Remaking the pad synth from the 2012 song "The Hollow" by Coheed and Cambria can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "The Hollow" pad 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
Coheed and Cambria’s “The Hollow” features a distinctive gritty synthesizer pad that emerges at 0:08, characterized by its fluttery, flute-like timbre and textured modulation. The sound combines Unison and Chorus with Distortion, creating a conflict that that gives birth to the a violet fluttering effect. The pad’s ethereal quality is enhanced by a dynamic filter sweep, creating a shimmering ambient backdrop that contrasts with the track’s heavier elements. To recreate this, focus on aggressive modulation rates and careful balance between clarity and distortion.
Original Performing Instrument
Unknown
Our Remake of The Pad Synth
This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the pad synth from the song "The Hollow" by Coheed and Cambria, 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.
Voices
- Voice Mode: Poly
- Voice Count: 2
- Portamento: 30 ms
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 100 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 2950 ms
Oscillators
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform: Saw
- Volume: 30%
- Oscillator 2
- Waveform: Pulse
- Pulse Width: 100%
- Pitch: +1 Octave
- Volume: 70%
- Unison
- Oscillators: All
- Voice Count: 2
- Detune Range: 12 Cents
- Stereo Spread: 100%
Filter
- Type: Low Pass
- Cutoff: 40%
- Resonance: 70%
- Key Tracking: 100%
Filter Envelope
- Modulation Amount: 5%
- Attack: 600 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 10000 ms
LFO
- Destination: Volume
- Waveform: Triangle
- Amount: 60%
- Rate: 1/32 Note
Distortion
- Drive: 15%
Chorus
- Mix: 30% Wet
- Rate: Medium
Delay
- Mix: 25% Wet
- Feedback: 50%
- Time: 1/2 Note
- Stereo Spread (Time shift of Left or Right Channel): 14ms
Reverb
- Mix: 10% Wet
- Size: Medium
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- Syntorial Community Discussion on “The Hollow” Pad Sound – A detailed forum thread analyzing the fluttery pad’s synthesis techniques, including additive synthesis, LFO modulation, and distortion effects.
- “The Hollow” Song Page (Fandom Wiki) – Provides general context about the track and its placement in Coheed and Cambria’s discography.
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:
- Primer, our free synthesizer VST
Comments
This recipe is the result of a Syntorial community preset remake request. Need support remaking this sound? Have comments?
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