Unique Synthesis Techniques.

[jakeyjake7]

So here it is. First non-guideline thread of the new sub-forum (unless someone else posts theirs before this).

This thread is pretty self explanatory. Just to get things started off, let's talk about interesting and unique sound creation/synthesis techniques you've used/discovered. By unique, I'm talking about taking a hi hat and processing it through a ridiculous FX chain where it comes out some crazy morphing glitchy sound, or even an ambient pad, or a lead synth. Just little techniques like this that you've discovered.

Here's one I've been working on for about an hour:

So first, I just took a simple Amen hi-hat oneshot sample and programmed a simple pattern in Renoise.

The FX chain however, changes this into a weird morphing filtered sound. The chain is as follows: Comb Filter (Temposynced LFO on frequency)>Band Reject Filter(Slow sine LFO on frequency, random LFO on bandwidth, and an LFO randomly changing the frequency of that previous LFO)>Reverb>Multiband Send (Low frequencies sent to a light distortion for bass beefage.) In the end, it all sounds like this: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7125010/Euclid.wav

[midnghtraver]

The hi hat thing is cool, lots of filtery goodness going on in there. I'm just not sure how you'd use that in a song.

This is a synth I made on accident when I was bored as hell one day, thought it was kinda cool so I uploaded it

http://sectramusic.com/2010/10/30/new-synth/

[jakeyjake7]

Originally Posted by midnghtraver

The hi hat thing is cool, lots of filtery goodness going on in there. I'm just not sure how you'd use that in a song.

Oh, you'd be surprised how much I could use that in a song.

Also, neat little synth. Nice funky feel to it.

[championanwar]

IT'S NOT A HI HAT, IT'S A RIDE! ):<

I like this a lot, this will be less of a critique and more of a question:
I was just wondering, seeing as you use LFOs, and quite a few of them- would you maybe know how to make vocal/formants with a single one shot sound? It's something I've wanted to look into for a while but have never really got into, even basic shapes like saw waves etc. . Sort of a lead on from what I heard from your sound.

Oh and there seems to be a bass surge or something at the end which "distorted" it at then end, dunno if it's my old sound system, I just picked that up at then end.

Awesome stuff Jake.

[midnghtraver]

Originally Posted by championanwar

IT'S NOT A HI HAT, IT'S A RIDE! ):<

I like this a lot, this will be less of a critique and more of a question:
I was just wondering, seeing as you use LFOs, and quite a few of them- would you maybe know how to make vocal/formants with a single one shot sound? It's something I've wanted to look into for a while but have never really got into, even basic shapes like saw waves etc. . Sort of a lead on from what I heard from your sound.

Oh and there seems to be a bass surge or something at the end which "distorted" it at then end, dunno if it's my old sound system, I just picked that up at then end.

Awesome stuff Jake.

I think I can help you with this, but could you rephrase it a little different? Or give me an example?

EDIT: This too, its really old though, http://sectramusic.com/2010/08/03/ne...ifferent-vibe/

[DarkbearX]

Originally Posted by championanwar

I like this a lot, this will be less of a critique and more of a question:
I was just wondering, seeing as you use LFOs, and quite a few of them- would you maybe know how to make vocal/formants with a single one shot sound? It's something I've wanted to look into for a while but have never really got into, even basic shapes like saw waves etc. . Sort of a lead on from what I heard from your sound.

I'll go ahead and answer this. There's no simple way to change the formant of the sound. You have to use formant filters which are generally very meticulously tweaked EQing. Some DAWs have plugins for formant filters, or just presets for different formants on their EQ plugins. There's actually a free plugin precisely named Formant Filter (rofl) that you can download. It actually works great and has a built-in LFO. :)

[midnghtraver]

Originally Posted by DarkbearX

I'll go ahead and answer this. There's no simple way to change the formant of the sound. You have to use formant filters which are generally very meticulously tweaked EQing. Some DAWs have plugins for formant filters, or just presets for different formants on their EQ plugins. There's actually a free plugin precisely named Formant Filter (rofl) that you can download. It actually works great and has a built-in LFO.

Oh, you can do this with the "Sampler" in FL Studio, if you have it.

[championanwar]

Originally Posted by midnghtraver

I think I can help you with this, but could you rephrase it a little different? Or give me an example?

EDIT: This too, its really old though, http://sectramusic.com/2010/08/03/ne...ifferent-vibe/

Not really what I'm looking for, just seems wobbly to me, not resembling vocals much.

Originally Posted by DarkbearX

I'll go ahead and answer this. There's no simple way to change the formant of the sound. You have to use formant filters which are generally very meticulously tweaked EQing. Some DAWs have plugins for formant filters, or just presets for different formants on their EQ plugins. There's actually a free plugin precisely named Formant Filter (rofl) that you can download. It actually works great and has a built-in LFO.

Right oh, but then again 'cause I use Reason now. . I can't get any external plugins >: I'd have to maybe just do it manually or just get a plugin and mimic what it does. . I hear they have like 8 different filters/EQs just for one part of the plugin which would be pretty freakin daunting to get my head around. I could easily mix it down and stick it in another software though 8] ehehehe

Originally Posted by midnghtraver

Oh, you can do this with the "Sampler" in FL Studio, if you have it.

From all the years that I used to use FL, the sample for me [in my version] had like 1 filter which doesn't really cut it. It's cool for sound shaping basic waves, but for something like formanting, you'd need something a lot more indepth. . .

edit:
raver: Vocal sounds out of general shapes like saws/squre/other sounds using filters.

