# ValhallaRoom ## Tips and tricks The high cut filter is 12dB/oct. Settings between 3k/7.5kHz are suitable for larger spaces, with higher values being suitable for chambers, plates, and digital reverbs.[^1] Space control controls the amount of feedback around the pre-delay and early reflections, resulting in more diffuse and modulated echos, metallic early resonances, and realistic small spaces. Lo Cut and Hi Cut are in the space feedback path, which can result in echos that change tone over time.[^2] Useful for drum rooms. Use Large Room or Large Chamber. Use 15 to 30 milliseconds of predelay. Set decay between 0.3 seconds to just over 1 second. Start with Early Size between 10-30 msec, or 50-100 msec for a gated sound, or for simulating the flattening of the decay envelope produced by heavy limiting/compression or [[Tape saturation]]. Set Late Size to 0.5 or less, to produce the highest initial echo density. Set Late Bass should be set to 1.0X or less.[^3] [Valhalla Room Archives - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/category/products/valhalla-room/) ### Early section Early section can be heard in isolation by setting depth slider to 0%.[^4] Early Size settings of 10-50ms will simulate smaller spaces, and greater values will simulate halls and cathedrals.[^5] Early Size settings of 50-100ms can sound compressed. Setting greater than 100ms can sound like a gated reverb and can create a slow attack with the Early Send knob.[^4] Early Cross creates cross-feed between light and right channels. Use lower settings to preserve the special imaging of a mix.[^4] For Mod a depth, keep low for realism, and turn it up for emulating older digital reverbs.[^4] Early Send controls how much of the Early reverb is sent to the Late. Valhalla recommends a few settings for this:[^4] > Set Early Size to 10-50 msec, and Early Send to 1.0, to create a dense Late reverb. > > Set Early Size to 150 msec or more, and Early Send to 1.0, to create a slow onset to the Late reverberation. This is useful for simulating very large halls and cathedrals, as well as adding clarity to the input signal. > > Set Early Size to 70-100 msec, Early Send to 0.0, the Late Size to a smaller value, and Depth to 0.5, in order to simulate a smaller space that has a somewhat compressed attack.[^4] Diffusion controls the density of the reverb.[^4] ### Late section Late Size adjusts the size of the room.[^6] Late Cross has the same function as in the Early Cross.[^6] Mod Rate can be used to smooth out decay artifacts when set to 0.5 Hz.[^6] Bass Mult settings below 1x are useful for emulating small spaces. Settings above 1x are useful for emulating halls and other large spaces.[^6] Use High Mult to control the way in which high frequencies get absorbed by air.[^6] [ValhallaRoom Tips and Tricks: Unnatural Hall Reverbs - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/27/valhallaroom-tips-and-tricks-unnatural-hall-reverbs/?utm_source=pocket_saves) ### Modes - **Large Room** - Most "natural" - Shallower modulation depths are useful in obtaining a natural sounding decay - **Medium Room** - More of a square than rectangle, as compared to Large Room - Initial echo density is the sparsest of the 4 algorithms, creating a wider stereo spread - The modulation is more random than Large Room, characteristic of many of the classic reverb algorithms as found in the early Lexicon boxes - **Bright Room** - Slightly slower attack time than the other reverberation algorithms, characteristic of larger halls - Brighter, more "digital" than the other algorithms, in a good way - **Large Chamber** - Like Large Room, but with a more even early echo density - The echo density of a small space, but the modal density of a large hall - Fairly colorless reverb that suits a wide variety of input sounds; used to emulate chambers, rooms, halls