Yes, another annoying "how's it done" type of question, but this one's bothered me for a while. There's a certain type of techno/house synth-chord that I've heard in a number of tracks that, no matter what I've tried, I can't even come remotely close to recreating. I think I can program the basic synth sound, but it's the one-finger chord type stab that's eluding me. I figure that fiddling with the Ableton MIDI chord plug-in would lead me to it, but I just can't get the right notes in the chord (but this has led me to create some other nice sounding chord-shapes). Here are examples of tracks that use this type of sound (the first example perhaps being the most famous for it):
Kerri Chandler - Bar A Thym
John Tejada - Chorgs (from Mono on Mono EP)
René Breitbarth - Le Rythme Korg
Office Gossip - Carbon Copy
Hopefully someone knows what I'm talking about and can help me out here.
Yet another "how's this sound made" post (be gentl
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Phurniture
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the chords aren't that hard. so I presume it's not the notes that forms your problem.
I've only checked out Kerri Chandler and Breitbarth briefly,
and tried quickly with Analog in Live, since I'm at work here, so no real analogs with full features to dive into detail (nor proper monitors).
I think you're probably forgetting the pitch envelope, and maybe some portamento (but that could be just the pitch envelope)
make the pitch slide quickly upwards with your pitch envelope.
depending on how many features the pitch envelope on whatever the synth you're using has (if you have a real old one without a pitch envelope, you could use an upwards saw or triangle LFO for the upgoing part only).
try not giving your oscillators the exact same pitch envelope, but make them just a bit different, so that your oscillators start beating.
I think there might also be some release in your pitch envelope involved, but I can't check from over here. If there is, it's only a little.
Try using Unison, but not too much.
and finish it off if you want with a slow LFO on your pitch. just a tiny tiny bit.
I'd probably be able to give you more detail if I'd be at home, cause that way I can quickly play the chord, in the right rhythm, and then start the sound design from there, and that's a lot more efficient than having to first klick in the notes by mouse untill they're correct, and then clicking in the right rhythm and blablabla...
try the pitch envelope.
if it doesn't put you in the right direction, let me know, and I'll dive into it a bit further when in the studio.
(but that might take a day or two)
I've only checked out Kerri Chandler and Breitbarth briefly,
and tried quickly with Analog in Live, since I'm at work here, so no real analogs with full features to dive into detail (nor proper monitors).
I think you're probably forgetting the pitch envelope, and maybe some portamento (but that could be just the pitch envelope)
make the pitch slide quickly upwards with your pitch envelope.
depending on how many features the pitch envelope on whatever the synth you're using has (if you have a real old one without a pitch envelope, you could use an upwards saw or triangle LFO for the upgoing part only).
try not giving your oscillators the exact same pitch envelope, but make them just a bit different, so that your oscillators start beating.
I think there might also be some release in your pitch envelope involved, but I can't check from over here. If there is, it's only a little.
Try using Unison, but not too much.
and finish it off if you want with a slow LFO on your pitch. just a tiny tiny bit.
I'd probably be able to give you more detail if I'd be at home, cause that way I can quickly play the chord, in the right rhythm, and then start the sound design from there, and that's a lot more efficient than having to first klick in the notes by mouse untill they're correct, and then clicking in the right rhythm and blablabla...
try the pitch envelope.
if it doesn't put you in the right direction, let me know, and I'll dive into it a bit further when in the studio.
(but that might take a day or two)
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kristofason
- mnml maxi
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Haven't listened to all of them so I just checked out the John Tejada track.
The chords are minor 9ths ( with no 3rds - I think ) If you have a synth with a chord memory button, play this chord: E,B,D,F#. You'd need to have it doubled up in a lower 8ve too. Then the progression goes, Em9, Gm9, Cm9, Am9.
The Polysix on the Korg Legacy can get very close to that type of sound btw.
The chords are minor 9ths ( with no 3rds - I think ) If you have a synth with a chord memory button, play this chord: E,B,D,F#. You'd need to have it doubled up in a lower 8ve too. Then the progression goes, Em9, Gm9, Cm9, Am9.
The Polysix on the Korg Legacy can get very close to that type of sound btw.