[midnghtraver]

Originally Posted by championanwar

From all the years that I used to use FL, the sample for me [in my version] had like 1 filter which doesn't really cut it. It's cool for sound shaping basic waves, but for something like formanting, you'd need something a lot more indepth. . .

It has 8... Look under the "Ins" tab, then under filter theres a drop down menu with 8 filters and Modx/y dials.

EDIT: And I know, I was showing off the synths in that song.

EDIT 2: Do you mean kind of like what I do with the vocal to create a stab that I use after the mainline comes in? http://sectramusic.com/2011/04/06/di...cy-remix-demo/

[DarkbearX]

Originally Posted by midnghtraver

It has 8... Look under the "Ins" tab, then under filter theres a drop down menu with 8 filters and Modx/y dials.

I think anwar is talking about bands more than filters. There are 8 options of different -filters-, but all of them are possible using one band (Highpass, lowpass, bandpass, notch/bandstop). There are no options for formant filter, probably because they -would- be too complicated to recreate. I haven't found a way to recreate formant filters in FL personally, they just didn't attack the problem yet I guess.

[LogicalDefiance]

Instead of using formant filters, I find that I can get a pretty cool sound by making a multi layered sound and using the vocoder in FL with one of the layers. If you've ever used a vocoder to try to get cool vocal effects into your bassline you probably noticed that once you got it to sound the way you wanted to vocally, that almost all the power of the sound is sucked out(or rather the low end), so dont even bother, cut the lows up to fundamental of the voice, then mix it with a nice low gritty bass sound with an hp filter on there. Works like a charm.

Random note, theres also a freeware formant-like plugin on KVR called Vocalizer. It can be interesting if used tastefully and not excessively.

[Mans0n]

I found that using plugins like 3x osc in FL studio can create a lot of powerful lead synths and pads. Though I mostly use it for sweep sounds, which is very useful in the genre of music i like to make which is house.

I also play around with 3x osc and come up with some awesome Afrojack sounding lead synths which are ridiculously awesome when it comes to drops.
Going to save and upload a sample of what i'm talking about later today.
PS: how many use FL studio? because I feel like i should maybe start using ableton because of it's uniqueness and ability to do live sets/mixing.

[LogicalDefiance]

Originally Posted by Mans0n

I feel like i should maybe start using ableton because of it's uniqueness and ability to do live sets/mixing.

You mean its uniqueness IN ITS ability to do live sets/mixing. Otherwise theres nothing real special about ableton. In fact automations are a bitch and a half in comparison. Faster to get to the parameter you want to automate, but impossible to be precise or do fun shapes or anything creative unless you have a really good DPI mouse pad tablet thingy and experience drawing digitally.


That said, I don't know if its unique, but I spent a while trying to emulate live instruments with basic synthesis/filters/envelopes, and it gave me a really good feeling for molding sound about 50-60 instruments later.

[danny53x]

Jakey (and any other Renoise users), have you messed with Renoise's Chorus FX? LFO or automate pretty much any parameter and you get some pretty effed up stuff, some you can probably relate to a lot of Venetian Snares stuff.

Also, can anyone give more details on what a comb filter is?

[jakeyjake7]

I'm not sure on the specifics of how it works, but the sound it gives is often similar to when you take a flanger, and turn the feedback close to 100/-100%. Only difference that I can see is that it doesn't have an LFO on the frequency and it doesn't change phase or anything. I really shouldn't be answering this question though. Hopefully someone else can phrase it better.

[aperson]

FYI formant filters are nothing but rolling bandpass filters:


Look up the formant pattern for the vowel shape you want and bandpass it accordingly. If you want to demonstrate that they are nothing more to yourself, sing a constant note and move your mouth from an ooo to an aaa and listen to the wah-sounding bandpass up as you go.

[championanwar]

Originally Posted by aperson

FYI formant filters are nothing but rolling bandpass filters:


Look up the formant pattern for the vowel shape you want and bandpass it accordingly. If you want to demonstrate that they are nothing more to yourself, sing a constant note and move your mouth from an ooo to an aaa and listen to the wah-sounding bandpass up as you go.

Perfect, I'll look into it more. Got a website with filter patterns, like that pic above? :3

[aperson]

Originally Posted by championanwar

Perfect, I'll look into it more. Got a website with filter patterns, like that pic above? :3

Got a mic and a spectrograph?

[DarkbearX]

That graph also shows that you can't just simply throw a bandpass filter and make a true/pure vocal formant, otherwise bandpass filters would just be called... formant filters. Bandpass filters cut out way too many fundamental frequencies.

[aperson]

Originally Posted by DarkbearX

That graph also shows that you can't just simply throw a bandpass filter and make a true/pure vocal formant, otherwise bandpass filters would just be called... formant filters. Bandpass filters cut out way too many fundamental frequencies.

???

Well then just add in a bandpass on the fundamental? The next harmonic doesn't appear until the next octave so you can set its std. deviation pretty wide. You're right though that formants aren't bandpass filters, but they are a very basic sum of bandpass filters.

Originally Posted by jakeyjake7

I'm not sure on the specifics of how it works, but the sound it gives is often similar to when you take a flanger, and turn the feedback close to 100/-100%. Only difference that I can see is that it doesn't have an LFO on the frequency and it doesn't change phase or anything. I really shouldn't be answering this question though. Hopefully someone else can phrase it better.

Flangers are essentially comb filters. A comb filter works by summing delays of less than a period of the fundamental to cause haphazard constructive and destructive interference. Flangers do the same thing, except they usually have a sliding delay interval rather than a consant one.