Lexicon NUVERB - FOR MACINTOSH Manual page 83

NuVerb User Guide
As SHAPE is raised to about 1/8 of its range, the initial sharp attack of the reverberation is
reduced, and reverberation builds more slowly. The envelope then sustains briefly before it
begins to die away at the rate set by RTIM. SPREAD has little or no effect on this shape.
When SHAPE is at 1/4 of its range, buildup is even slower and the sustain is longer. Now
SPREAD affects the length of both the buildup and the sustain. As a rough estimate, the sustain
will be approximately the time value indicated by the SPREAD display (in milliseconds).
As SHAPE is raised further, the buildup and sustain remain similar, but now a secondary
sustain appears in the envelope, at a lower level than the first. This secondary plateau simulates
a very diffused reflection off the back wall of a hall, and is effective in creating a sense of size
and space. This reflection becomes stronger and stronger, reaching an optimal loudness when
SHAPE is at about 1/2 of its range.
The highest SHAPE settings are typically used for effects. Near the top of the scale the back wall
reflection becomes stronger than the earlier part of the envelope, resulting in an inverse sound.
NOTE None of these shape effects are audible unless RTIM is set short enough. Generally, RTIM
should be set to a value of about 1.2 seconds for small rooms, and up to 2.4 seconds or so for
halls. SIZE should also be set to a value appropriate to the desired hall size (note, however,
that small sizes color the reverberation).15 meters makes a very small room, and 38 meters is
useful for a large hall.
Used with care SHAPE and SPREAD allow NuVerb to produce superior ambience—a sound
which is spacious and has great depth—without the long reverberation of a church.
Random Delays
The Random Hall effect in NuVerb incorporates random delay elements. These elements have
several effects. First, there is a reduction of long-lived modes in the reverberant decay, which
makes the decay less metallic and reduces the apparent reverb time. The random elements also
improve the steady-state timbre of the effect.
Reference
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