Convolution Reverb... WTF???

[pikingrin]

Alright... What is the difference between convolution reverb and plain jane reverb plugs? I guess, the proper question would be: I am looking for something that will effect only portions of a track, i.e. the peaks of a track, in the sense that only the highest levels will be affected. I was recording in a local studio, and they put a delay on the vocals that was only engaged when certain levels were reached by our singer. Is that what "convolution" refers to? Any help would be appreciated, because I know there has to be a better way (hopefully) than spending hours automating FX levels properly to get this effect...

 

[peopleperson]

Convolution is a type of reverb based on how the processing creates the reverb, so essentially, that's kind of unrelated to what you're looking for. Off the top of my head, you could create an aux send to send the vocal track into a gate, and behind the gate, the reverb. You'd definately want to set the reverb to completely wet for sure regardless if you're going to be mixing it back in with the dry vocal. There may be a better way, but that's what I'd try.

 

[AlChuck]

Yeah, sounds like you want to use a gated reverb effect.

Convolution reverbs are the ones that mathematically simulate a space that has had an impulse recorded in. The impulse is a loud and sudden sound -- like a gunshot -- that is recorded in a particular space that you want to simulate. By using this impulse recording and using a mathematical operation called convolution, the impulse response is mapped onto the digital audio signal, and it comes out sounding as if it too had been recorded in that space. So if you had a impulse response from Carnegie Hall, you could use convolution with it to make any audio data you have sound as if it were recorded in the Carnegie Hall.