When I think of Tai Chi, I think of grace and beauty. This VST plugin is aptly named after the martial art technique.
From tight rooms to chorused ethereal spaces, Reverb Foundry’s Tai Chi is the next generation ensemble of character reverb specializing in luscious chorused reverbs perfect for synth, guitar, electric piano, and vocals. Featuring surgical multi-band reverb editing, rich chorusing, and empowering control over fidelity and dynamics, Tai Chi has the flexibility and agility you need to give compositions a rich and energetic new dimension.
I found the CHORUS to be expansive and lush. It made my guitar stand out in the mix, giving me a substantial ambient tone. My inner Robert Fripp was inspired as I roamed through the settings. The applications on piano and synth were also impressive. I also found applying the CHORUS gingerly to vocals gave them an airy depth that is very desirable. The CHORUS is very flexible with a vast array of settings.
In approaching REVERB, Tai Chi has a beautiful methodology to its algorithm. A “Contoured Multiband Reverb” is used for shaping the REVERB. Tai Chi gives the user ultimate control over the decay of the effect. I found it very useful as an individual effect assigned to one instrument in my mixes. Tai Chi was also applied to my rehearsal recordings captured by my handheld Tascam DR-40. I can quickly and easily add room ambiance and depth to our rehearsal recordings before sending the clips out to the rest of the band.
In applying the REVERB to my guitar mix, I found it effortless to toggle from a high-tech lush with REVERB to low-tech vintage touches. What do I mean by low-tech? If you are a fan of Jack White, Radiohead, or The Black Keys, you are familiar with their approach of mixing vintage tones and effects with modern embellishments.
Tai Chi allowed me to change the density of the room, and I can even change the shape and tone of the REVERB reflection to similar to an older effect that might have a bit of fuzz in the signal. Further sculpting the sound, an extremely flexible EQ is included in the tool.
Tai Chi ships with a colossal array of flexible presets. The vast presets give the novice a great starting point to begin to explore this flexible tool. The professional engineer can manipulate these soundscapes as far as their imagination will take them. There is no downside or limitations to this beautiful tool. It has an upside for the hobbyist or working musician. You can find more information about Reverb Foundry’s Tai Chi at ReverbFoundry.com, Facebook, and YouTube. The product can also be purchased at Sweetwater.
There is a limited try before you buy 2 week trial for the product making this a no-risk option for anyone looking to add depth and richness to their mixes.
