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Need some help regarding SFX/Stabs/Lasers and stuff
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Kryten
IsraTrance Junior Member
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333
Posted : Apr 15, 2010 18:51:34
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Hey everyone!
Theres one thing in production with which I still have massive problems and I hope to get some help here.
My problem is that all I produced so far (some short "test"-tracks) sounds somewhat boring or minimal and I guess its because I am missing SFX/Stabs/Lasers and so on.
I have no clue what the best approach would be to construct those sounds.(sometimes I get some by "accident" but those dont fit in the tracks well)
I would really appreciate some advice on this or maybe some links to videos/tutorials where that is covered.
Cheers,
Kryten |
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Chemogen
IsraTrance Full Member
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166
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713
Posted : Apr 15, 2010 19:35
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All about the rhythm. Make some 8th note one shots all pull some from a sample folder. Then make them groove. Pay on the off beats, build those rhythms around your snare for a nice effect. |
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Kryten
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
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333
Posted : Apr 16, 2010 17:41
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thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I dont have any samples except drums&percussion.
I like to build the sounds by myself, but I dont know how for these sounds
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aciduss
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 16, 2010 19:54
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Ok...
- Get some sample CDs
- Invert drums
- Stretch drums
- Records noises
- Use a synth with fast pitch modulation (lfo / env)
- Also high resonance fast filter sweeps
- Get Microtonic or Waldorf attack
Basically you have to think of very fast pitch modulations... a "laser" is made of a very fast going from a high tone to a low or vise versa.
Try using different oscs, filters, noise, etc... layering and so.
cheers. |
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TimeTraveller
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 16, 2010 19:58
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MeditationProfonde
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Apr 16, 2010 21:30
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At first you can download a pack of SFX samples to have an idea of all the classics FX. With a bit experience you'll be able to understand how to make them yourself. I think it's the best way to begin. For exemple you have the vengeance pack.
How to do an FX ?
Basically : take a sample and put effects on it. Reverb and delays are the most effective for someone who begins with effects i think.
For example take a clap, put a lot of reverb ont it and you have an FX.
Another exemple you can use delayed/distorded/reverbered vocals.
You can also make nice weird songs with a synth, record them to audio, and then work on them with effects like delay, reverb ...
In my last experiment i wanted to make a sound of wind and i took a noise oscillator, randomly modulated BP cutoff and i had a perfectly realistic wind effect.
For the laser, like aciduss said, take a synth on which you can modulate the pitch or also said the "tune". Choose any waveform and any filter if you want.
And modulate with an enveloppe with no attack, no sustain, no release, and a very short delay. With a bigger delay you'll obtain a fart 
 http://www.myspace.com/psyrit |
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makus
Overdream
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82
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3087
Posted : Apr 16, 2010 23:32
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Quote:
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On 2010-04-15 18:51:34, Kryten wrote:
I have no clue what the best approach would be to construct those sounds.(sometimes I get some by "accident" but those dont fit in the tracks well)
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buying sample cd is a fast way to add something to your track, but is it the best and most creative way? i don't want to be a wise-ass, but learn sound synthesis is my answer. basically you can start with subtractive synthesis - it is the most simple one and will give you nice results.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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musAphira
IsraTrance Junior Member
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21
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119
Posted : Apr 17, 2010 02:08
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Quote:
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On 2010-04-16 23:32, makus wrote:
buying sample cd is a fast way to add something to your track, but is it the best and most creative way?
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yep, but you can learn A LOT with playing around with samples and after all you dont like your buyed samples anymore and then you start to create your own samples/fx. cause then you are know what you are doing and how to use them!!!
i buyed some samples at my startup too. especially up-/downlifters and drumloops. and i was never sorry about it. !!!
so i totally agree with aciduss !!! |
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willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 17, 2010 07:54
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Kryten
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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333
Posted : Apr 19, 2010 17:45
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Thanks a lot for all these hints, I think now I know what to try out.
Due to my poor english it may have sounded like I am a bloody noob when it comes to synthesis, thats not 100% true tho.
I have already learned a lot about it, mainly subtractive and a bit FM.
Im just missing the expirience, have to practice a lot more.
The sounds I make are all more or less created by accident and not by thought and plannig.
I still find it very hard to make a sound I have in my head(except very simple ones like bass-sound or kick-sound/drums).
Also when I created sounds which sound like fast stabds/SFX or lasers, they somehow dont fit into the tracks I built them for....Thats a bit frustrating...working on one sounds for an hour or two just to find out that it wont fit....but I guess thats part of the learnig-curve... |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
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3087
Posted : Apr 20, 2010 12:32
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Quote:
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On 2010-04-17 02:08, musAphira wrote:
Quote:
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On 2010-04-16 23:32, makus wrote:
buying sample cd is a fast way to add something to your track, but is it the best and most creative way?
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yep, but you can learn A LOT with playing around with samples and after all you dont like your buyed samples anymore and then you start to create your own samples/fx.
