The Weeknd - The Host (Whtkds Remix) | Pad Synth Patch Remake

Remaking the pad synth from the 2018 song "The Host (Whtkds Remix)" by The Weeknd can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "The Host (Whtkds Remix)" 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

The opening-verse pad in The Weeknd’s “The Host (Whtkds Remix)” is a midrange square-wave pad with aggressive, fast pitch vibrato. It is routed through distortion and a wet hall-style reverb, giving a saturated, colored tone. You can hear it clearly in the track’s opening verse, underpinning the vocals.

Our Remake of The Pad Synth sound

This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the pad synth from the song "The Host (Whtkds Remix)" by The Weeknd, 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 allx 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 2

Oscillator Setup

Oscillator 1

• Mix: 73%
• Wavetable: Basic Shapes
• Wave Frame: Square (position 149)
• Routing: Filter 1
• Pan: 0.17
• Modulations:
• Lfo 1 → Tune
• Lfo 2 → Level

Filter Settings

Filter 1

• Model: Analog
• Style: 24dB Slope
• Blend: Low Pass (0)
• Cutoff: 63% (834.7 Hz)
• Resonance: 8%
• Drive: 50%

Envelope Settings

Envelope 1 (Amp)

• Attack: 120 ms
• Sustain: 100%
• Release: 1.52 s

LFO Settings

LFO 1

• Mode: Trigger
• Sync: Seconds
• Frequency: 3s
• Shape: Triangle
• Destinations:
• Osc 1 Tune (amount 29%)

LFO 2

• Mode: Trigger
• Sync: Seconds
• Frequency: -2s
• Shape: Triangle
• Destinations:
• Osc 1 Level (amount 39%)

Effects Processing (Ordered)

Eq

• Band Cutoff: 315.072 Hz
• Band Resonance: 35%
• Band Gain: -10 dB
• High Cutoff: 831.778 Hz
• High Resonance: Default (32%)
• High Gain: 3 dB

Reverb

• Mix: 71%
• Size: 13%
• Chorus Amount: 5%
• Chorus Frequency: Default (0.250 Hz)
• Time: -1.522 s
• High Shelf Cutoff: 84% (3979.882 Hz)
• High Shelf Gain: -6 dB
• Low Shelf Cutoff: 25% (51.248 Hz)
• Low Shelf Gain: -6 dB
• Pre Low Cutoff: 47% (269.689 Hz)

Modulation Matrix

• LFO 1 → Osc 1 Tune 29%
• LFO 2 → Osc 1 Level 39%

Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.

Explore More

• Patch Request: The Weeknd – The Host Whtkds Remix (Pad) (Syntorial / Audible Genius community)

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:

• Serum
• Vital

Comments

This recipe is the result of a Syntorial community preset remake request. Need support remaking this sound? Have comments?