Sound creation

[Carol]

I've been asked to create the sound heard in Matt Mays "Building a Boat". While it sounds simple enough, I am a total beginner at creating sounds. Does anyone has that sound, or know of a patch that I could use to edit?

However I do need to learn to create sounds on the Kronos. I tried using the manual but I dont know enough of the basics, like what is that sound made of? There is so much i dont know, including where to begin. Is there a website somewhere that demonstrates and explains the different effects? I dont mean just Kronos effects, i mean all those effects that are regularly used, words like phasing, flange, oscillation, LFO etc ... come to mind but i dont know what they are or what they do.

Happy New Year Everyone

[pete.m]

Hi Carol,

The best answer I can give you is simply two words long - just play!

If that sounds unfriendly or disrespectful, I can assure you that I mean the exact opposite. But your questions ask how to mould a sound on a synthesizer and what effects do, which is pretty much the same as asking someone to show you how to make a synthesizer work. Your best answer to those questions is just to delve in, push some buttons and twiddle some knobs - using your ears and your feelings to decide what you like and don't like, rather than worrying about dictionary definitions. Along the way, you'll produce the sounds that you love.

In terms of general tips to help you create sounds, you could do worse than check out some of the many tutorials on Youtube, including those by fellow forum user Qui Robinez.
If you are looking to broaden the palette of sounds in your Kronos in other ways, and to move away from the factory presets, then there are many free PCGs to be found online - some of which came originally from other forum users - and many more that can be bought. Just search for Kronos PCGs, and you'll find plenty.

In terms of getting to know the Kronos better, I must say that this forum has been invaluable, so I encourage you to follow up on all the tips that some up here.

I've just given the Matt Mays track a quick listen (on poor speakers, sadly), and there isn't that much to listen to - the keyboard sound is just bubbling under all the guitars. In a way, though, it sounds a little like a fairly simple organ sound, put through a phaser and arpeggiated. The sound isn't a million miles away from the arp sound on the Who's 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. So head to the organ sounds, and you should find yourself in the right general area to start tweaking.

Really, though, I go back to my point at the start. From the comment at the bottom of your question about a DX7, I assume that you used to have one. If so, I commiserate - they were awful to program. But the Kronos is way more powerful, and very user-friendly, so pitch in and have fun. I wish you all the best as you begin to explore.

Pete.

[robw70]

Definitely worth just jumping and fiddling with things.
That said, if you are really at the basics then there are a few common traits across all synthesizer engines (of which there are 9 in the Kronos!).

You can google for pages easy enough, I just googled synth programming and got this one with some of the basic basics.

http://www.loopmasters.com/articles/300 ... g-Tutorial

Best option is to start with a sound close to what you are after and then go fiddle with it and see what happens.

[ando727]

I think this page is worth a look through too:

http://moogfoundation.org/learning-synt ... damentals/

Personally, I think it's essential to at least have a look at the basics of envelopes because all of those parameters are going to take forever to figure out by pure experimentation. I think you can take literally 2 years off the learning process if you learn what an envelope is, what filters do, what LFOs do, basic effects types, and the different types of waves that are used.

[QuiRobinez]

i've created a kronos tutorial that explains the basic concepts of sound creation.

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a pad sound in the HD-1 Engine. It shows the following topics:
- selecting an Oscillator
- set the envelopes (ADSR)
- set the filter
- the use of an LFO
- Insert FX
- Master FX
- Examples of different type of pad sounds

It's intended for beginners and shows the basics of creating a pad.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QzW9vz6Jye0" frameborder="0"></iframe>

[amit]

While playing around is quite fun way to learn,
With some basic concepts knowledge goes a long way, other than that understanding mechanics of different types of sounds is quite helpful.

Below are links to some videos,
One is an old arp odyssey video, but the concept you can apply to any subtractive synth. https://youtu.be/Pu2JwwG3bjA[url]https: ... u2JwwG3bjA[/url]
Important thing to learn here is how are some of the common known sounds are being generated and the thought process behind

Second is basics of synthesis and the terms.
https://youtu.be/atvtBE6t48M[url]https: ... tvtBE6t48M[/url]

This video is about lot of basics, so watch this first.