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won't you learn even more if you cut to the real thing from start and start synthesizing?  there are plenty of good fx examples in released tunes which you, as I understand, listen to from time to time.
ps btw most of those examples are actually sounds from sample cds lol
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 20, 2010 13:29
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I spent a good 2 hours the other day attempting to synthesize a couple of different 'typical' psy noises, namely 'lasers' and 'zipper' noises.
I could have just searched through my gigs and gigs of random samples pulled from all over the net, and probably would have found something similar to what I intended in my head to have,
however! In those 2 hours I learned so much more than I would have, and instead of having to go through sampled .wav files I now have my own patch in Operator where I can tweak all the little variables and produce tons of different types of zips and lasers, plus I got a bunch of new ideas and my general understanding of synthesis went up a little bit.
IMHO there is no comparison whatsoever as to which approach is better for you in the long run. Synthesize your own shit. It's fun!
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch...you must first invent the universe
www.soundcloud.com/tasp
www.soundcloud.com/kinematic-records |
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Kryten
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
333
Posted : Apr 20, 2010 14:18
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Quote:
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On 2010-04-20 13:29, willsanquil wrote:
I spent a good 2 hours the other day attempting to synthesize a couple of different 'typical' psy noises, namely 'lasers' and 'zipper' noises.
I could have just searched through my gigs and gigs of random samples pulled from all over the net, and probably would have found something similar to what I intended in my head to have,
however! In those 2 hours I learned so much more than I would have, and instead of having to go through sampled .wav files I now have my own patch in Operator where I can tweak all the little variables and produce tons of different types of zips and lasers, plus I got a bunch of new ideas and my general understanding of synthesis went up a little bit.
IMHO there is no comparison whatsoever as to which approach is better for you in the long run. Synthesize your own shit. It's fun!
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Thats exactly the reason why I dont have any samples besides drums/percussion ones.
I really want to learn that stuff "the hard way".
I also created some nice sounds yesterday by just recording various synth sounds to an audio track and then working with effects/reverse there. I havent tried if they fit into my track yet tho 
As I also work with Ableton and its default tools, would you mind explaining the most basic settigs for Operator when it comes to 'zipper/laser' style sounds? I still cant get them somehow...
- Sine wave as basis?
- pitch env. for pitch modulation or better with LFO?
cheers,
Kryten |
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willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 20, 2010 23:13
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Operator is perfect for these noises - I have tried using Sine Wave for these noises and while it does 'work', its very low in harmonic content and so it easily gets lost in the mix, I have been using Saw and Triangle waveforms primarily and that seems to work well.
As for bouncing synth noises into an audio track, that's great fun, but also try to familiarize yourself with the Sampler - samplers are incredibly powerful and I wish I had spent more time in the past couple months learning them.
Here's a bit of my 'zip' Operator patch, though I'm not sure how 'zippy' it is, though I like it:
One oscillator, Saw D, coarse at .5, 15 second attack, 6 second decay, no release
Saw Up LFO, Low @ 78.62, ammt @ 100%
Low 12 db filter, cut off all the way down, resonance all the way up, no attack 6 second decay , envelope @ 83%
no pitch envelope - pitch envelope is great for producing the 'speed up' or 'slow down' effect, play around with long attacks with the initial starting either way up or way down...
going to copy some stuff from a really great book I got a couple of months ago called "The Dance Music Manual" - I used these as a conceptual basis for a couple of FX noises, hope it helps
Zipping FX
...created with two oscillators and an LFO to modulate the filter frequency. Start by selecting a saw and triangle as the two oscillator waveforms and detune one from the other by +7. Use a fast attack and release along with a medium to long decay and medium sustain on the amp's EG and, using a low-pass filter set the cut-off quite low but use a high resonance. Finally, set a sawtooth LFO at full depth to slowly modulate the filter's cut-off and, if possible, use an envelope to modulate the LFO's speed so that it gradually speeds up as the note plays.
Zap FX
...turn the filter cut-off down to zero and increase the resonance until it breaks into self-oscillation, creation a pure sine wave. Set the amplifier's attack to a fast attack, sustain and release, and a medium decay, tand use these same settings on the filter envelope. Set this latter envelope to fully modulate the filter and then use either a triangle or saw wave LFO set at a medium speed and full depth to modulate the filter's cut off.
should be enough info to get your ball rolling so to speak
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch...you must first invent the universe
www.soundcloud.com/tasp
www.soundcloud.com/kinematic-records |
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Kryten
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
333
Posted : Apr 20, 2010 23:37
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I also have the Dance music manual. I did read it once a few months ago, where I started all this..I totally forgot about the part where those sounds are created....thanks!
For the Opertaor settings you mentioned:
At first I thought that you mean ms instead of seconds, cause I wasnt getting anything useful. But that made it worse actually.
Now I set the LFO to also modulate the filter...seems better, somehow funny sound...but I think I have to work on it a bit more.
Hm, and about the samplers. I mainly use simpler when I used cubase a few weeks ago, I used Kontakt, but never used any extra things on it, just for playing the sounds I will see to get into that a bit more, I remember something about that in the Dance Music manual...I think I skipped that part
Thanks again for the great advice so far... |
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