Still Silhouette Reverb Effect explained
Next to "what tuning is_____ tune in" another really popular question I get is about the reverb processing on my solo tune Still Silhouette from my CD Outre.
If you're not familiar with the tune you can grab a free listen on the Last FM OUTRE player.
Its fretless piccolo bass with increasingly strange reverb effects building in the background throughout the piece. When I asked for this kind of effect I had David Torn in my mind.
The effect was created old school style by my producer Cookie Marenco from OTR Studios in Belmont CA.
I was just smart enough to capture a bit of video of Cookie explaining how she creates the effect while we were in the studio.
Today, I got a few e-mails and myspace messages about this track (I think there's a post on a bass forum about it) so I found a bit of the video and uploaded it to the interwebs.
Still Silhouette Reverb Effect explained from Jeff Schmidt on Vimeo.
Obviously this is the old school way - with vintage Lexicon PCM and Super Prime Time verbs, delays, Eventide Harmonizers and real time parameter manipulation (performance)
Not exactly something I can bring out on shows without dropping about 20K in gear and as much IQ to be stupid enough to bring it all out to venues.
Thankfully, there's a reasonable alternative.
I created an effect chain in Ableton Live on my laptop with plug-ins.
It's not exactly the same thing - but it's very, very close to the effect created for the CD.
The main key to the alternative sound is the use of an effect called "Crystalizer".
It's a cascading pitch-shifted reverb/delay process.
You can find it in plugs like SoundToys and Guitar Rig. While the SoundToys version is waaaay better (I think it's based on the Eventide algorithms) the Guitar Rig version is what I have on the laptop and it works just fine.
You can hear that effect in performance on the 2 "ruiner severhead" videos I posted "SEVERED" AND "BOUND".
The combination of these processes is something I've come to call SMOKE because I can't fit "cascading pitch-shifted reverbs & delays" on the return label.
UPDATE:
ok - I realized it's totally easy to just show this Ableton Live chain on video. I don't have a screencast app so I just pointed the camera at the computer screen - ghetto style!
Using Ableton Live to create the Still Silhouette Reverb FX from Jeff Schmidt on Vimeo.
With this info you will, without question, be able to duplicate everything I do and render me completely useless in the global marketplace.
Use it wisely.
;)
Comments
Hey Jeff! Very cool of you to share that.
I've never used Live but it looks like an incredible tool. I know you use a boss pedal too. Can you make that effect with that or maybe any other multi-effects boxes?
Posted by: Phillip | December 13, 2008 01:14 AM
Hi Phillip.
I can make long dark, delayed reverb effect with pitch shifting on the boss pedal.
But those pedals don't have the ability to send delays into pitch shifters which then feedback into the delay again and then go into the pitchshifter again etc... creating that cascading effect. The cascading effect is the key to this sound.
Plus with Ableton Live, it was very easy to move the effect order around in the chain.
You can do that with boss and other multi effects boxes, but the interface windows are really small. There's pages of menu tree to scroll thru.
And they have limited DSP power to add as many effects as you really want sometimes.
Laptops + software rule IMO.
Posted by: jeff Schmidt | December 13, 2008 10:57 AM
you get asked about tunings and reverb? I get asked about looking like Geddy Lee and what nail varnish I use :)
you rule x
Posted by: Steve Lawson | December 13, 2008 02:05 PM
so what tuning is used in the video? ;) good stuff Jeff keep it up!
Posted by: Carl | December 14, 2008 08:37 PM
hey jeff saw this on talkbass too! very cool of you to share this stuff. i'm glad you dont keep it secret. now i just need to buy abelton live ha ha!
Posted by: freakerbass | December 15, 2008 02:41 PM
DOH! I created that effect before on guitar. almost. never thought of using it bass though. HMMMM think I'm gonna steal this lol!
btw what's the "sounds like schmidt" thing about? or is that a secret?
Posted by: Scotty P | December 15, 2008 03:44 PM
"Sounds Like Schmidt" is the name I'm using for the new version of my podcast.
It'll be demo ideas, scratch audio and sound design experiments. 5-8 minutes tops updated a few times a month. subscription link coming soon.
I swear!
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | December 15, 2008 08:12 PM