Soft Synth question

rendr · Post by **rendr** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:15 am

EDIT:

I'm getting into making dirty reece basses atm, and was wondering if there are any soft synths out there that you can load audio samples into as I don't have any proper hardware to do it. One of my synths, Albino3 has an 'audio input' option, but I can't get it to work; anyone shed some light on that?

Thanks

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Anyone know of any guides on how to make shimmering/glistening pads? If not a guide samples would be fine. Because I have no problem making reeces, wobbles, stabs, analoge style pads etc. But when it comes to this sound I don't have a clue>

A good example of what i'm talking about can be heard here coming in at 1 minute: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KElqzs9Hhaw

legend4ry · Post by **legend4ry** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:40 am

Rendr wrote:Anyone know of any guides on how to make shimmering/glistening pads? If not a guide samples would be fine. Because I have no problem making reeces, wobbles, stabs, analoge style pads etc. But when it comes to this sound I don't have a clue>

A good example of what i'm talking about can be heard here coming in at 1 minute: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KElqzs9Hhaw

Fucking tune, for a start... Cyrus has some of the best sounds and grooves in the world, not even just dubstep..

I have achieved this with gaters and step LFO on a normal pad, automation on the res.

azair · Post by **azair** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 12:05 pm

For some weeks ago I made a tune where I wanted to experiment 100%. So I did. I used the 'Astral Pad' from the EXS24 synthesizer sampler from Logic Express 8. I used a lot of different plug-ins to adjust the sound and then I assigned an LFO to Cutoff to give it a wobble effect. It ended up being a very nice sound that was rustlening and crackling and at the same time pretty clear.

It's all about experiementing dude.

futures_untold · Post by **futures_untold** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:42 pm

Use 'hollow' sounding oscillator waveforms to start with. Square/pulse waves are 'smoother' than saws.

Next up, use some light chorussing effect. Gentle phasing may also add to the sound.

Use medium to long attack and release settings on your amplitude ADSR.

Use a large reverb sound gently to give you 'air' and 'space'.

Gates, step sequencers and sample & hold lfo's will help you achieve a rhythmic element to your pads if that's what you wish to achieve.

rendr · Post by **rendr** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 4:44 pm

Thanks for the responses. Got a new question now

deadly_habit · Post by **deadly_habit** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:06 pm

tried virtual audio cable?

rendr · Post by **rendr** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:14 pm

Deadly Habit wrote:tried virtual audio cable?

Nah I haven't, mainly because i'm on a mac and I couldn't find a mac alternative; i'm really just looking for a nice little synth that can take wave files and modify/automate them in the same way it would a wave form in an oscillator.

mycota · Post by **mycota** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:51 pm

you can load samples into absynth and then use waveshapers, filters, ring modulators, lfo's etc.

it also has the live input and you can use its effects on any midi or audio track

flateric · Post by **flateric** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:08 pm

Absynth, Rapture and Kontakt/Any decent sampler (if you're using a synth with a sample as a soundsource and still calling it a synth then samplers definately qualify as synths).

They all have their merits. Absynth is amazing for it's envelopes and sample based osc's (esp when you use the envelopes with the osc params) but the filters are really weak and the waveshaper isn't anything special but the delays are amazing. Kontakt is nice especially for the filters and effects (have never seen a synth that comes close to it regarding internal effects although the Absynth delays, fm8 effects and the Massive tube effects make a good effort) but the multistage envelopes are a bit of a pain. I can't remember the filters and effects in rapture standing out too much (although I had no real complaints) but the osc unison is definately worth a look. etc etc
Download the demo's if you don't have any of these as they're all worth a look.

flateric · Post by **flateric** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:11 pm

mycota wrote:...it also has the live input and you can use its effects on any midi or audio track

Absynth also has an "auto-trigger" feature that works like sidechaining so you can trigger envelopes based on the volume of the incoming signal.

mycota · Post by **mycota** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:22 pm

flateric wrote:Absynth, Rapture and Kontakt/Any decent sampler (if you're using a synth with a sample as a soundsource and still calling it a synth then samplers definately qualify as synths).

They all have their merits. Absynth is amazing for it's envelopes and sample based osc's (esp when you use the envelopes with the osc params) but the filters are really weak and the waveshaper isn't anything special but the delays are amazing. Kontakt is nice especially for the filters and effects (have never seen a synth that comes close to it regarding internal effects although the Absynth delays, fm8 effects and the Massive tube effects make a good effort) but the multistage envelopes are a bit of a pain. I can't remember the filters and effects in rapture standing out too much (although I had no real complaints) but the osc unison is definately worth a look. etc etc
Download the demo's if you don't have any of these as they're all worth a look.

yeah i love kontakt! its got so many possibilities. i agree about the absynth envelopes as well. absynth is great but the interface is definitely not the easiest to use at times

flateric · Post by **flateric** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:12 pm

mycota wrote:yeah i love kontakt! its got so many possibilities. i agree about the absynth envelopes as well. absynth is great but the interface is definitely not the easiest to use at times

I would have agreed with you about the Absynth interface when I first started using it but eventually it does become transparent (takes awhile but it's worth it). I think Absynths biggest weakness is it's filters, definitely needs some Kontakt ladder/moog filter action ftw. It's a shame really because those envelopes + filter would be irreplaceable. I only ever use the delays to process audio with Absynth.

Soft Synth question

Soft Synth question

Re: shimmering/glistening pads

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