Sound Design

Autopoiesis · 2020-12-30T03:29:04.445Z

Just coming here to emphasize the importance, as has been mentioned, of using the one-shot exponential decay LFO to modulate either overdrive (from a zero or near-zero base level), or a synth/sample’s level (while overdrive is set in the mid range). This gives any voice much more punch, almost like there’s a dedicated compressor with a slow attack inserted on the sound. That trick especially helps snares crack better, and you can get a lot closer to a good 808 snare with SD Classic if you use that LFO (as @JustinValer did in AR808). Also helps synthesized claps jump out more.

Without that everything sounds pretty flabby to me. It would be probably the biggest improvement to the Rytm’s sound quality if Elektron would make the envelope curves adjustable, as the ones for amp are too linear for punchy sounds, and I can’t be bothered with layering transient samples on every track.

I’ve also found that BD Sharp with a lowpass filter after it makes great 909ish kicks to my ears. Add a sub-bass sample for more body and that’s a flexible bass drum patch mostly consisting of sweet spots.

High-pass filter on snares, claps, hats helps to remove lower frequencies that easily accumulate as muddy garbage.

Have been debating selling my AR and going back to a TR8S for more instant gratification on the bread and butter x0x stuff, but I think it’s a keeper once you put in the work and save some presets to build off of later. From that point on the challenge is to have the self-discipline not to endlessly tweak shit any further, which isn’t easy when you’ve already put in that much time getting the sounds right.

varm_kall · 2021-01-04T18:57:11.261Z

These are great tips, made a couple of really cool sounds.

Also, this thread is awesome. Would love to hear more of your sound design tips.

johnl · 2021-01-04T19:47:58.706Z

I don’t even have a Rytm and I’m loving this thread

Michael_S · 2021-01-06T12:15:17.461Z

For Hi-Hats & Cymbals, I like to use the bandpass filter + overdrive. I noticed that these machines in the AR often can get sounds very rich in the high frequencies. In contrast, some classic drum machines (e.g., 909) used rather low bitrate samples for the Hi-Hats and lacked this richness in the high frequencies. With the bandpass filter set at a high level (something between 90 - 120) and a proper amount of overdrive, you can mimic these textures.

Autopoiesis · 2021-01-06T14:00:02.144Z

Another strange thing to note: I’ve found that even with low sample volume, filter fully open, no overdrive, and bypassing the master fx (via individual out), AR cuts the highest frequencies of my high hat, cymbal, clap, and snare samples. You can regain those highs by using a peak filter set to 127 and resonance around 20. At that setting, you don’t get the metallic ringing that you often get from the peak filter.

This is definitely related to what folks have said is the “dark” sound of the AR, but it’s nice to know that you can overcome it with the peak filter.

LyingDalai · 2021-01-06T14:05:56.324Z

For the notice, I usually select the HP filter for hats and cymbals. It does the trick too.

mat0322 · 2021-01-06T14:25:12.066Z

I almost use too much of the BD silky and a little distortion of around 3 gives everything more punch without getting it dirty

Autopoiesis · 2021-01-06T14:27:37.490Z

But even if you use the HP filter, AR still removes these highest frequencies! It actually has nothing to do with the filter. The resonant peak filter @ max cutoff is a hack to boost those recover those frequencies that are removed in the AR.

I determined this by loading the same 16-bit samples into: ( a ) Octatrack, ( b ) Bitwig, ( c ) Rytm and comparing in a frequency analysis plugin. Even with the HP filter, Rytm lost some energy in the highest frequencies, but you can “regain” them with the peak filter.

craig · 2021-01-06T14:36:09.802Z

Has anybody tried creating something with the synthesis engines, then resampling it via the mains for added FX, then using that sample layer with another round of synthesis? This could be done over and over a few times and with different synthesis engines, too. I might give it a go tonight. With such a range of different synthesis engines, there’s not much that couldn’t be done via this method.

LyingDalai · 2021-01-06T15:02:50.803Z

Autopoiesis:

Rytm lost some energy in the highest frequencies, but you can “regain” them with the peak filter.

