I've been used to using everything I have to it's fullest, since I virtually have no money to spend on hardware, I just use simple vst's to write all my tracks.
However, getting the PHAT sound, is something you can emulate on almost any virtual instrument.

When I produce a lead that I want to sound big, I use a variety of effects and tweaks.

~ Reverb Envelope
~ Release Envelope
~ a simple Flanger
~ a Stereo Enhancer
~ and a filter


( clicky ) <-- For the example sound file.

The file I included here is a little riff I made to demonstrate my usual phatmaking process. Because it's based on a variety of things, I let you hear the difference everytime the riff starts again.


Reverb Envelope
When you start the audio file, you'll hear the DRY lead, which is composed of 'two-note chords'. No fx on it whatsoever.
The second time you'll hear the riff, I added a Reverb envelope, and I set the decay on a short value (18ms in this case) and the predelay on 67ms. This is something like reverse reverb on the lead, but it gives you more control and you can play (automate) with the predelay time if you'd like.


Release Envelope
Third time you'll hear the riff, I set up a release automation
which increases over the entire riff. Adding the right amount of release to any lead gives it a 'bigger' feel. Add too little and the lead will sound dry, add too much and it will mess with the mix.
Increasing the release amount like I did here over a lónger time span, such as in a break can also be used to build up suspense.


Flanger
When you hear the riff the fourth time, I set everything back to it's dry state, so you can recall the difference. Then I introduce the reverb again, and the sixth time you hear the riff, I enable the Flanger, which is set to:
delay: 20 ms
depth: 5 ms
rate: 0.508 Hz
phase: 123 degrees
dampness: 0.218
shape: Sine/Triangle
feed: 45%
NO INVERT FEEDBACK
invert wetness: YES
Dryness, Wetness all at: 0.00dB
Dry/Wet crossfade o_o
These setting qualify one flanger as a double one. You could also achieve the same effect with two flangers playing in the same Phase with eachother.


Stereo Enhance
After that, the riff goes back to dry and I start the Stereo Enhance automation, starting from Merged 100%, going to Seperated 100%. Usually it's enough already to keep it at Seperated 25% or something. But this way you can clearly hear the effect stereo seperation has. On the end of the riff I also add some increasing delay, so the effect gets even more audible when you seperate the sound.


The Filter
Something that is easily overlooked because it doesn't directly ADD anything to the lead, the introduction can also affect what you hear afterwards. Because technically, you only hear an infinite fraction of sound, and then your encephalon connects that "fraction" to the rest using your short term memory, and the auditive cortex. So introduction with a filter, in almost any way possible, will add to the dimension of the lead sound.

Next up, and the last riffs I basicly put everything together on the right amounts etc so you could hear how it all sounds. The lead sound itself is a basic preset from Vanguard

Cheers!

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