Ableton’s latest video features the Convolution Reverb that comes with Live 9 Suite. It shows not only how you can use the presets, but also create your own spaces. Convolution reverb is a process used to digitally simulate the reverberation of any space. Based on the mathematical convolution operation, it uses a pre-recorded audio file containing the impulse response of the space to be modeled.
Convolution reverb can capture the ambience of a real space, or real hardware, and recreate it on a computer. You can go even further by tweaking the parameters of the built-in Convolution Reverb Pro to design spaces that could never exist in reality.
It was developed together with Alex Harker at Huddersfield University and includes over 200 IRs from professional acousticians, offering spaces from all over the world, vintage hardware, and more. Quite a few impulses responses of classic hardware were actually recorded in the studio next door.
4 responses
What an awesome new tool is this! And you can build your own IRs too. The built in tutorial could be a bit more precise. Madeleine, maybe You can make a video on this with some advise? Who mentioned that M4L gives Live a new dimension? I forgot, but it’s true although Max isn’t the easiest way to walk. But it’s a real challenge!
Let’s see what I can do. Right now I’m getting ready to take some time off over Easter. Using M4L devices is generally as easy as using Live devices. If you want to start programming, be patient, it’ll take some time. 🙂
The mention of creating your own impulse responses is probably the most inspiring part of this article. It shifts convolution reverb from being a preset-based effect into a creative tool for preserving unique acoustic environments. That’s a perspective I don’t often see emphasized.
Rather than focusing on features alone, this article quietly highlights an important production mindset: choosing a space should be as intentional as choosing an instrument. Understanding where an impulse response comes from makes every reverb decision feel more purposeful instead of purely aesthetic. That’s an insight I’ll definitely carry into future projects.