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Any tips for making descent pads???
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| >everest< |
Im trying to make some descent pads (the long ambient synths) but im not having much luck. The sound im looking for is the tiesto style choir/synth like pad. (e.g. Paul Oakenfold - Southern Sun [Tiesto RMX], Moby - We are all made of Stars [Tiesto RMX] and also Age Of Love - Age Of Love)
Please note, im not wanting to create the old ferry strings, i can do them...
I'm using FL studio wiv a variety of plugins so any advice specific to that would be particular helpful.:crazy:
ive tried using that filter vowel synth thingy technique but it still sounds crap! Please help people, this is doing my nut in!!! |
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| sash |
| galactix is a good synth to use.. don't ask me how to program it though, i suck. haha |
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| hey cheggy |
| amp filters. About 40 or so on the attack and about 45+ on the release. LP filter to get rid of the harsh top freq's. Reverb to give it body. As for those choir sounds, I don't know the song, or use fruity, but i get the impression that the good ones comes from a wavetable synth rather than a VA. |
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| >everest< |
thanks ill give those a try and see how i get on
:) |
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| Musicmaker |
Try to detune two saw waves, and use a for example a sawwave one octave lower or higher, with maybe a bit less volume. Use a LFO to modulate the filter cutoff for example and the pitch. Use a long attack and a long release. You can also lower the filter cutoff of course. Pulse waves are also ecxelent for pads. You can get interesting results if you do what I said and then add a wave 5 or 7 semitones higher or lower.
| quote: | | but i get the impression that the good ones comes from a wavetable synth rather than a VA. |
They are both fine. Synths like the Roland JV2080 for example are usable also.
You can use lowpass filters for pads, but you can make them with bandpass and hipassfilters also. You can combine them too if you like. You can hipassfilter a wave for example and then lowpass filter the wave one octave lower, with pherhaps has a bit less volume. Don't forget to use Resonance, but it is isn't needed every time.
The power of a lot of sounds lies in layering. So like I told maybe two waves with an octave difference.
If you want to make stabs you can also use the 5 or 7 semitones trick. But in this case you have to shorten the release and prophably the sustain and decay time also, so that you have a short sound. They can sound nice if you use bandpass and highpassfilters. Or combine them of course. Resonance is also very valuable in this case.
So for a stab you can take a wave and then add another one ocatave lower or higher, and add another 5 or 7 semitones higher or lower. (from the wave above or under it doesn't really matter.)
So you can also use this trick for pads.
Adding, maybe highpassfiltered noise, can be very nice too (for other sounds also), but I guess this is easyer to use if you're more experienced in making pads. This is done sometimes with atmospheres.
A phaser or a flanger effect on a pads does miracles by the way.
If you like, you can post a sample of what you make, so that I give a comment on it.
Oh, and the more you try, the more you understand and the easier it will go. It will go easier and easier the more you do it. |
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| >everest< |
| Thanks that advice is really great. Ill go have a play and post what i come up with!:D |
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| >everest< |
....grrrr
all my pads end up sounding like air raid sirens or run over birds..
.. ill keep trying |
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| Musicmaker |
Don't forget to give the filter envelope attack and release a long value also. Have you tried to play the pads you're making an octave lower? Maybe the're tuned to high. Maybe it's wise to forget the lfo for a while, till you're able to get the right shape of your pads. They will sound ok without it. It's just a matter of a long attack and a long release for the amplitude envelope and the filter envelope.
If you're computer can handle it, you might want to run the Polybit VSTi in Fruity. I can make a pad with Polybit I run on my computer, and then send you the patch, so you can get a clearer sight on making pads. |
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| hey cheggy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Musicmaker
They are both fine. Synths like the Roland JV2080 for example are usable also.
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I meant for the choir sounding pad. |
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| Musicmaker |
| quote: | quote:
Originally posted by Musicmaker
They are both fine. Synths like the Roland JV2080 for example are usable also.
I meant for the choir sounding pad. |
I guess you're right then. I'm wondering myself too how they are made actually. I also thought about Wavetable synthesis, but I think just simply layering some sounds and adjusting the envelope isn't enough. |
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| Etherium |
Just a word about pads. Like was said above, a phaser goes a long, long way. Long attack, long release, careful reverb is key!
The king of pads are the Korg Wavestation and the Microwave XT.
You can get a Wavestation for $150.00. This synth creates evolving pads that are featured on innumberable movie scores. The intro to X-Files: Wavestation.
My dream pad setup would be:
Korg Wavestation
Roland Jupiter-6
Lexicon Multi-effects phaser |
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| >everest< |
//mmmmm.....hardware....
:(
right, long attack, careful reeverb and phaser.
should i be using any delay? |
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