without imparting a specific space on the sounds - You hear the decay, not the walls[^7] - **Dark Room** - Lo-fi, with noisy interpolation, no high frequencies above 11 kHz - Inspired by the Lexicon 224, the EMT250, and other vintage reverbs - The Late Size control can be used to adjust the speed of the flutter[^8] - **Dark Chamber** - All frequencies above 1/4 the sampling rate are completely attenuated - The modulated delays are cleaner than the deliberately dirty delay modulation used in Dark Room - Fairly even initial echo density, similar to the Large Chamber reverb mode, but with deeper modulation and a much bigger size - **Dark Space** - All frequencies above 1/4 the sampling rate are completely attenuated - The modulated delays are cleaner than the deliberately dirty delay modulation used in Dark Room - Lower initial echo density - A bit of a delay of the onset of reverberation with high settings of Late Size; also results in a wide stereo image[^9] - **Nostromo** - Biggest sounding reverb in ValhallaRoom, with audible echos at the largest size settings that slowly evolve into a rich decay - **Narcissus** - Nostromo's little sibling, with an initial denser decay - Lightest CPU hit[^10] - **Sulaco** - Low CPU - Original goal was to produce a smaller room sound with small Late Size settings[^11] - **LV-426** - Cross between Nostromo and Narcissus, but with a far higher earlier echo density - Slow attack[^12] ### Presets #### Don Gunn's Death Cab for Cutie VH1 Storytellers short vocal `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion=”1.0.4″ presetName=”DCfC-short vocal” mix=”1″ predelay=”0.190799996″ decay=”0.00650650635″ HighCut=”0.368456364″ earlyLateMix=”0.483999997″ lateSize=”0.109999999″ lateCross=”0.289999992″ lateModRate=”0.0545454547″ lateModDepth=”0.200000003″ RTBassMultiply=”0.333333343″ RTXover=”0.0909090936″ RTHighMultiply=”0.444444478″ RTHighXover=”0.530201316″ earlySize=”0.0238238238″ earlyCross=”0.699999988″ earlyModRate=”0.0383838378″ earlyModDepth=”0.0599999987″ earlySend=”0.109999999″ diffusion=”0.75999999″ type=”0.25″/>` #### Don Gunn's Death Cab for Cutie VH1 Storytellers long vocal `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion=”1.0.4″ presetName=”DCfC-long vocal” mix=”0.976999998″ predelay=”0.0494000018″ decay=”0.0200200193″ HighCut=”0.382550329″ earlyLateMix=”0.893000007″ lateSize=”0.899999976″ lateCross=”0.360000014″ lateModRate=”0.12525253″ lateModDepth=”0.300000012″ RTBassMultiply=”0.333333343″ RTXover=”0.062626265″ RTHighMultiply=”0″ RTHighXover=”0.597315431″ earlySize=”0.0222222228″ earlyCross=”0″ earlyModRate=”0.169696972″ earlyModDepth=”0″ earlySend=”1″ diffusion=”1″ type=”0.333333343″/>` #### Don Gunn's Death Cab for Cutie VH1 Storytellers drum room `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion=”1.0.4″ presetName=”DCfC-drum room” mix=”1″ predelay=”0.0199999996″ decay=”0.0145145142″ HighCut=”0.442281872″ earlyLateMix=”0.653999984″ lateSize=”0.839999974″ lateCross=”1″ lateModRate=”0.0343434326″ lateModDepth=”0.439999998″ RTBassMultiply=”0.333333343″ RTXover=”0.0909090936″ RTHighMultiply=”0.444444478″ RTHighXover=”0.530201316″ earlySize=”0.192192197″ earlyCross=”0.100000001″ earlyModRate=”0.0909090936″ earlyModDepth=”0.0500000007″ earlySend=”0″ diffusion=”1″ type=”0.25″/>`[^13] #### Realistic, small drum room `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion="1.0.5" presetName="SmallishDrumRoom" mix="0.300000012" predelay="0.0299999993" decay="0.00300300308" HighCut="0.530201316" earlyLateMix="0.5" lateSize="0.330000013" lateCross="1" lateModRate="0.0909090936" lateModDepth="0" RTBassMultiply="0.153333336" RTXover="0.0909090936" RTHighMultiply="0.444444478" RTHighXover="0.530201316" earlySize="0.0193193201" earlyCross="0.100000001" earlyModRate="0.0909090936" earlyModDepth="0" earlySend="0" diffusion="1" type="0"/>` #### Compressed/gated