Oh, I thought it was like A4, like the filter would tame some frequencies when RES is set to 0.
All right good to know, thx.

craig:

Has anybody tried creating something with the synthesis engines, then resampling it via the mains for added FX, then using that sample layer with another round of synthesis?

Yes, I do this a lot.
This way you can layer several percussions and gather them in one track.
Or go crazy on plocks and have some long sample to butcher ^^

Michael_S · 2021-01-16T18:14:18.941Z

Here is the parameters to my kick drum template. It’s a clean, punchy kick drum that is present in the mix while leaving enough space for other sounds.

MACHINE: BD Plastic

SYNTH

TUN: -4
SWT: 47
SWD: 55
DEC: 40
TYP: 0
MOD: 0
TIC: 127

FILTER

ATK: 0
DEC: 14
SUS: 0
REL: 64
FRQ: 22
RES: 48
TYP: HP2
ENV: 8

AMP

ATK: 0
HLD: 10
DEC: 55
OVR: 0
DEL: OFF (a delay with a triplet pattern can be used to build tension in a transition)
REV: OFF

LFO

SPD: 63
MUL: x512
FAD: 0
DST: AMP OVERDRIVE
WAV: EXP
SPH: 0
MOD: ONE
DEP: 5

tendingtropic · 2021-03-02T20:08:36.459Z

could someone talk me through thi one shot exponential decally LFO trick? I don’t get it… how to do this on the rytm?

Autopoiesis · 2021-03-03T11:15:22.616Z

Try the LFO settings @Michael_S just shared in the post before yours. In that case, the exponential decay one-shot LFO is routed to the Amp Overdrive destination. Make sure that the LFO is set to retrig on the Trig page. Maybe increase the Depth parameter on the LFO page to get a better idea of what’s going on.

Tchu · 2021-03-03T20:40:34.868Z

Isn’t like doing a relatively « fast up and down » turn with a knob like DJ’s do when they introduce a Kick by intervals with the Low EQ knob on a mixer? That’s the way I see it. I always picture LFO’s as knob movements.

GirTheRobot · 2021-03-03T20:47:17.015Z

A one shot exponential decay LFO is basically like an AD envelope. How fast or how slow the LFO rate is is basically like the decay time.

Try putting it on something obvious so you can hear what it’s doing, like pitch. If you put it on the pitch of a sample or, say, kick drum, you will hear it sweep from a point high above the base pitch down to the base pitch pretty quickly (like an envelope). An inverted exponential LFO would of course do the opposite

One of my favorite tricks on the OT is to send an inverted exponential one-shot LFO to the rate of the sample, so every time the sample is triggered it sounds like a tape starting up.

tendingtropic · 2021-03-04T08:41:19.022Z

Thanks!

alfiedotwtf · 2021-07-16T08:46:29.723Z

Even though the 909’s Open Hi Hat was sampled, can anyone here given their settings for something that’s in the ball park?

But would love ball park settings for all the 909 instruments

Octagonist · 2021-07-16T10:45:58.672Z

I’m gonna play the contrarian: why spend the effort? The original was a sample; samples of that sample exist in hundreds of official and pirate sound packs. Roland have released several remakes of the box, and probably some sound packs too. Just use one of those if you want the 909 sound.

In the time you saved, you could make a different sound that is unique to you and your music.

alfiedotwtf · 2021-07-16T17:18:47.616Z

Yeah, but where’s the fun in that

randy909 · 2023-12-12T18:33:18.216Z

In the past I have tried to get more from the tom machines by assigning the LFO to TUNE to get some FM going. This has led to some kind of ringing or feedback that limits a lot of the range. With the latest 1.7 update I get a much better FM result on the XT Classic machine than I ever remember from before the update. The BT Classic machine still responds poorly to FM. Am I remembering correctly or did I just never actually try the XT Classic machine properly? I’m super excited about the range of sounds I’m able to get from these toms now.

Another possibility is that I’ve learned that the ‘amount’ or ‘depth’ parameter on the RYTM is quite sensitive when doing FM. Perhaps I was setting depth too high in the past, I’ve found that a little goes a long way.