Echoes From the Cosmos
Building a Reverb from Star Data
What if a reverb could be shaped by the stars around us? This talk will discuss the process and challenges of developing a convolution reverb plugin that transforms astronomical data into unique reverberation textures. Using star data from the ESA Gaia mission and the parameters set by the user, impulse responses are generated and convolved with the input signal.
Inspired by the Stellaverb Max MSP patch originally developed by electronic musician and sound designer Katsuhiro Chiba, this project aims to recreate Stellaverb's core features as a plugin using JUCE, as well as expand upon it by adding different modes, adjustable parameters and additional signal processing effects.
Topics include data processing, impulse response generation and visual representation of star data. This talk offers a glimpse into how scientific datasets can be transformed into creative audio effects, opening new possibilities for sound design, music production and data-driven audio tools.
Adrian Lam
Adrian Lam is a software developer currently studying the Sound and Music Computing MSc programme at Queen Mary University of London. Following the completion of the bachelor's degree in Computer Science at University of Toronto, and a brief stint as a software developer in computer networking, he is now pursuing his dream of becoming an audio software developer, with a focus on developing tools that assist and inspire creativity in musicians and producers.