...what is your tooling and techniques to design ambient pads that do sound breathing as well as they evolve over time? What waveforms or wavetables do you like the most and which parameters are you modulating?
I myself am using Ableton‘s Wavetables (used Serum before and just switched due to the awesome Push 2 interface) plus I use Valhalla Shimmer.
Hardware wise I‘m using the Virus TI2 and Eventide Space which I like a lot playing around with.
Though I‘m missing some ideas on what‘s typical design questions to solve.
Cheers,
Dennis
Breathing and evolving ambient pads
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 24 posts since 2 Aug, 2019
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- KVRian
- 629 posts since 15 Jun, 2017
Examples of sounds?
Generally, "ambient" pads mean: long & slow
- long/slow sustained sounds/notes
- long/slow attack and release times
- long reverb times (many seconds)
Generally, when talking "simple" subtractive synthesis, it is mainly the filter cutoff that is modulated. Modulation sources are generally LFO's and automation. And the waveshapes are generally variants and mixes of basic waveshapes like saw, square, pulse, triangle, sine and noise and "basic" filters (Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass).
But many synths offer many other waveshapes (single shot, single cycle or longer samples) either as seperate single waveshapes or in wavetables. Wavetables generally consist of 1 or more samples and can contain any waveshape(s). And each "basic" filter has its own specific characteristics (even if they share a common name like 24 dB or 4 pole Lowpass).
There are so many options / synthesis techniques that can be used. E.g. Brian Eno's iconic Apollo soundtrack uses a lot of FM pads/sounds. Additive/spectral synths like Loom are very good at unique, complex and evolving pads.
About Reverbs. There are Reverbs that specialize in "ambient" / long / creative Reverbs. Generally they are not just of the "natural reverb" kind (room, hall). Many are purely algorithmic and usually support forms of modulation.
Valhalla reverbs are among the reasonably priced options. "Shimmer" generally means there is an option to a Pitch Shifter in the feedback patch (as pioneered by Brian Eno / U2). The Eventide Space contains the much praised Blackhole algorithm.
There are so many free and commercial options. Both in synths and in FX. Any of them can be used in all sorts of combinations for many different purposes.
As someone said: it is as much about the cook (how to use) as about the kitchen (what to use). You already have a great kitchen....maybe exploit that by acquiring more cooking skills?
Generally, "ambient" pads mean: long & slow
- long/slow sustained sounds/notes
- long/slow attack and release times
- long reverb times (many seconds)
Generally, when talking "simple" subtractive synthesis, it is mainly the filter cutoff that is modulated. Modulation sources are generally LFO's and automation. And the waveshapes are generally variants and mixes of basic waveshapes like saw, square, pulse, triangle, sine and noise and "basic" filters (Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass).
But many synths offer many other waveshapes (single shot, single cycle or longer samples) either as seperate single waveshapes or in wavetables. Wavetables generally consist of 1 or more samples and can contain any waveshape(s). And each "basic" filter has its own specific characteristics (even if they share a common name like 24 dB or 4 pole Lowpass).
There are so many options / synthesis techniques that can be used. E.g. Brian Eno's iconic Apollo soundtrack uses a lot of FM pads/sounds. Additive/spectral synths like Loom are very good at unique, complex and evolving pads.
About Reverbs. There are Reverbs that specialize in "ambient" / long / creative Reverbs. Generally they are not just of the "natural reverb" kind (room, hall). Many are purely algorithmic and usually support forms of modulation.
Valhalla reverbs are among the reasonably priced options. "Shimmer" generally means there is an option to a Pitch Shifter in the feedback patch (as pioneered by Brian Eno / U2). The Eventide Space contains the much praised Blackhole algorithm.
There are so many free and commercial options. Both in synths and in FX. Any of them can be used in all sorts of combinations for many different purposes.
As someone said: it is as much about the cook (how to use) as about the kitchen (what to use). You already have a great kitchen....maybe exploit that by acquiring more cooking skills?
