Crafting the Ethereal Plucked Lead with Serum: A SynthSage Chronicles Guide
Welcome to another edition of the SynthSage Chronicles! In this series, we journey through the vast landscape of electronic music, breaking down iconic sounds and guiding you step-by-step on how to recreate them using popular synthesizers. Today, we're diving deep into the mesmerizing world of plucked lead sounds, inspired by Kevin de Vries' track, "Mau P Metro." Our tool of choice? The versatile Serum synthesizer by Xfer Records.
MIDI: Laying the Foundation with Note Progressions
Before diving into the intricacies of sound design, it's essential to lay a solid foundation with our MIDI programming. MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is the language that allows electronic instruments, computers, and other devices to communicate musically. By programming our MIDI correctly, we ensure that our sound design efforts are built upon a strong musical framework.
For this guide, we'll be working with a rhythmic and dynamic MIDI pattern. Here's how to set it up:
Note Divisions: Start by setting up your MIDI grid. We'll be working with two primary note divisions: 1/16 and 1/32 notes. These divisions will give our pattern a sense of movement and energy, perfect for dynamic leads and sequences.
Note Progression: Our progression will be simple yet effective. Begin with the note 'E', then move to 'F', and conclude with 'G'. This progression provides a sense of ascent, building anticipation and tension as the notes rise.
Rhythmic Variation: To keep things interesting, vary the rhythm of your notes. For instance, you might start with a series of 1/16 notes for the 'E' and 'F', then switch to rapid 1/32 notes as you approach the 'G'. This variation not only adds excitement but also emphasizes the final landing on 'G'.
Velocity Dynamics: Remember, MIDI isn't just about note placement; it's also about note intensity. Adjust the velocity of your notes to add dynamics and emotion. Perhaps the 'E' starts soft, the 'F' is a bit louder, and the 'G' is the most pronounced. Playing with velocity can make your pattern feel more alive and less robotic.
In Conclusion: MIDI programming is the backbone of any electronic production. By ensuring our MIDI is thoughtfully crafted, we set the stage for the sound design magic that follows. Think of it as the blueprint upon which we'll construct our sonic masterpiece.
Setting Up the Oscillators: Building the Base
The oscillators are the heart and soul of any synthesizer, generating the raw waveforms that form the basis of your sound. In Serum, the flexibility and depth of the oscillators allow for a vast palette of sonic possibilities. For our ethereal plucked lead, inspired by Kevin de Vries, we'll be harnessing the power of Serum's oscillators to lay a solid foundation.
Waveform Selection: Begin by loading up two saw waves in Serum's oscillator sections. The saw wave, with its rich harmonic content, serves as an ideal starting point for our plucked lead, offering both warmth and brightness.
Unison and Detuning: Boost the unison settings for both oscillators to a range between 8 to 10. This multiplies the number of voices for each oscillator, creating a thicker and fuller sound. To introduce a slight shimmer and movement, detune the voices by adjusting the fine-tune settings of each oscillator. This subtle detuning creates a gentle phasing effect, adding depth and character to the sound.
Noise Layering: To infuse an organic touch and break away from the purely digital realm, introduce the SH1 noise source. This particular noise type, reminiscent of classic analog synthesizers, adds a layer of grit and texture, making your lead sound more alive and less sterile.
By carefully setting up and fine-tuning the oscillators, you've now established a robust foundation for your plucked lead. As we move forward, we'll shape, mold, and refine this raw sound into a polished gem.
Mastering the MG Low 24 Filter: Crafting a Refined Sound
The filter section in a synthesizer is akin to a sculptor's chisel, allowing you to shape and refine the raw sonic material generated by the oscillators. In Serum, the MG Low 24 filter stands out as a versatile tool, adept at carving out a polished sound. Let's delve deeper into how this filter, along with its associated parameters, can be harnessed to craft our desired lead sound.
Understanding the MG Low 24 Filter:
Purpose: The MG Low 24 filter is designed to attenuate or remove high frequencies, ensuring that the sound remains smooth and devoid of any harshness.
Implementation: Activate the filter and choose the MG Low 24 type from the dropdown menu. Dial in a cutoff setting of around 105Hz. This acts as a threshold, above which the frequencies start getting reduced, resulting in a mellower and softer tonal character.
