# Complete Technical Documentation: LA LLORONA — Horror Reverberator **Developer**: Carbon Fiber Plugins **Website**: https://cfplugins.io **Contact Email**: support@cfplugins.io **License Type**: Perpetual Lifetime License ($29 USD Launch Offer / $45 USD MSRP) **Plugin Formats**: VST3 (64-bit), CLAP (64-bit) **Supported OS**: Windows 10/11 64-bit Native & macOS Apple Silicon (VST3/CLAP) --- ## 1. Product Overview & Core Philosophy **La Llorona** is a psychoacoustic horror reverberator audio plugin designed by Carbon Fiber Plugins. Unlike conventional algorithmic reverbs (such as Lexicon 480L or plate emulations) that aim to create natural, pleasant, or transparent acoustic spaces, La Llorona is engineered from the inside of the human auditory cortex outward to produce psychoacoustic tension, dread, uncanny spatial sensations, and physical alarm. ### The Neuroscience of Psychoacoustic Horror Reverb The human ear and brain interpret acoustic reflections not only to gauge room dimensions, but as a primary survival mechanism to detect proximity, threat direction, and spatial anomalies: 1. **Gammatone Auditory Filterbank**: La Llorona's spectral engine uses an Equivalent Rectangular Bandwidth (ERB) filterbank model mirroring the frequency decomposition performed by the human cochlea. 2. **Binaural Localization Disruption**: By dynamically manipulating Interaural Time Differences (ITD) and Interaural Level Differences (ILD) in early reflection clusters, La Llorona creates the sensation that sound sources are moving unnervingly close behind the listener's head. 3. **Microtonal Drift & Spectral Creep**: Subtle, randomized pitch perturbations in the reverberant decay tail prevent harmonic stabilization, preventing the brain from tuning out ambient background textures. --- ## 2. DSP Modules & Parameters Breakdown ### Module 1: Void Reflections (Early Reflection & Room Geometry Engine) Simulates non-Euclidean boundary reflections where spatial dimensions behave asymmetrically. - **Pre-Delay** (0.000 s to 1.000 s): Delays the onset of initial reflections, separating dry transients from the spatial field. - **Decay** (0.1 s to 10.0 s+): Controls reverberation decay time (T60), extending into near-infinite spectral drones. - **Room Scale** (0.5x to 4.0x): Expands or contracts the virtual enclosure dimensions. - **Damping** (0.0 to 3.5): Simulates wall absorption characteristics across high frequencies. - **LPF / Occlusion** (800 Hz to 18,000 Hz): Low-pass filter simulating wall acoustic transmission and physical obstacles. ### Module 2: Spatial Field (3D Imaging & HRTF Elevation) - **Width** (0.0 to 1.0): Stereo spread from pure mono center to ultra-wide hyper-stereo. - **Low Skew / Freq Skew** (0.0 to 1.0): Asymmetrical low-frequency phase shifting across stereo channels. - **Bloom / Tail Bloom** (0.0 to 1.0): Dynamic swelling of the late reverberation tail over time. - **3D Offset / ICDG** (0.0 to 1.0): Interaural Cross-Correlation Degradation, blurring exact spatial localization. - **Elevation Mode**: Toggles Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) spectral filtering. - **Height / Elevation** (-1.0 to +1.0): Adjusts the perceived vertical elevation of reflections (below to above the head). ### Module 3: Spectral Pressure (ERB Filterbank Engine) - **ERB Resolution Selector**: 32 Bands, 64 Bands, 128 Bands, or 256 Bands for precision frequency modeling. - **Spectral Pressure Modulation**: Concentrates reverberant energy in specific critical frequency bands that trigger auditory fatigue and sensory tension. ### Module 4: 9 Dedicated Room Archetypes 1. **Confinement**: Tight, reflective, claustrophobic stone box with intense early slapback. 2. **Corridor**: Long, asymmetric passageway with rhythmic reflection bouncing and resonant standing waves. 3. **Abyssal Void**: Massive subterranean basin characterized by extreme low-end resonance and prolonged tail decay. 4. **Organic Flesh**: Heavily damped internal acoustic cavity where high frequencies are rapidly absorbed. 5. **Crypt of Damned**: Cold, metallic subterranean tomb with complex flutter echoes. 6. **Claustrophobic Coffin**: Hyper-compressed physical confinement with zero air dissipation. 7. **Dimensional Tear**: Phase-fractured feedback lattice creating non-linear pitch disfigurement. 8. **Echoes of Abyss**: Multi-tap cascading delay matrix descending into darkness. 9. **Phantom Mirror**: Inverted binaural reflections creating an auditory phantom double behind the listener. --- ## 3. Cultural Inspiration & The La Llorona Legend The plugin is named after **La Llorona** ("The Weeping Woman"), one of the most prominent oral folklore legends across Latin America and Central America (particularly Nicaragua and Mexico). - In folklore, La Llorona is a spirit condemned to wander rivers and waterways for eternity, weeping for her drowned children. Her wail (*¡Ay, mis hijos!*) echoes across dark waters, symbolizing grief that never finds resolution. - In Carbon Fiber Plugins' DSP architecture, this legend is transformed into an acoustic concept: **a reverb is a space that refuses to let go of sound**—an echo that keeps reflecting and surrounding the listener with unrelenting presence. --- ## 4. Technical Specifications & Host Compatibility | Specification | Details | | :--- | :--- | | **Plugin Formats** | VST3 (64-bit native), CLAP (CLever Audio Plug-in, 64-bit native) | | **Supported OS** | Windows 10 & 11 (64-bit) · macOS (Apple Silicon) | | **Sample Rates** | 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz | | **Processing** | 64-bit floating-point internal DSP pipeline | | **Latency** | Zero-latency processing mode suitable for real-time tracking and live performance | | **Tested DAWs** | Ableton Live 11/12, FL Studio 21+, Cockos REAPER 6/7, Steinberg Cubase 12/13, PreSonus Studio One 6+, Bitwig Studio 5+ | | **Licensing** | Perpetual license (No subscription). Online single-click or Air-gapped Offline Activation (.dt / .mb). | --- ## 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ### Q: What is the trial period and how does it work? A: Carbon Fiber Plugins provides an unrestricted 14-day free trial. All 9 room archetypes, 256 ERB bands, and psychoacoustic engines are fully functional with no noise bursts, silences, or credit card requirements. ### Q: How do I activate my license on an offline studio computer? A: You can generate an offline activation request file (`.dt`) inside the plugin on your offline computer, visit [https://cfplugins.io/activate-offline](https://cfplugins.io/activate-offline) from any connected device, drop the file to generate your license token (`.mb`), and load it back into the plugin. ### Q: Are updates included with the perpetual license? A: Yes. All v1.x feature and maintenance updates are provided free of charge for lifetime license holders. ### Q: Where can I submit bug reports, host logs, or feature requests? A: Contact the core DSP development team directly at `support@cfplugins.io` or visit the support portal at `https://cfplugins.io/support`.