[jeremykeys]

Hi Carol. This might help get you pointed in the right direction.

I would first start with the sound "Stab Saw". It's in the Fast Synth bank. In my Kronos it's User-E 005. It's a Polysix sound. Press the EXi tab and then the main tab. look at the EG section. Attack should be 0, delay at 3.5, sustain at 0 and release at 0. We're not close yet though. on the same page, output volume should be 6.3. look up to the effects section. Mode should be set to Phase and the speed to 1.

next we go to the tabs at the bottom again. Press common and then basic program. Near the upper right side of the page you will see where it says EXi2 Instrument type. Below that it should say off. Touch that and set it for PolysixEX.

At the top right corner of the page you will see an arrow pointing down. Touch this. It will say Copy EXi oscillator. If you touch this you will open up a menu of choices. What you want to find is the exact same number as the sound that you already have. U-E005 Stab Saw. Make sure that the first box says EXi1. Tick the cop[y tone setting box too. press ok.

Down the bottom of that same page you will see Transpose. Set EXi2 to +07. This is how you get the chord that is playing in the song.

Press the Press the EXi2 tab and then the Main tab. Set the output volume to 10. Press the common tab.

Now we come to the Karma button. Press it and then the GE setup/ Key zones tab. Look for GE select. You want 0000 Arp model 01.

Near the left of the Kronos' control panel, press the Karma button to turn it on. Play the A above middle C. Now slide the number 5 slider down and hopefully you have something close to the sound.

I know it's not exact but at least you may be in the ball park. Hope this works for you. If not, maybe one to the geniuses here can help you like they always help me!

Good luck!

[Carol]

Wow thankyou everybody for understanding my questions and offering so many helpful answers. I have been experimenting but without understanding the terminology, not recognizing the sound of a filter or a phaser , I didn't know what I was tweaking or why. What I now understand from everybody's answers is the Oscillator is the starting point, and everything else after that effects the Oscillator. I previously thought Oscillation was an effect! No wonder I didn't know where to start. The links that some of you have given me all repeat the theme of the basics that I am looking for (repetition really works for me).

Answers like "it sounds a little like a fairly simple organ sound, put through a phaser and arpeggiated." (pete.m), perfectly describes the recognition of how the sound is made.

QuiRobinez, i have watched many of your tutorials, and downloaded many of your sounds. I love them! From you i easily learnt to make combi's. I had previously watched the video that you posted here, but still I couldn't grasp what i was doing. Now that i have read these other answers and looked at some of the links, it's all clicking into place and i'm finding your video now very helpful.

I have the "wont get fooled again" sound, I will take another look at that. I will also follow jeremykeys instructions, and with the basic info given in the links of others, i hope to understand what I am doing, rather than just blindly following instructions.

From the bottom of my learning curve, I was overwhelmed. Googling was mind boggling lol. I couldn't see which way was up! Reading your answers has certainly given me a clear starting point and a direction. I am excited now to proceed THANKS HEAPS!!

[pete.m]

Hi Carol,

There have been some really interesting answers in this post. Best of luck to you, and I hope you nail that sound. Keep asking your questions, too - we all learn something from them!

Pete.

[voip]

Good luck with the journey of discovery. Keep in mind that the sound you're after in the "Building a Boat" piece may make use a gating type effect to achieve the pulsating nature of the sound.

.

[SanderXpander]

If you don't mind that it's a little dry, Sound on Sound Magazine did a pretty good series covering both basic and advanced synth sound design called "synth secrets". Googling "sound on sound synth secrets" should turn it right up.

[robw70]

It is so very nice when Carol gets back to all of us trying to help with such an enthusiastic thank you and progress being made. Well done Kronos community! Carol is on their way.



Carol, in terms of getting a feel for the "order of things" in the synth engines, you mentioned figuring out Oscillators, in the Kronos Parameter guide at the beginning of each Synth Engine section there is a flow diagram showing how the Oscillators, envelope generators, filters, modulators, and effects are ordered. Given there are 9 synth engines in the Kronos it can be a little overwhelming at first but judging by your new understanding you may find this useful in navigating them one at a time. You will also see how very similar the terminology is for many aspects.