Harnessing Resonance & Modulation:
Purpose: The resonance control boosts frequencies right around the cutoff point, adding a distinctive peak or emphasis. Modulation, on the other hand, introduces a dynamic movement to the sound, making it more lively and less static.
Implementation: Set the resonance knob to 38%, giving a subtle boost to the frequencies near the 105Hz cutoff. For the modulation, employ Envelope 2. Assign it to modulate the filter's cutoff and adjust the modulation depth to 88%. This ensures that the filter cutoff moves in tandem with the envelope, adding a sense of evolution and motion to the sound.
Infusing Warmth with Drive & Fatness:
Purpose: The drive and fatness controls are akin to seasoning in cooking. They add that extra touch of warmth, body, and fullness to the sound, ensuring it doesn't come across as thin or lifeless.
Implementation: Turn up the drive and fatness knobs to values of 15% and 17% respectively. This imparts a gentle saturation and increased body to the sound, making it stand out in the mix.
By meticulously adjusting the MG Low 24 filter and its associated parameters, you're not just shaping the sound but also adding layers of depth, warmth, and character to it.
Envelope Dynamics: Giving Life to Your Sound
The envelope is the heartbeat of any synthesized sound, dictating its evolution over time. For a plucked lead, especially one inspired by the ethereal tones of of the track, it's essential to get the envelope settings just right.
Attack (0ms): The attack time determines how quickly the sound reaches its maximum level after being triggered. By setting it to 0ms, you ensure that the sound starts immediately, giving it a sharp and defined onset, characteristic of a plucked instrument.
Decay (160ms): After the attack phase, the decay phase kicks in, controlling how long it takes for the sound to drop from its peak level to the level set by the sustain. A decay time of 160ms ensures a swift drop, adding to the plucky nature of the sound.
Sustain (0): The sustain level determines the volume at which the sound will continue to play for as long as the note is held. By setting the sustain to 0, you ensure that the sound doesn't linger or sustain, but instead relies on the decay and release phases to shape its character.
Release (356ms): The release time dictates how long the sound takes to fade out after the note is released. A release time of 356ms provides a smooth and slightly extended tail to the sound, preventing it from ending too abruptly and ensuring a seamless transition between notes.
By meticulously adjusting these envelope parameters, you sculpt the dynamic contour of your plucked lead, ensuring it resonates with the desired emotion and character.
FX Section: Polishing and Enhancing
Serum, developed by Xfer Records, is renowned not just for its powerful oscillators and intuitive modulation capabilities, but also for its versatile FX section. This section is a sonic playground, offering a suite of effects that can transform a simple waveform into a complex, evolving sound. Whether you're looking to add depth, warmth, space, or character to your patches, the FX section has got you covered. Let's dive deep into this section and explore how to polish and enhance your sounds to perfection.
In the realm of sound design, the nuances often make all the difference. While the core sound generated by oscillators and filters lays the foundation, it's the effects that add the finishing touches, transforming a basic tone into a sonic masterpiece. Serum, a powerhouse in the world of synthesizers, offers a plethora of effects in its FX section, each designed to mold, shape, and refine your sound. Let's embark on a journey through these effects, understanding their purpose and learning how to harness them effectively.
Dimension Expander: Creating a Wider Stereo Image
The Dimension effect in Serum is designed to add depth and space to your sound, making it feel larger and more expansive.
Size Control: Adjusting the 'size' parameter determines the perceived space's size. A smaller value will give a tighter sound, while a larger value will make it feel more expansive.
Mix Control: The 'mix' knob lets you blend the original sound with the effect. A subtle setting, perhaps around 30-50%, can be a good starting point to ensure the effect enhances rather than overwhelms the sound.
Distortion: Adding Grit and Character
Distortion is a powerful tool to introduce harmonic richness and character to your sound.
Diode 2 Mode: This mode in Serum's Distortion effect offers a gritty and aggressive distortion type. It's perfect for adding a bit of edge to your lead sound.
Drive and Mix: Adjust the 'drive' to control the intensity of the distortion. The 'mix' knob lets you blend the distorted signal with the original, allowing for a balanced sound.
Phaser: Introducing Depth and Movement
The Phaser effect creates a sweeping sensation, adding depth and movement to your sound.
Rate Control: Set the phaser to a slow rate for a more subtle, evolving effect. This ensures the phasing doesn't become too rapid or distracting.
