Synth Kicks

This week, I explored something I have never done before - making kick drums with synthesizers. It is an enriching process that will generate a lot of content you can use repeatedly. The boilerplate patch for synth kicks uses just a few modules. It sounds like this.

 

If you're interested in making kicks like this, you'll want to get comfortable with these five essential techniques in Massive.

1. I am using quick, dramatic pitch envelopes.
   • This is perhaps the most identifiable characteristic of today's synthetic kicks. It creates a clean "bite" and commanding presence across an extensive spectrum range.
2. I am using the "Performer" instead of the default volume envelope.
   • The attack time in Massive's envelopes is not fast enough to make kick noises. The first few milliseconds of the kick are critical, so we need to "mute" ENV 4 (pushing the envelope a gate shape) and use the Performer to inversely modulate the amplitude of the oscillator - to smooth out the release.
3. Achieving a consistent start phase of the oscillator.
   • A "Restart" option in the synth will make the attack sound equally clean each time it triggers.
4. We are adding noise and distortion.
   • Modulating the wavetable and position of your oscillator with the envelopes you used for pitch modulation will introduce the majority of variations in timbre.
5. You are using parametric EQ concerning your song.
   • Kicks designed this way produce an extensive range of frequency content. You must make room in them for a good balance when other instruments are introduced.

  HOW TO RE-CREATE THE PATCH The process for designing kicks in other synths like Serum and FM8 is very similar, except you can use their amp envelope since it has an instantaneous attack.

• Make OSC 1 a Sine by selecting the Sin-Squ wave and moving Wt-pos to the left.
• Right-click on the "4" next to the pan knob to "Mute" the amp envelope.
• Go to the OSC tab.
• Enable "Restart via Gate."
• Open the Performer (7 Perf).
• Make sure "XFade Seq" is up.
• Click "Load Curve".
• Draw this shape with the curves provided.

• Click "Load Curve" again to go back to the rate control.
• Turn the rate up to about 4 o'clock.
• Modulate the entire range of OSC 1 Amp with the performer.

• Drag the pitch of OSC 1 to 64.00 (WARNING: LOUD)
• Make these shapes in ENV 2 and 3. You'll need to turn the first "level" parameter down and the second "level" parameter up.

• Modulate the pitch of OSC 1 down 40 semitones with ENV 2
• Modulate the range of that control down 30 semitones with ENV 3.

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  Now that you have your boilerplate synth kick, experiment with the settings below to create variations like these.  

 

• OSC Waveform
• Wavetable Position
• Intensity
• Envelope Decay
• Envelope Destination
• The Noise Oscillator
• Ranges of pitch modulation
• Performer steps
• EQ and FX