Remaking the pad synth from the 2025 song "Back Together" by SZA can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Back Together" 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
SZA’s unreleased “Back Together” featuring Tame Impala, intended for her debut album Ctrl, features a distinctive atmospheric pad synthesizer that enters at 2:54 during the bridge section. This background element combines unison saw waves with a sub oscillator foundation, processed with heavy reverb and generous portamento for smooth gliding transitions between notes.
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 "Back Together" by SZA, 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
- Portamento: 120 ms
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 10 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 50 ms
Oscillators
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform: Saw
- Volume: 50%
- Oscillator 2
- Waveform: Saw
- Pitch: +1 Octave
- Volume: 50%
- Sub Oscillator
- Waveform: Pulse
- Pulse Width: 100%
- Pitch: -1 Octave
- Volume: 30%
- Unison
- Oscillators: All
- Voice Count: 4
- Detune Range: 7 Cents
- Reset All Oscillators Phase On Note Start: No
Filter
- Type: Low Pass
- Cutoff: 70%
- Resonance: 60%
- Key Tracking: 20%
Chorus
- Mix: 45% Wet
- Rate: Slow
Reverb
- Mix: 30% Wet
- Size: Medium
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- Back Together Song Information (SZA Wiki)
- SZA’s SOS Production: Synth Sound Design and VST Recommendations (YouTube)
- Analog Synth Programming Techniques in SZA’s Music (Reverb Machine)
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?
Join The Conversation