Depth and Mix: Adjust the 'depth' to control the intensity of the phasing effect. Use the 'mix' control to blend the phased sound with the original.
Chorus: Thickening and Enriching the Sound
Chorus works by creating slightly detuned and delayed copies of the original sound, resulting in a thicker and richer tone.
Rate and Depth: A slower rate with a higher depth can give a lush, thickening effect. Adjust these parameters to taste.
Mix Control: As with other effects, the 'mix' knob lets you determine how much of the chorused sound is blended with the original.
Delay: Creating Echoes and Space
The Delay effect in Serum can be used to create echoes, adding a sense of space and depth.
Ping-Pong Mode: This mode makes the echoes bounce between the left and right channels, creating a more immersive stereo effect.
Time and Feedback Controls: Adjust the delay times for the left and right channels to create rhythmic echoes. The 'feedback' control determines how many echoes are produced.
EQ: Ensuring Clarity and Balance
Lastly, Serum's EQ section allows you to shape the frequency content of your sound, ensuring it sits well in the mix.
Cutting and Boosting: Use the EQ to cut unwanted frequencies or boost certain areas to highlight them. For instance, cutting some of the low-end can prevent muddiness, while a slight boost in the high-mids can add presence.
Final Thoughts on the FX Section: Serum's FX section is a treasure trove of sound-shaping tools. While the above guidelines provide a solid starting point, always trust your ears and adjust settings to fit your specific needs and taste.
Pro Tips: Taking Your Sound to the Next Level
1. Exploring External Plugins: While Serum is a powerhouse on its own, integrating external plugins can further refine and elevate your sound. These plugins can introduce unique characteristics that might not be achievable with Serum alone.
2. Cosmic Reverberation with Valhalla Supermassive: One of the standout plugins for ambient and ethereal effects is Valhalla Supermassive. This reverb plugin is known for its ability to create vast, cosmic soundscapes. When applied to your plucked lead:
Insertion Point: Place Valhalla Supermassive after Serum in your signal chain. This ensures that the reverb processes the fully shaped sound from Serum.
Choosing the Right Preset: While Supermassive offers a plethora of presets, for our ethereal plucked lead, the "Great Annihilator" mode is a recommended starting point. It provides a spacious and otherworldly reverb tail.
Tweaking Parameters: Adjust the 'mix' knob to control the wet/dry balance. A setting around 20% is a good starting point, ensuring the reverb complements rather than overwhelms the lead sound. Play with the 'density' and 'time' controls to further shape the reverb's character.
3. Enhancing Dynamics with Xfer OTT: OTT (Over The Top) by Xfer Records is a multiband compressor that can bring out the nuances in your sound, making it brighter and more pronounced.
Why OTT? OTT excels in enhancing the dynamics of a sound. It compresses the high, mid, and low frequencies separately, allowing for detailed control over the sound's dynamics.
Adjusting Depth: The 'depth' control determines the amount of compression applied. For our plucked lead, setting it around 20% can accentuate the top end, making the lead brighter.
Balancing the Sound: OTT can be intense. Ensure you balance the output by adjusting the 'upward' and 'downward' compression knobs. This ensures that the sound remains dynamic without being overly compressed.
Conclusion: Sound design is more than just manipulating waves and frequencies; it's an art form that bridges the gap between technology and creativity. At the heart of this art lies the synthesizer, and Serum stands out as one of the most versatile and powerful tools in the modern producer's arsenal.
With its intuitive interface, vast array of waveforms, and a comprehensive FX section, Serum offers a canvas for both beginners and seasoned professionals to paint their sonic visions. But as with any art form, the tools are only as good as the artist wielding them. This guide has provided you with foundational knowledge, techniques, and insights into Serum's capabilities. However, the true essence of sound design lies in exploration, experimentation, and personal expression.
As you delve deeper into Serum, you'll find that each knob turned and each parameter adjusted opens up new sonic landscapes. It's a world where the only limits are those of your imagination. Embrace the unpredictability, cherish the happy accidents, and always strive to push the boundaries of what's possible.
Remember, every iconic sound or track started with someone simply trying something new. So, as you embark on your sound design journey with Serum, let curiosity be your guide, and passion be your driving force. Here's to countless hours of tweaking, learning, and most importantly, creating. Happy synthesizing!
