Anyone have ideas on how to make symphonic gong sounds using FM?

Elektron Gear Digitone/Digitone Keys
#1

Long shot

But i thought i would put it to the Bluesky thinking brains trust that can be Elektronaughts.

It may not even be close to possible, but does anyone have any ideas about achieving something similar to a large symphonic/plasma gong sound using DN or other FM?

I don’t mean tubular bells or typical gong sounds, but this sort of inharmonic, resonant, metallic, fluming, wonderful sort of whale call…?

From about 2:22

From about 1hr and 32minutes

7 Likes
#2

Sounds great! I’d think getting someway there is possible, using multiple detuned and harmonically shifting oscillators, some reverb and filtering, I think the best approach would be start with that and go from there. The envelopes would need to have both a very long attack phase for the strokes and a percussive attack phase for the strikes so multiple tracks would need to be used.

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#3

not even close but I’ll keep trying, I feel that it’s possible with the DN

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#4

The sounds from the Video are really special! Great find, subbed. My advise on the gong sound: Harmonic Series Modulator Wave, with slow movement.

https://xferrecords.com/forums/general/serum-making-a-harmonic-series-type-wavetable-but-with-other-scales

Thes gongs likely have a scle imprinted like the hang drums.

3 Likes
#5

Not exactly the sound you are looking for but maybe some of these FM patches could be used as a starting point:

He has also a couple of other FM synthesis videos I have found helpful.

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#6

If anybody has access to Synplant, you can analyze a gong sample, find a suitable resynthesis, and then try to emulate those parameters on the DN.

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#7

the main motif here is a gong sound (it’s included in my Curses), just tuned higher. The key is to use the second page and detune those OPs to strong microtonal intervals, thus creating inharmonic spectra.

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#8

Those are some super gnarly freaking wobbly whale calls, what a great sound scape.

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#9

:an attempt using all 4 voice layers with lots of detunings (verb and chorus too):

24 Likes
#10

Wow! I rate this…
Any suggestions as to how you made this would be awesome.

#11

"Sheet meta"l is definitely a big help for a “layer” of this sound! Thank you…

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#12

NICE, everything you do is pure gold…i have to check my jealousy levels watching your videos…:star_struck:

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#13

Where has your fat sausage gone?

Nice! You nailed the base tone with the pulsing beat frequencies! Good to know that you can achieved this much with the DN… would you need another channel to get the metalic blooms? Or will any of the existing patches open up harmonically to get the clamouring plasma like tones? Excellent work!! Care to share any techniques???

1 Like
#14

sure!

C018 GONG.dnsnd (608 Bytes)
C019 GONG LAYER.dnsnd (633 Bytes)

notes
  • first thing, the recording was through rytm ext in, I turned down the compressor but imo it still does something to the sound so there might be some slight difference when recorded directly from DN.
  • the second layer GONG LAYER is underutilized here, my intentions with it is to create more resonances but I had limited time so it’s just pretty much one octave up variation of GONG sound
  • as lfos are limited to one destination, macros are key here, I’ve mapped some things on Modwheel and BreathController mods, MW mostly filter and B1/B2 offsets, BC is pitch, same for both layers, I use EC4 to control them simultaneously, if you use DAW or something like midihub you can probably create lfo to control the macros which would be perfect to simulate the mechanical movement of the hand going around the gong.
  • second filter can be used to remove some of the high noise, didn’t do it yet
  • I totally overdid the master distortion, should be reduced
6 Likes
#15

Heh! Lost the sausage was a while ago.
I’ll upload the patch tomorrow (or the project, as it uses all voices and I can’t remember how those save, sound should still be as I left it) :+1:

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#16

:man_shrugging:

Here are a few similar attempts, they all are sort of sounds overstated, like a ships fog-horn or someone dropping a piano down the stairs in a massive cathedral. Its a start I guess. I will keep refining. maybe less is more?

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#17


Edit: 4 tracks of DN

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#18

DN can make any sound confirmed :smiley:

1 Like