CSR Inverse Reverb: Envelope-Controlled Reverb Plugin by IK Multimedia

The module is aimed at sounds that need an unnatural but interesting ambience. The reverse reverb effect is associated with rock snare drums from the 1980s, and it has been widely used on drums and percussion. It also works with vocals.

Because the effect is an envelope applied to the early reflections rather than a simulated acoustic space, it sounds as if the reverb has been reversed, even though no actual reversal takes place. The developer describes it as a sound design tool, suited to strange, breathing reverb textures.

For a more complex moving ambience, the developer suggests combining it with another, longer reverb effect on the same sound.

Time is the key parameter in CSR Inverse Reverb. It sets the buildup and the cutoff of the early reflections, which determines how the reverb rises and stops. Shorter and longer settings give different levels of swell, so it is worth comparing a few values on the source sound.

IK Multimedia positions the plugin apart from its CSR Room and CSR Hall modules. Those simulate acoustic spaces, while CSR Inverse is meant for effects that do not try to sound like a real room.

The plugin requires an internet connection for the Custom Shop operations, which are web based.