Dubspot blogger Josh Spoon looks into the REV content pack for Kontakt and finds that a library of sounds in reverse can have some useful applications.
Rev Kontakt Instrument by Output
When I am creating a track, nothing takes me out of the zone like having to reverse certain elements. Sometimes they don’t match up correctly, other times I have to reverse individual sections and that can be time consuming and frustrating. For this reason a software company in Los Angeles called Output created the Rev instrument pack for Kontakt. Upon hearing of Rev, I thought, ”What is so awesome about reversed sounds? I can do that myself.” But then I found that Rev contains a suite of 4 reverse engines with 450 categorized presets (pianos, drums, found sounds, and pads). Rev actually gives you more than just reversed sounds, it gives you a way to perform sounds backwards, allowing you to create rich and complex soundscapes with a few clicks.
Instruments Engine
Rev’s Instruments interface consists of 2 sounds that can be layered with independent stutters, filters, and envelopes along with effects like saturate, delay, motive, and EQ. A trigger and latch can also be set to toggle effects from your keyboard as well. Mixing the two layers allows for some interesting textures. Each layer gives you the ability to play the sample reversed and dry, reversed with reverb, reverse with a pad loop and forwards. You can mix a forward piano with a pad bowl sound and get the attack of a piano with a continuous reversing bowl sound.
Loops Engine
The Loops engine gives you an unique interface to play half/normal/double speed with 24 samples per loop bank with keyboard mappings of 2 octaves of playback per loop. Though you only have one layer of presets to work with, the loops work well together so you can play multiple loops at once to create emotional and dramatic passages.
Rises Engine
Rises will definitely be a go-to for most people wanting to create a build to a dramatic parts and drops. You can choose the build length from 4 bars to 1/4 bar, synced to your DAW host, with options for reverb tails and an electro effect that sounds like pitch and chorus modulation. Rises can help speed up productions significantly and allow you to experiment with different lengths and sounds without having to go to the drawing board for every reverse. Rises also works off of loop banks and keyboard mapping so each gives you a plethora of rise combinations. This engine also comes with a good amount of useful fx presets as well.
Timed Instruments Engine
The Timed Instruments are the same as Instruments Engine except they give you the freedom to record your progression and then change the length of the reverse between whole, half and quarter for a quick change of feel to the chord progression without having to stretch or rebuild your reversals.
Rev Sounds
There are over 1000 sounds in these “engines,” and all the ones I’ve heard are very useful and expressive. The sounds are very clean and have lots of character, especially the loops and swells. Rev can create intense sounds and dramatic moments and it also features lighter sounds and some great presets of everyday instruments.
“Overall the biggest advantage to using REV is the reversal of entire music beds,” explains music producer and Dubspot art director Priscilla Jimenez. I agree with Priscilla. You can have a section of music that is already created and then test how it would sound with reversed pads or double a piano MIDI track with reversed percussion loops that follow the cadence of the forwards chords. As I continue to play with Rev, I begin see how I can layer multiple engines and create my own patches, creating complex textures.
Rev Conclusion
Rev by Output is a grand execution of a simple idea of how to save people time by giving them a arsenal of reversed samples and also how to give them the tools to make those samples personal to each project they work on. Whether you are songwriter, producer or sound designer Rev has you covered for interesting and inspiring sounds. Rev is available for Native Instruments Kontakt and FREE Kontakt player 5 for $199.
