New blog post — I’ve been meaning to write this for a long time. It’s about a concept that has fascinated me from the moment I encountered it. I’ll also share a small contribution I made in this area with NoiseRverb, a heritage acoustics plugin that captures the sonic identity of historic churches in Quito through convolution reverb.
We often associate heritage with visual beauty—particularly in architecture. This connection largely stems from the preservation of artistic landmarks due to their historical significance. As a result, many of these sites have become popular tourist attractions.
But what if we consider a different kind of heritage — one we can hear? Can sound hold historical value? Can it be preserved? The answer is yes. While this isn’t a new idea — researchers have studied it before — it’s starting to find its place in the audio industry as well.
While some heritage spaces are preserved through sound art, others live on through live recordings or songs. For example, the Festival Internacional de Música Sacra (FIMUSAQ) in Quito has helped preserve local culture through sacred music. While it’s not the only example globally, it clearly shows how sound can carry historical weight.
What Is Heritage Acoustics?
Heritage acoustics is a field that explores and protects the sound of historic spaces. It combines architecture, physics, and sound engineering. From cathedrals to theatres, their sound is as iconic as their structure.
The goal is to study how sound behaves in these spaces. It involves looking at reverberation, reflections, absorption, and how sound waves move. There are three main techniques used:
- On-site measurements: Microphones and speakers are placed in the space. Specific signals are played (like sine sweeps), and the room’s response is recorded. This captures real acoustic data.
- Impulse response (IR) capture: This technique records how a room reacts to a quick, broad sound. The result is a unique audio fingerprint of the space.
- Computer modelling: 3D simulations of the space are created using architectural drawings. This allows engineers to predict how sound will behave, even without access to the real location.
These methods help protect the unique sound of historical buildings and let others experience it — even from far away.
Applications in the Music Industry
The study of heritage acoustics has led to exciting tools for musicians and producers. These include:
- Convolution reverb plugins that recreate historic spaces.
- Acoustic modelling for virtual concerts.
- Restoring old recordings with their original acoustics.
- Immersive museum or VR audio experiences.
All of these are interesting, but I’ll focus on convolution reverb, as it’s where I work most.
Convolution Reverb
To understand convolution reverb, you need to know what an impulse response (IR) is. An IR is a recording of how a space reacts to a short, full-range sound — like a clap or a burst of noise. It contains key information about the room’s reflections and decay.
There are many ways to create an IR: clapping, popping a balloon, or playing a sine sweep. The results are similar, no matter the method.
Convolution reverb takes this IR and applies it to any audio signal. The result is a realistic simulation of how that signal would sound in the original space. This is done using a mathematical process called convolution. It combines the original sound with the impulse response to recreate the acoustic experience.
This technique is popular for its realism. It lets musicians take a studio recording and place it in a real, historic space — without leaving their DAW.
Heritage Acoustics Plugin
As part of our exploration, I worked with engineers Analí Pinto and Fausto Espinoza to create a VST3 plugin called NoiseRverb. It’s based on impulse responses captured in seven churches in Quito: San Francisco, Basílica, Catedral, Compañía, Guápulo, El Sagrario, and Santo Domingo.
The plugin lets musicians and producers experience these spaces inside their usual music-making software.
We recorded the impulse responses on-site and processed them digitally. Then, we used real-time convolution to bring those spaces to life inside the plugin. The result is an authentic, immersive experience.
NoiseRverb is free to download here.
Learn more about heritage acoustics and their role in cultural preservation.