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SHR4C004M-002 Composition & Production Template
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Synthesis process evidence
The core sound of this synth was generated using the Ableton’s Analog synthesizer, which runs on a subtractive synth architecture. The patch makes use of all four available oscillators but the character of the sound is heavily influenced by the saw oscillator. The sub and noise oscillators were blended in subtly for texture.
The envelope of the sound features a short attack with high sustain and a long release. This was done to create a sound that followed the notes of the lead guitar which could then be sent into an envelope follower which took input from the electric guitar (pre FX). This was done to add subtle background movement to the synth which blended nicely with the guitar.
A pitch hack was added to double the signal an octave higher, this gave the signal more high frequency content and air which was blended to taste and add shimmer. finally, a spectral blur was added at 100 percent wet level to add atmosphere.
For this granulated arpeggio patch, a sustained strings sample was used within Ableton’s granulator 3 engine. Som key points were the grain size and the variation which keep the texture smooth but not constant. Spread was added for stereo image widening without introducing phase issues and a filter was added to attenuate the high frequencies.
this resulted in a textured pluck with a suitable ADSR for use with the arpeggiator. the arpeggiator itself was set to a down-up pattern with automations controlling the rate and number of steps which evolves throughout the song. A slight offset was also added with some swing for a more natural feel.
The delayed synth patch heard in both verses was made with simplicity in mind. Holding its own within the mix and as a rhythmic element, this sound utilises two oscillators. The first is a single voice digital waveform with changes made to its position and interpolation. The second voice is a single voice saw wave which is blended in accordingly. Filtering was added to remove the harshness of the instrument with cutoff modulated by the filter envelope. Minor effects such as Eq to tame low frequencies, chorus for character and distortion for presence. This paired with some internal compression provided a strong platform for additional processing.
Following the Dune 3 synth in the signal chain, an eq was added to remove low frequencies clashing with the bass which was followed by Ableton’s stock echo plugin set to mid-side with a high feedback. this track was duplicated and widened using the Haas effect for phase congruence with the guitar parts sharing similar frequency content.
The synth bass timbre was created using the wavetable synth in Ableton, making use of a sub oscillator in the oscillator 1 position. This was done for more control than using the built in sub oscillator. This makes up the main body of the sound and provides the song with feel and energy. A second oscillator waas added with a waveform from the vintage collection, this was blended in accordingly to give some presence to the instrument.
The envelope settings are quite simple and are intended to keep the bass glueing the rest of the song together with variations in the sustained level in the verse and chorus. this bass was kept mono with a small amount of glide to keep the bass smooth.
The atmospheric synth sound heard in the choruses and intro was made in the Dune 3 VST. The sound itself is made using a combination of oscillators, the first being a multiple voiced wavetable waveform with harmonics set to a gaussian gradient for softening of upper and lower partials while keeping the central harmonic content strong. The second oscillator is a blended saw wave with a single voice and the third is a heavier white noise oscillator.
the unison and spread settings utilise the slight detune and stereo spread which adds width and subtle pitch variation, effectively adding a chorus/ensemble effect.
A gentle lowpass filter was added to soften the timbre alongside appropriate envelope settings for smoothness. Reverb and slight compression were added to tie the sound into the mix. LFO’s were set to modulate the fine pitch tuning and panning for variation.
