Remaking the keys synth from the 2022 song "Light Switch" by Charlie Puth can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Light Switch" keys patch and play this iconic sound on most hardware or software subtractive synthesizers (Serum, Vital, Pigments, Prophet, Korg, Moog, etc). We've included the preset download directly for your convenience, but we strongly recommend you use our programming tutorial to recreate it yourself.
Original Audio
Charlie Puth’s “Light Switch” features a distinctive squishy wah-wah synth sound that is prominent throughout the track. This sound is particularly noticeable in the beginning and adds a dynamic and expressive element to the song. The synthesizer sound is characterized by its smooth, rounded timbre and the use of the filter to create a rich wah-wah effect.
Our Remake of The Keys Synth
This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the keys synth from the song "Light Switch" by Charlie Puth, giving you a reference point as you design your own synthesizer preset. Play it as often as you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of the sound.
Synth Patch Programming Recipe
Getting Started
- Start by initializing your synthesizer to a plain saw with no filter, modulation or effects. For soft synths use the "init"/"default" preset or the the button to reset all parameters to their default factory values.
- No two synths are exactly alike, so treat the values below as approximate, and use your ear.
- Percentage values (e.g. 50%) represent the relative position of a knob or slider within its full range. The full range of each parameter may differ from synth to synth, so use your ear.
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- Charlie Puth – Light Switch One Hour Remake (YouTube)
- Charlie Puth “Light Switch” Breakdown (Synth Ctrl)
- Recreating 5 Synth Sounds From The Pop Charts (+ Free Presets) (YouTube)
Preset Downloads
Don't want to learn synth programming now? Use our synth preset as your starting point and tweak it from there. Register an account with Audible Genius and download the presets for free for the following synths:
- Vital
