor during 'the drop'.

Even better, on the VCS3 you have CV control of the mixing wet/dry of the reverb. Not sure it that was available on the other synths listed.

VERY impressive research coming up with that !
No "hit" words like "spring reverb" in the clip title...

I hope you stumbled upon that early on Sean, as opposed to auditioning 657,890 wild animal clips before finding spring reverb !