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So I already have a fairly decent understanding of FM Synthesis (I only "really" use FM8) but I am wondering if anyone has any tips to make pads and interesting bleeps

I know these sounds can easily be found as samples or time stretching / processing but I really want to start making my own pads and stuff through synths, I can already make fairly good bass and leads but I want to stretch out a bit.


Any tips directed more at FM Synthesis would be great but just general tips would be good also..

Oh and I know.. "loads of release and attack" i'm looking for more "intermediate" techniques and theories.

I'm not much of an FM synth nut but they have loads of options for modulation. Try getting a bunch of slow modulations going at once at slow intervals all at different random speeds. Small amounts of pitch modulation, fm modding, cutoff, resonance, etc...work wonders. You can also try setting an LFO on the amount of reverb or dry/wet signals for your other effects too.

Reverb, chorus, flangers, and phasers are your friends with pads. Stereo imagers can also be very useful.

Instead of having 3-5 notes close to each other try spreading them out over different octaves.

Don't be afraid to unsync your delay or use strange delay times. Long ones such as 7/4 can add interesting movement to the stereo field.

Last but not least, don't be afraid to use a completely wet reverb signal on pads, you'd be surprised at how good it can sound, especially if you're layering it with other pads.


Good luck.

Sick thanks for the swift reply, I think my main problem is I make a good sound and instantly put it down to C3 and make a bassline.. I think I need to start messing about with more interesting things like you said above, good tips though thanks!

Creating Pads Part 1

b2b


Creating Pads Part 2

If its about the real synth programming, not the fx, I feel creating pads is much easier on a subtractive synth. Little parameter changes produce little modulations there, which allows for more control over how your sound evolves. I found altering synthesis parameters in FM very unpredictable. I came up with nice bass and lead sounds by trial and error, but for pads it didnt do it for me.

Oh, and prolly you know it, but maybe this helps:
http://emusician.com/tutorials/emusic_o ... _standing/

...nothing about fm synthesis, but my technique of making pads works for me fine.basicly you put neverending reverb on a short sample..ofcourse eq will be needed alot.

here is an example of 1second of guitar sample made to pad with neverending reverb
http://www.sendspace.com/file/pku44u

Try GreenOak Crystal - it's sort of a hybrid wavetable / VA and it's deadly for pads. Big multistage envelopes and LFOs, lots of complicated filter / delay combinations, a handy range of built in waveforms and the ability to load more. It's a bit of a pig to programme, but it makes sense if you start off from the init patch, figure out how to use the oscillators, and then work out the filters, modulation and FX piece by piece.

Slothrop wrote:Try GreenOak Crystal - it's sort of a hybrid wavetable / VA and it's deadly for pads. Big multistage envelopes and LFOs, lots of complicated filter / delay combinations, a handy range of built in waveforms and the ability to load more. It's a bit of a pig to programme, but it makes sense if you start off from the init patch, figure out how to use the oscillators, and then work out the filters, modulation and FX piece by piece.

Is that, that freeware synth with the facking ugly UI? Ive got that if it is.

And thanks for the tips peeps, i'll give it a go and show some of my results.

try slow gradual filter opens/closes, bandpass sweeps, adding in tremelo, automating pwm, adding loads of reverb etc
i'm uploading the complete dx7 ebook for ya too, since that gave me a really good grasp on programming fm synths

Haha, wow don't see help like this every day, well I don't!!


This is great help ! I was getting sick of drawing for the preset every time I wanted a pad!

Legendary wrote:

Slothrop wrote:Try GreenOak Crystal - it's sort of a hybrid wavetable / VA and it's deadly for pads. Big multistage envelopes and LFOs, lots of complicated filter / delay combinations, a handy range of built in waveforms and the ability to load more. It's a bit of a pig to programme, but it makes sense if you start off from the init patch, figure out how to use the oscillators, and then work out the filters, modulation and FX piece by piece.

Is that, that freeware synth with the facking ugly UI? Ive got that if it is.

It's not a total ten pinter, but it's a bit of a headache until you get used to it.

It is bloody good for pads and FX, though.

Legendary wrote:Haha, wow don't see help like this every day, well I don't!!


This is great help ! I was getting sick of drawing for the preset every time I wanted a pad!

well breaking down preset settings is always a good way to breakdown exactly whats going on
then breakdown the modulation matrix, removing different things and break it down that way

here ya go
http://www.sendspace.com/file/scxkhu

Jeez 126mb! Must be EPIC! Sweet as geeza, once I get back from my mates i'll sink my teeth into it been trying some stuff today and its sounding alright but I can't get the "WOOOOOOOOOOOSH' right, the filter envs are just not doing it for me.

Legendary wrote:Jeez 126mb! Must be EPIC! Sweet as geeza, once I get back from my mates i'll sink my teeth into it been trying some stuff today and its sounding alright but I can't get the "WOOOOOOOOOOOSH' right, the filter envs are just not doing it for me.

well thats a scanned version of the complete dx-7
hell just got a book in the mail that has some pad tutorials for fm7 and cameleon 5000 and pro-53 in it
after i give it a read i'll post any pointers that stand out to me

Right, so ive finally got this down but the pads are quite lifeless, any 'golden' rules about what wave forms to use? I'm using Squares & Saws at the moment and they keep sounding to ... I dunno the word to describe it but theres not even weight behind them and EQing, filtering, exporting, repeating... just ain't cutting it!

Legendary wrote:Right, so ive finally got this down but the pads are quite lifeless, any 'golden' rules about what wave forms to use? I'm using Squares & Saws at the moment and they keep sounding to ... I dunno the word to describe it but theres not even weight behind them and EQing, filtering, exporting, repeating... just ain't cutting it!

Stereo is the key imo. Make the different channels (L and R) do different things.

Try copying one of the notes in the pad and sending it an octave down or up.

Intresting bleeps?

Three versions of DBlue Glitch running over any old sample. Tweak away at the frequency and mix setting of each one, bounce the sample when your happy and cut out the stuff you like. Can make very nice cowbells with that method.

Just bumping this thread since I was going back to it to brush up one somethings ive forgotten and thought some people might get some use out of it!