Remaking the flute synth from the 1996 song "Fastlove" by George Michael can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Fastlove" flute 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
George Michael’s 1996 hit “Fastlove,” from his album *Older*, opens with a distinctive synthesizer lead that establishes the song’s sensual atmosphere. The glidey, swuare lead heard prominently in the introduction and recurring throughout the track was created using a Studio Electronics SE-1, a rack-mounted Minimoog clone. This analog-style synthesizer produces a smooth, siren-like melodic line with pronounced portamento that defines key moments in the song. You can hear this lead synthesizer immediately at the very beginning of the song (0:00) and during instrumental sections throughout the track.
Original Performing Instrument
Studio Electronics SE-1
Our Remake of The Flute Synth sound
https://soundcloud.com/audiblegenius/george-michael-fastlove-flute?utm_medium=api&utm_campaign=social_sharing&utm_source=id_300780This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the flute synth from the song "Fastlove" by George Michael, 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: Mono Legato
- Portamento: 50 ms
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 0 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 20 ms
Oscillators
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform: Pulse
- Pulse Width: 100%
- Volume: 100%
Filter
- Type: Low Pass
- Cutoff: 70%
- Resonance: 25%
LFO
- Destination: Pitch
- Waveform: Triangle
- Amount: 0%
- Rate: 1/16 Note
Reverb
- Mix: 20% Wet
- Size: Small
Modulation Wheel
- Destination: LFO Amount
- Modulation Amount: 15%
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- How we made Fastlove with George Michael (MusicRadar)
- Fastlove – Wikipedia
- George Michael’s Fastlove – Gearspace Forum Discussion
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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