Remaking the pad synth from the 2016 song "Communicate" by Mick Jenkins can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Communicate" 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
Mick Jenkins’ 2016 track “Communicate” (feat. Ravyn Lenae) features a distinctive pad synthesizer that establishes the song’s atmospheric foundation. The sound employs a resonant low-pass filter to create a hollow, rounded timbre, with pitch wheel modulation bending notes into chordal movements that follow the track’s harmonic progression. This effect becomes prominent at 0:08, where the pads transition between chords with smooth, expressive pitch shifts.
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 "Communicate" by Mick Jenkins, 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
Remake This Sound Yourself
Learn how to program this synth preset with Syntorial, all by ear. Download the demo and try unlimited famous sound challenges for free.
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: 4
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 80 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 20 ms
Oscillators
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform: Sine
- Volume: 50%
- Oscillator 2
- Waveform: Saw
- Volume: 50%
- Unison
- Oscillators: All
- Voice Count: 2
- Detune Range: 9 Cents
- Stereo Spread: 100%
- Reset All Oscillators Phase On Note Start: Yes
Filter
- Type: Low Pass
- Cutoff: 45%
- Resonance: 80%
Modulation Envelope
- Destination: Pitch
- Modulation Amount: 18 Semitones
- Attack: 0 ms
- Decay: 0 ms
- Sustain: 0%
Reverb
- Mix: 10% Wet
- Size: Small
Pitch Bend
- Range: +/- 5 Semitones
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- Mick Jenkins – Communicate – Synth Pads (Audible Genius)
Direct source of Serum patches recreating the resonant low-pass filtered pad sound, including pitch-bending techniques and chordal modulation. - Audible Genius Community Patch Request (Syntorial)
Forum discussion detailing the technical approach to replicating the “hollow round tone” using resonant filters and pitch wheel automation.
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
- Serum
- Vital
Comments
This recipe is the result of a Syntorial community preset remake request. Need support remaking this sound? Have comments?
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