IK Multimedia / Muscle Shoals FAME Reverb

[Piet De Ridder]

"T-RackS FAME Studio Reverb captures the sound and vibe of FAME Studios and offering innovative controls for achieving the Muscle Shoals sound in any studio. The plugin offers a total of 9 spaces, with 2 live rooms, 5 iso booths, an EMT plate reverb and FAME's newly-restored echo chamber, plus Modern and Vintage modes for each, giving users a full suite of reverb effects in a single plug-in.

In addition to the rooms and plate, IK is proud to have helped FAME's Rodney Hall restore one of FAME's original echo chambers. Long out of use, this newly restored chamber is equipped just as it was in the '60s. IK worked hand-in-hand with FAME to precisely capture not just the mic placement used on all their iconic albums, but where the performers were positioned as well. Users can select which instrument they're processing and T-RackS FAME Studio Reverb instantly re-positions both the microphones and source in the room.

Beyond using FAME's extensive vintage mic locker, IK took care to capture each studio's unique sonic signature:
Studio A boasts a Neve 8232 console, while Studio B, recently renovated and restored by Rodney and GRAMMY Award-winning producer Glenn Rosenstein, offers an SSL 6056 E formerly loved by Stevie Ray Vaughan and used on his most successful albums.
Or, for a more vintage sound, users can switch either studio to use FAME's original Universal Audio 610 console, hand-built for FAME, to precisely capture the vibes of FAME's earliest decades.

To capture both the unique acoustics of each studio, IK used its unique Volumetric Response Modeling (VRM), an advanced hybrid convolution technique designed to deliver the highest-quality reverb effects possible. The new SPREAD control lets users broaden each room's response to best fit the sound source. T-RackS FAME Studio Reverb offers all the necessary controls to shape the spaces including reverb time, width and frequency controls, microphone controls (left, right, or both) and accurate leveling/monitoring of the mixed signals.
To offer even more realism, when using the two studio's live rooms, FAME Studio Reverb offers two faders for mono room ambience, which can be mixed into the stereo signal or used alone, just as if recording at FAME itself."



Audio demos here.

Like all T-RackS plug-ins, T-RackS FAME Studio Reverb offers two ways to work: as a single plug-in, or within the T-RackS 5 shell.
Price: T-RackS FAME Studio Reverb is coming this November and is available for pre-order from the IK Multimedia online store and from IK authorized dealers worldwide, including the KVR Marketplace at a special limited-time introductory price of $/€129.99* (reg. $/€149.99).

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[Guy Rowland]

Ah another You-Too-Can-Have-The-Impact-Of -Insert-Lengendary-Name-Here-In-The-Insert-Decade-Here-For-Only-Insert-Low-Low-Price-Here.

[Ashermusic]

Ah another You-Too-Can-Have-The-Impact-Of -Insert-Lengendary-Name-Here-In-The-Insert-Decade-Here-For-Only-Insert-Low-Low-Price-Here.

[bbunker]

I know it's a gimmick, and it's just a handful of convolutions packaged together and promising much, but I sure have used a lot of that Sunset Sound Studio since I picked it up. Maybe it isn't instant magic, but it does give me some tools to turn direct recorded guitars, bass and drums into a room together quickly, and for me that is pretty magic. Beats digging through other convolution reverbs' randomly named 'Studio' and 'Ambience' presets.

[Piet De Ridder]

Ah another You-Too-Can-Have-The-Impact-Of -Insert-Lengendary-Name-Here-In-The-Insert-Decade-Here-For-Only-Insert-Low-Low-Price-Here.

Guy, I don’t quite get why this product is singled out for the above derisive comment when the large majority of the tools — libraries, plugins, etc. …— that are being dangled before our eyes, ears and wallets, are marketed in the exact same way: with the lure of legend, success and outstanding musical accomplishment.

How else is IK supposed to market and sell these Muscle Shoals IR’s anyway, I wonder, than by saying what they are and by invoking the place’s history to add weight and importance to this release? If it weren’t for that history, the product would never have been made to begin with, would it? (There’s thousands and thousands of studios all over the world that will never have their rooms sampled.)

And if it’s a quality product, what’s the problem? Why would this one be questionable from a marketing point of view and, say, Toontrack’s “Legends of Rock” not?

The presentation of IK’s Fame is, to me, no different than that from any Arturia or G-Force 70’s or 80’s synth emulation (invariably described as the synths of choice of famous users), most of the UAD plugins, almost the entire Acustica Audio collection, VSL MIR, Altiverb’s IR’s of famous places, large chunks of the EastWest product range, any product (plugin or library) that has “Abbey Road” as part of its name, the majority of Waves and PluginAlliance’s plugins, and many a sample library as well for that matter.

(Like I said: all of Toontrack’s recent Superior Drummer libraries use the exact same strategy: get a legendary name involved, use a legendary studio and create the entire marketing campaign around those aspects of the product.)

A very high percentage of the stuff we work with, is marketed and sold with an explicit reference to something or someone of distinct musical achievement, fame and success. Yes, I’m as allergic as the next person to the implication — rarely subtle — that some of that success just might rub off on you and your music if only you use This Amazing Product, but other than finding it irritating, childish, patronizing and insulting, I don’t really have a problem with that.

Besides, me, I don’t care whether Sunset (or Fame) gives me “the legandary sound of Sunset (or Fame)”. I wouldn’t know — in abstract, technical detail — what the sound of Sunset (or Fame) is anyway. All I’m interested in is that, in the case of Sunset at least, these are great-sounding IR’s of 6 medium-sized and small spaces, presented in a convenient and flexible package. Which I’ve used frequently with very satisfying results. If this new set of Muscle Shoals IR’s is of a similar quality — I’m particularly interested in the chamber and the plate this time — I’m in.

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[Guy Rowland]

Piet, you are entirely correct. All that really matters is - does it work for us? And if it does - fabulous. If these 6 impulse responses sound great, then they are great.

As I look at the absolutely vast array of impulse responses and algorithmic reverbs I own, I do wonder if THESE IRs will make the difference to me. I strongly suspect - in fact I'm virtually certain - that they would not. Not because they don't have worth, but because if I was better at my job I'd make my vast collection work better for me as it is. At this point I'm actually embarrassed about the treasure trove I own. But the industry is geared towards making me think - THIS is the short cut. This product will make me sing like Aretha or songwriter like John and Paul.