SunBurnt

Name: SunBurnt
Author: UnplugRed

by UnplugRed · Reverb · Drawable curve reverb

Not rated yet

SunBurnt is a free, open-source reverb from UnplugRed where you draw the reverb's behaviour as curves.

It does reverse reverb, oscillating filters, panning and pitch shifting, and becomes a multi-tap delay at low density.

Best for: Vocals, Keys & Synths, Guitars, Sound Design. Genres: Ambient & Cinematic, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: reverse, multi-tap, free, open source, convolution, CPU-heavy, impulse-response based, sound design, tempo-synced, cinematic, creative, dreamy, freemium, heavy, mixing, pitch-shifting, shimmer, visual feedback, vocals.

What it does

SunBurnt is a free convolution reverb from UnplugRed whose character you draw as curves. Instead of choosing a room, you shape how the tail behaves over time, and the plugin builds the reverb from those curves with GPU-accelerated convolution.

Drawable curves: draw how the tail changes over its length, including its shape, filtering, panning and pitch.
Reverse and moving tails: the developer's examples include a reverse reverb with an oscillating lowpass, a tail that starts panned left and ends right, and one that "goes wub wub wub" before pitching up an octave.
Filter curves: lowpass and highpass shapes can move across the tail, with a resonance control.
Density: reduces the complexity of the reverb; at its minimum SunBurnt works as a multi-tap delay.
Length and tempo sync: the Length knob sets the tail; hold Ctrl while dragging it to sync to the host tempo.
CPU: the heavy use of convolution makes it somewhat CPU-hungry; the developer suggests raising the buffer size if needed.

Version 1.0 is free and open source under GPL 3. The free version shows a banner, which is its only difference from the paid version offered through the developer's Patreon.

Source: UnplugRed product page

When to use it

SunBurnt is the better pick for reverb as a sound-design effect: reverse swells, tails that pan, filter or pitch over time, and rhythmic multi-tap echoes, all for free. Compared with Valhalla VintageVerb or FabFilter Pro-R 2, it is not built for natural rooms and plates that sit quietly behind a mix, and it uses more CPU. Compared with Valhalla Supermassive or Eventide Blackhole, which also go for huge, unreal spaces, it gives you direct control over how the tail moves through drawn curves rather than presets and macro controls.

Best for: reverse reverbs, moving and pitched tails, filtered swells, and multi-tap delay effects at low density.
Genres: ambient, cinematic, experimental and electronic.
Look elsewhere if: you want a natural room, hall or plate for mixing; VintageVerb or Pro-R 2 are better. For low-CPU ambient washes, Supermassive is lighter.
Tip: a Cakewalk forum user got ethereal tones from shimmer with a high-pass curve at 4.0 resonance, half density and full wet.

What producers say

Early reactions focus on its creative range and animated interface, with CPU use the main caveat.

Bedroom Producers Blog (2024, at launch) saw "a range of possibilities" in the drawn curves, but noted it is somewhat CPU-heavy because of the convolution.
Cakewalk forum users liked the "nice UI animation" and shared shimmer and resonant-filter settings for ethereal tails; one complained about the developer's retro-styled website rather than the plugin.

Where to buy

UnplugRed: Free
Plugin Boutique: Free

Tutorials and reviews

Free Reverb - Sunburnt by UnplugRed (No Talking)

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