THE HEROUVILLE CASTLE REVERB
A unique kind of reverb, the first analog Chamber reverb…
Created by Michel Magne in the 70s, the legendary Château d'Hérouville was home to one of France's most renowned recording studios. It is the first studio residence in France, transforming album production from an industrial process into a truly creative one through immersion in this place.
Michel Magne's personal music room
To obtain the famous "castle reverb" so characteristic of their recordings, the sound engineers had a most creative idea. They simply converted one of the château's kitchens into an analog reverb chamber !
By placing loudspeakers and microphones in this vast room, they were able to capture the natural reflections of sound to create their unique reverberation.
This is how legendary artists such as Pink Floyd, Elton John and David Bowie were able to benefit from this exceptional reverb during their sessions at Château d'Hérouville !
It was common studio practice at the time to use existing spaces as reverberation chambers. The attic of Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. or the stairwell of the Champs Elysées theater are other emblematic examples. We're all familiar with these mythical reverbs, now digitally modeled !
Screenshot of the Hitsville Reverb Chamber Plugin from UAD
