Tips on making percussion sounds with synths

Multicellular

When not simply recording real drums, I've long been prone to sampling things for drums & percussion. And almost always sought things that were unpitched.

But lately I've been inspired by Ruismaker Noir and Icegears several synths with pitched noise as dynamic semi-tuned percussion elements.

So what are the synthesis techniques you use to muddle the sense of pitch with your typical subtractive or wavetable synths? Ones that velocity or keytracking to be nicely dynamic?

I'd be especially interested in doing this with Novation Circuit. Really enjoying it combined with iPad in a workflow sense and it has a few tools that I've already been able to make a few nice patches with. e.g.
-routing velocity to noise levels, filter frequencies, decay.
-bit crushing
-ye olde env to pitch

ElectroHead

@Multicellular said:

So what are the synthesis techniques you use to muddle the sense of pitch with your typical subtractive or wavetable synths? Ones that velocity or keytracking to be nicely dynamic?

>

LFO at high rate to pitch, (or fm freq if available). Use velocity or mod env to modulate depth. Keytrack > env rate or intensity.

Sound on Sounds Synth Secrets articles on synthesizing percussion are well worth reading:

Try synthesizing the examples of standard perc sounds - it's very useful to understand the methods to synthesize these - then experiment!

Multicellular

@ElectroHead said:

@Multicellular said:

So what are the synthesis techniques you use to muddle the sense of pitch with your typical subtractive or wavetable synths? Ones that velocity or keytracking to be nicely dynamic?

>

LFO at high rate to pitch, (or fm freq if available). Use velocity or mod env to modulate depth. Keytrack > env rate or intensity.

Sound on Sounds Synth Secrets articles on synthesizing percussion are well worth reading:

Try synthesizing the examples of standard perc sounds - it's very useful to understand the methods to synthesize these - then experiment!

Many thanks. Already read one article and it gave me a cool patch idea Ive dialed in.

ElectroHead

So I just had a quick look at the specs of the Circuit's synth engine. On the face of it, with two oscillators, two lfos, no fm it appears limited - e.g. 909 kick drum uses four sound sources (essentially oscillators) Two (almost) triangle's, click and noise. The hats in the TR-606 have 6 oscillators. On the other hand, the mod matrix is deep; there are delays on the lfos, and being digital, the envelopes should be fast and snappy. If you can sequence changes to oscillator type, you should be able to whip up some perc lines with lots of variation.

ElectroHead

Many thanks. Already read one article and it gave me a cool patch idea Ive dialed in.

Ace!

Multicellular

@ElectroHead said:
So I just had a quick look at the specs of the Circuit's synth engine. On the face of it, with two oscillators, two lfos, no fm it appears limited - e.g. 909 kick drum uses four sound sources (essentially oscillators) Two (almost) triangle's, click and noise. The hats in the TR-606 have 6 oscillators. On the other hand, the mod matrix is deep; there are delays on the lfos, and being digital, the envelopes should be fast and snappy. If you can sequence changes to oscillator type, you should be able to whip up some perc lines with lots of variation.

Yes granted, I originally got the unit for the sample load and easy peasy manipulation. What I hope to do merely with the synth percussion is to make each synth a dynamically and pitch controlled single type drum or perc, mimicking if you will, a drum or cymbals ability to be played in different spots for subtle to larger variations. Combined with the samples and iPad Ruismaker, etc. for more regular eDrum sounds, it becomes a huge pallet of drums and percussion.

Ive already got 5 sweet un or barely pitched patches, but i just want to push the options.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Multicellular

Thanks. Those are helpful. As noted, new area of synthesis for me. Having lots of oh right of course! Moments. Appreciate it.