drum room `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion="1.0.5" presetName="SmashedDrumRoom" mix="0.300000012" predelay="0.0299999993" decay="0.00300300308" HighCut="0.463087261" earlyLateMix="0.5" lateSize="0.49000001" lateCross="1" lateModRate="0.0909090936" lateModDepth="0" RTBassMultiply="0.153333336" RTXover="0.0909090936" RTHighMultiply="0.444444478" RTHighXover="0.530201316" earlySize="0.067467466" earlyCross="0.100000001" earlyModRate="0.0909090936" earlyModDepth="0" earlySend="0" diffusion="1" type="0.333333343"/>` #### Slapback drum room `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion="1.0.5" presetName="SlapbackDrumRoom" mix="0.300000012" predelay="0.0299999993" decay="0.00300300308" HighCut="0.463087261" earlyLateMix="0.5" lateSize="0.49000001" lateCross="1" lateModRate="0.0909090936" lateModDepth="0" RTBassMultiply="0.153333336" RTXover="0.0909090936" RTHighMultiply="0.444444478" RTHighXover="0.530201316" earlySize="0.067467466" earlyCross="0.100000001" earlyModRate="0.0909090936" earlyModDepth="0" earlySend="1" diffusion="1" type="0.333333343"/>`[^3] #### Dark Room starting point `<ValhallaRoom pluginVersion="1.0.6" presetName="DarkStartingPoint" mix="0.289999992" predelay="0" decay="0.0265265256" HighCut="0.58523488" earlyLateMix="1" lateSize="0.720000029" lateCross="0.25999999" lateModRate="0.202020198" lateModDepth="0.430000007" RTBassMultiply="0.413333327" RTXover="0.0666666701" RTHighMultiply="0" RTHighXover="0.410067111" earlySize="0.0581581593" earlyCross="0" earlyModRate="0.0909090936" earlyModDepth="0.800000012" earlySend="1" diffusion="1" type="0.416666657"/>`[^8] ## CPU [^1]: [ValhallaRoom: The High Level Sliders - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/02/valhallaroom-the-high-level-sliders/) [^2]: [ValhallaRoom Updated to 2.0.0. New Space & Lo Cut Controls! - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2023/11/20/valhallaroom-updated-to-2-0-0-new-space-lo-cut-controls/) [^3]: [ValhallaRoom Tips and Tricks: Short Drum Rooms - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/23/valhallaroom-tips-and-tricks-short-drum-rooms/) [^4]: [ValhallaRoom: The Early Controls - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/18/valhallaroom-the-early-controls/) [^5]: [ValhallaRoom: Early Reflections versus Early Energy - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/04/valhallaroom-early-reflections-versus-early-energy/) [^6]: [ValhallaRoom: The Late controls - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/18/valhallaroom-the-late-controls/) [^7]: [ValhallaRoom: The Reverb Modes - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/03/valhallaroom-the-reverb-modes/) [^8]: [ValhallaRoom V1.0.6: Introducing Dark Room - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/06/21/valhallaroom-v1-0-6-introducing-dark-room/) [^9]: [ValhallaRoom Updated to Version 1.0.7. New reverb modes: Dark Chamber and Dark Space - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/07/18/valhallaroom-updated-to-version-1-0-7-new-reverb-modes-dark-chamber-and-dark-space/) [^10]: [ValhallaRoom Updated to 1.0.8. Resizable GUI, new reverb modes - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/09/19/valhallaroom-updated-to-1-0-8-resizable-gui-new-reverb-modes/) [^11]: [ValhallaRoom Updated to Version 1.0.9. New Reverb Mode: Sulaco - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/11/17/valhallaroom-updated-to-version-1-0-9-new-reverb-mode-sulaco/) [^12]: [ValhallaRoom Updated to Version 1.1.0 - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2012/04/23/valhallaroom-updated-to-version-1-1-0/) [^13]: [Death Cab for Cutie's ValhallaRoom presets - Valhalla DSP](https://valhalladsp.com/2011/05/26/death-cab-for-cutie-on-vh1-tomorrow-night-special-appearance-by-valhallaroom/)