[Esteban Sanchez]

Quick update: I just used Serum to try to recreate it (12 voices on both osc, MG Low 24 Filter cutting off at about 6K) and I was getting really close. What gave it the characteristic sound was when I post processed with Ableton’s stock Overdrive, boosting the 1K region with its filter and then an EQ hi passing at 100 hz with a Drum Buss right after for good measure. Thanks again Joe!

[Esteban Sanchez]

Thanks so much as always Joe, you’re a legend. I appreciate the level of detail, I’ll go ahead and give this a try in Serum and maybe Spire. These techno producers that made the track tend to use a lot of analog gear, so I may even try Ableton’s Analog out.

[Esteban Sanchez]

Yeah he sent the actual .spf file, and I’ve attached it to this post as a .zip file (since it didn’t let me post the original file) so you can take a look. The patch itself is very simple all things considered, it seems like it’s the MIDI with the portamento on that is giving this lead its chaotic and complex quality.

Attachments:

1. in-the-city-character.spf_.zip

[Esteban Sanchez]

Wow thanks so much for the detailed response! I wasn’t expecting so much depth, this is great. The two points you made about the built in step sequencer and the slow LFO modulating a notch in the mid range really helped shape the sound for me. I put the step sequencer on the noise oscillator too, just to add a bit more high end character and it sounds great. In order to figure out the arp midi, I slowed the track way down and it’s definitely a very intricate two bar sequence.

I also reached out to the artist to see if he would share any info about the sound, and he actually shared the Spire patch with me, which looks like a preset from a pack (screenshot below). You were absolutely right about the slow moving LFO and weirdly enough, there two oscillators are a sine and a triangle wave, but both are shaped to behave like saw waves, which I didn’t know Spire could do. Thanks again for your help Joe!

Attachments:

1. 

   this is the preset that he sent over

[Esteban Sanchez]

I actually hadn’t thought of that! I just tried it out and it does give a really nice gritty effect. Combined with the slight coarse pitch modulation it definitely gets me closer to the sound.Thanks so much!