Need help with string pad sound

[marius86]

Hello

 

I want to find a string pad sound that can work as a starting point because I want to try to emulate the pad sound in the intro of this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTXUrY8_7nk.

My problem is:

1. These guys are pros, I am not.

2. The sound is covered in flanger effects so it is difficult to know where to start. The sound also has some rytmic sequences that also makes it complicated.

3. The "pad" is monophonic, but still "wide" enough to trigger wide flanger effects.

4. I dont have any experience with creating sounds from the beginning. I have just used presets and tweaked them.

5. It has to sound real and analog, not too synthesised.

So, I am hoping for some advise, where would you start if you would try to emulate it?

 

Cheers

[Eriksimon]

Wow, liked that song. Thanks.

 

1. Can't help you there...

2. Start without the flanger. About the rythmic sequences: don't forget that the keyboardist has prepared the sound for this song and knows when toi tweak what knobs and/or controllers to alter the sound. But sticking to the intro: that's not a pad, but a lead. Just browse through the lead presets of ES2, surely there'll be something pretty similar there;

3. That remark makes no sense; any sound processed by a flanger will sound, euh, well, flangy. There's no 'triggering' it. And I don't think the sound (although it is played that way in the intro) is monophonic.

4. That's irrelevant. Just find a preset that comes close, to start with. There no 'shame' in that whatsoever.

5. That is totally up to you, and a bit ludicrous: "analog" isn't any more "real" than "synthesized". In fact, the instrument being used here is known as a Synthesizer.... so you want your synthesizer not sounding like a synthesizer...? Don't be fooled: even the "analoguest" of analog synthesizers can sound "digital" (cold, harsh) when programmed with no love.

Just use Pedalboard for de"de-digitalizing" (and the flanging...!). However, you should be able to achieve that "analog" feel mainly within the ES2.

http://documentation.apple.com/en/logicstudio/instruments/index.html#chapter=5%26section=0%26tasks=true

 

Maybe you should try to get one of these:

 

 

Looks like a Nord Lead or - Wave...?

[marius86]

Thanks for replying!

2. Start without the flanger. About the rythmic sequences: don't forget that the keyboardist has prepared the sound for this song and knows when toi tweak what knobs and/or controllers to alter the sound. But sticking to the intro: that's not a pad, but a lead. Just browse through the lead presets of ES2, surely there'll be something pretty similar there;

About the pad/lead: I think this term is a bit vague on this song because I have heard versions where the intro sounds very string-y. Or maybe it is just the flanger that causes it. Although I think it is the same sounds. Or..

The keyboardist plays a Nord Lead 3 yes, but I think this primarily is functioning as a dedicated midi-controller. He has got a massive rack next to him with sound modules and multiple Line 6 pod effect prosessors. But it is possible he is using sounds from the Nord too ofcourse.

3. That remark makes no sense; any sound processed by a flanger will sound, euh, well, flangy. There's no 'triggering' it. And I don't think the sound (although it is played that way in the intro) is monophonic.

 

Sorry, what I meant by this it is likely multiple voices playing the same note. Like when 3 violinist is playing the exact same notes. There is no chords ofcourse.

I found maybe a better audio clip just resently (If that clearifies anything(?)):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1OA-k-T0X8.

Still the flanging pad (oops lead) in the background

 

I will check out the ES2, do you think it is capable of it?

[Eriksimon]

Just listened to it again, and I don't think it is easy to achieve with one ES2 - of the two sounds/synths that appear to be layered in this sound, one clearly has portamento or glide on it, the other has not. The ES2 can only apply glide on the whole sound, not on just one oscxillator. So you should split the sound in two, one is a pretty straightforward sawwavelead, but the second sound is trickier. I think you need two ES2's, or a synth that can pull this off in one instance (Albino could do this, it is four complete independent synths in one).

 

With the two ES2's you should be able to come close, but you didn't pick the simplest one to start off with... Also note how important both the flanging (could also be chorus, phaser or ensemble) and the reverb are to this sound. It also seems the 'second' sound (with the portamento) has a long (1/2 bar, whole bar) delay applied to it.

[camillo jr]

Taking Erik's suggestion, I looked in the ES2's 04 Synth Strings folder and found at least 3 candidates for tweaking. I used Trance Strings here and lowered the cutoff, raised the glide and a did couple of other things and then added flanger and Tape delay. This should get you in the ball park. Direct mixer is to narrow the sound of the ES2 a bit. You can move the three insert plugs around to get different effects.

 

Put the CST here (the last folder's names is up to you):

 

User / Library / Apllication Support / Logic / Channel Strip Settings / Instrument / Synths

 

If you want to see what I did, load up an ES2 on another track and compare settings. Is this preset exactly the same? Nope. You gets what you pay for!

 

And yeah, that's a cool song.

NIMW lead.cst.zip

[marius86]

Just listened to it again, and I don't think it is easy to achieve with one ES2 - of the two sounds/synths that appear to be layered in this sound, one clearly has portamento or glide on it, the other has not. The ES2 can only apply glide on the whole sound, not on just one oscxillator. So you should split the sound in two, one is a pretty straightforward sawwavelead, but the second sound is trickier. I think you need two ES2's, or a synth that can pull this off in one instance (Albino could do this, it is four complete independent synths in one).

 

To clearify a bit, I know that the sound in the foreground (under the pad/lead which we are talking about) is a distorted piano sound made with his Yamaha CP 70 electric piano and guitar effect pedals. This distorted piano sound is more prominent in the album version of this song although possibly layered with other sounds. Just google it for the album version if you interested. The flanging sound there is trickier as you say, but it is that one I am interested in. I will try to experiment with the ES2 as you have suggested.

 

With the two ES2's you should be able to come close, but you didn't pick the simplest one to start off with...

 

Hehe, I know I have not picked the simplest one But this one is good.

Put the CST here (the last folder's names is up to you):

 

User / Library / Apllication Support / Logic / Channel Strip Settings / Instrument / Synths

 

If you want to see what I did, load up an ES2 on another track and compare settings. Is this preset exactly the same? Nope. You gets what you pay for!

Thank you so much! I will have a look at it right now

[marius86]

Is it possible that the background sound could be real strings like for example mellotron strings, but not of the most obvious one, not too warbly. Could be programmed and prosessed through modulation effects and delay/reverb? The reason I was wondering about it is because the intro ends with a sustained F note that seems to quit after 7-8 seconds. I know that is the approx. limit of a mellotron tape when you press down a note. Second, I know they have used mellotron strings etc. in the studio before. But I am not sure ofcourse.

 

This has nothing to do with Logic and its synths ofcourse, but what do you think?

I know the keyboard player use Logic pro for playing backing tracks live btw.

 

Cheers