Dear fellow Syntaktians, are you up for a fun challenge?
Background: In a recent discussion in the ST feature request thread, @Monobear requested more punchy sounds from the Syntakt, and followed this up by asking if the Syntakt could produce sounds of similar character and punch to the Nord Drum.
I realize that assessing the similarities in sound between two different instruments is a very unscientific and highly subjective endeavour, but I still think that by listening to a couple of Nord drum sound clips it’s possible to get a pretty good idea about its sound. I also think it could be a fun challenge to try to get a similar sound and feel from the Syntakt.
No strict rules for this lab. It’s helpful if you post a little info on how you proceeded, what Syntakt machines and effects you used, if you’ve layered sounds, if you used any external processing etc. Just a little background.
Also, maybe it’s a good idea to post a link to any specific sounds or beats that you’ve tried to replicate, for example a timestamped YT video.
Here’s the Nord Drum video referenced in the other thread, as well as another video hat showcase its sound quite well imo.
Not to dissuade the spirit of the thread, but - some people are never going to be convinced otherwise of their opinions, especially when the opinions are repeated over 2+ years despite engagement. Syntakt is Syntakt, Nord Drum is Nord Drum. If one is chasing specific sounds I don’t understand why they just don’t use said device. Certainly better off exploring themselves rather than having multiple people attempt to prove them wrong.
I see your point. I didn’t start this thread with a hope or wish to change anyone’s opinions. My only ambition with this thread is to turn this into something fun and productive rather than the usual internet arguing (of which I am as guilty as anyone else). The best I can hope for is that this helps someone to open the Syntakt up for some new sounds.
I tried a few things the day before. I no longer have the Nord Drum 3p but as far as I can remember it had a few charakteristics that stood out. Obviously also because of the Pads it was extremly dynamic, if you beat the hell out of that thing the sounds really jumped the speakers. Then there were and is a certain hollowness to the sounds that even if they almost always sound artificial give them a special kind of haptics. There is almost every time this hollow body with a higher sound, modulatet white noise which also adds a lot of times. So I think layering would be key in the first place.
Who gets hurt by trying fun stuff? Why use a Syntakt than in the first place. It mimics sounds. Get an Osc, Filter and Envelopes, there is your Kick. Why use physical modelling? Just get a bowl and a stick. Punch and record.
It should be trivial to do the Oora video, I mean his stuff is usually quite basic and achievable by most pieces of gear made in the last 20 or so years.
Someone suggested using the velocity mods in the Syntakt to be able to control the dynamcis. I must admit I’ve never tried it, so maybe this will be my first time. Could be a fun exercise once it’s set up.
I agree on the hollowness property. Some sounds are also quite FM-y. I’m gonna try layering, and exploring FM Tone, SY Toy and also the delay at very short repeats for a kind of a karplus-strong type of emphasis to the sounds.
Could we at least get some uncompressed PCM references for the sounds we are to emulate? I cant tell how YT compression plays into the sounds…
Also, IIRC the ND revisions differ in sound quite a bit. I heard the first sounded the gnarliest of them all, and the ND3 is apparently the one with the least “mojo”…
This is a great idea Nils. I think it would be very cool (and if I owned a Syntakt I would really love it) if at the end of this, you guys select all the best one-shots and make a free “Nord Drum sounds for Syntakt” sound pack for other Elektronauts who use Syntakt but are maybe a bit less skilled in sound design.
Looking forward to hearing the results, especially if some A/B comparisons with the ND samples are possible.
Here’s my first try, as unscientific as it gets. I just listened to some ND sounds while in the car earlier today to get up to speed. Spent the last 20 minutes tweaking an existing pattering into something that felt like the same ballpark as the ND. It’s a starting point, not super close but I’ll give it more tries. I feel at least it conveys that you can get a decent snappiness with the ST.
Straight from the ST. Sorry about the Miami Vice timbres in middle there (I blame the beer)…
Edit: some more info
Kick: SY Tone
Hihats: SY Chord, UT Impulse x2, UT Noise
Snare: CP Vintage
Silly DX7 timbres: FM Tone
Drove everything through the FX track except the kick, and used a ramp envelope to Amp on the FX track to emphasize the snappiness.
I personally think you’d have an easier job using a DN than an ST. But the karplus strong sounds will be harder to achieve on any Elektron I suspect.
In addition to the general ‘vibe’ of the ND the effects are also really lofi and are used quite extensively in the presets. That might not be something you want to replicate but if you did it would be harder with Elektron as their reverbs and delays are very modern sounding (even the older ones).
I think it’s less a matter of exactly replicating, rather than achieving the same level of sterile, hollow punchiness, at least for me though, as I have little patience;)
(I blame the beer)…