What’s the trick to getting this “fluffy” 80s pad sound?

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
1

I’ve never really been able to get the type of “fluffy” pad sound right that you can for example hear in the opening of “Runaway” by Electric Youth:

Any tips?

2

Nice sound. Might try and get this going on my AK :wink: sounds almost like two patches layered?

3

Maybe start here, haven’t tried myself, i’d probably try a gentle high-pass and throw in some subtle noise too

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4

I’d look at PW mod to get that phasey sound going on. Then, yeah, a bit of noise, HP filters, A bit of chorus and delay. Longer envelope on amp and filter. Can’t tell if they detuned an oscillator down a fifth or if they programmed the same voice that way. This one really shines when the little arp and bass come up over it. Nice track.

Oh, and obligatory link: https://web.archive.org/web/20160403115835/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm

5

IMHO it’s

  • maybe a quite simple saw patch,
  • maybe two oscillators a little detuned, maybe only 2 upto 4 notes played only and the bass notes at least about 2 octaves below the upper notes - but the chord is not “thick”, and then
  • a smooth chorus with low LFO and not too much of depth
  • some delay or reverb might be supporting too.

If you add stereo width, it will sound gorgeous.

If I had to make a shot, I would start with a simple saw patch and send it through a Strymon Mobius - or similar high quality chorus FX :wink:

6

I don’t know if this helps but that sounds a lot like the classic Oberheim soft brass sound, run through some effects. Also found on the classic “Forever Young” by Alphaville. Here is a VST with OB sound clips, have a listen. They have a free demo so you may be able to reverse engineer the patch from their patches and the freebie.

http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro2/audioclips.html

7

I made a sound not exactly like this but somewhat close called ‘Sunset Palm’.
It’s available on my website www.newwavepresets.com.

And if you try to make it, I would use the Triangle wave forms with the pulse widths set far over to turn them into ‘soft’ saws. And also keep the levels low, and ‘detune’ them. In the filter use some overdrive to get your volume back.

1 Like
8

Nice patch :slight_smile: way closer to OP’s video link than I got this afternoon! Only had half hour, got nowhere near really and gave up. Kept sounding too ‘organ’ like… Probably buy yours :wink:
Out of curiosity I opened Diva and nailed it in 5 minutes. Might just resign myself to using Diva for these kind of sounds. I don’t have the programming chops to get this kind of stuff out of AK yet without spending time I don’t really have. Loving AK for weird/industrial sounds at the moment tho :slight_smile: