After eight years (!), Valhalla DSP released a new plugin. FutureVerb combines a “too clean” high-end reverb with a characterful “echo” section which itself can spread delay taps and diffusion into reverb. Just the Echo portion alone would make for a fantastic plugin as far as I’m concerned, with features that don’t overlap that much with the also-incredible Valhalla Delay — some granular/reverse pitch shifting, a Spread control that does all kinds of interesting things, etc. Like many Valhalla plugins, controls have macro effects depending on models/modes selected, and it’s all really well thought out.
The routing is simultaneously serial and parallel — you choose whether the echo or reverb goes first, and its 100% wet output is the input to the other side, while a Level knob affects how much of the output is audible. This makes it super versatile, and useful even for effects that aren’t echoes and reverbs. (Of course, I could route this in Bitwig with separate plugins easily enough. But when you come down to it, this thing sounds great.)
So it’s definitely a winner. KvR being what it is, it has its detractors: someone who thinks you can’t use the word “realistic” to describe a reverb if you don’t specify the room size/shape and materials in a physical manner and place sound sources and microphones inside it; people who failed all reading comprehension and didn’t try the demo who think it’s just a “dumbed down” version of their delay and room reverb combined in one plugin; people who refuse to use any reverb that doesn’t have built-in ducking; people who simple say “I have enough reverbs.” Okay, whatever. For me it’s a very strong candidate for new effect plugin of the year.
Make Noise has formally announced Multiwave, shown its release video and is taking preorders. I think it’s pretty neat and I could use it to make the kind of music I want to make, but I’m unwilling to sacrifice anything else for it.
I still think they’ve made a tactical mistake in how they introduced Polimaths, QXG and Multiwave as a group, even before they were ready to share the details about Multiwave. It gives the impression you need 4 modules (two QXGs) to make the most of any of them, while also making Multimod and Jumbler feel like they don’t quite fit in. I think there’s actually a little truth in that, but also either Polimaths or Multiwave would be a fairly powerful part of any modular system without the whole set.
There’s new firmware for the Elmyra 2, with cleaner oscillators, improved delay and reverb and filters, a comb filter and some other stuff. At first I was like “why would I want it to sound clean, when dirt is part of the charm?” But with the analog distortion on board, and general stacking of potentially complex voices, and comb filtering etc. I think it’ll be more than fine. But I want to go ahead and get Kintsugi finished and released before I mess with that.
I got my first quote on chimney stuff — or rather, I didn’t. The company that seemed most promising wants to charge me $230 just to look at it (visually and with camera scopes) to determine what needs to be fixed, despite my saying we don’t use the fireplace and just want exterior leaks fixed. That should be a free estimate. My preference would be honestly to not have a fireplace at all and reclaim that entire wall.
So I used another company’s web form, while not holding my breath for an answer given how most contractors are about those things. It’s looking increasingly like I will just slap a panel on the bottom myself, which will be extremely simple but won’t fix the leak that caused the rot in the first place. Maybe a siding company is more appropriate for that?