Synth Chords? What-cha-ma-call-it?

[bleak]

Zedd - Spectrum 1:43 -> + sidechained 4:30 sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdQrYWfu5hY
KTN - Dying 0:49 ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOQGRA8vCuQ
Gemini- Born to die(remix) 1:25 ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awaz1aNTNL8
Nero - Must be the feeling (Flux pav. Remix) 0:57 ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P60i5TdZNpo

For the longest time I've been trying to figure out how to make these, wide-chord sounding synths that are widely used in a lot of songs(Not just dubstep). I'm sure I hastily didn't pick the best/clean cut examples for it but it's pretty close to what I'm trying to achieve with Massive or FM8 synthesis. So, how about it? Could anyone chime in on how to design these kinds of sounds? Preferably using Massive, but I do also have Sylenth and FM8.

Showing gratitude ahead of time to you lads. -Bleak

[NinjaEdit]

I assume you mean around 4:18 of the first one.

Long synth chords are called pads. They are used to pad out frequencies in the sound. They often have a slow attack, full sustain, and a long release. It helps to modulate some parameters to keep them interesting. These might have been widened using the Haas effect.

Now you have some keywords to youtube/google/dsf search.


EDIT: At 4:30 they are sidechain compressed from the kick. The arpeggios at the start can be made with Sylenth1.

[bleak]

I assume you mean around 4:18 of the first one.

Long synth chords are called pads. They are used to pad out frequencies in the sound. They often have a slow attack, full sustain, and a long release. It helps to modulate some parameters to keep them interesting. These might have been widened using the Haas effect.

Now you have some keywords to youtube/google/dsf search.


EDIT: At 4:30 they are sidechain compressed from the kick. The arpeggios at the start can be made with Sylenth1.

About the 4:30 comment, yeah I guess the sidechained "pad" you're talking about is what I am looking for. But these are called pads? Aren't pads more for an ambient effect? I could of sworn all the pads I've ever seen in my patches were real soft, and yeah slow attack but the sounds used in the examples I'm giving have a fast attack, like a synth.. no?

[NinjaEdit]

Actually that's a good point. He might be using an external sound source to trigger a gate.

[bleak]

Actually that's a good point. He might be using an external sound source to trigger a gate.

:confusedface:

[NinjaEdit]

I meant sidechain gating. Probably not how he did it, but one way of doing things.

[Barka]

Detuned saw waves, lots of them, some filtering. That's it!
Basically you are looking for something called a 'supersaw'!

[mthrfnk]

In Massive try this:
3 waveforms, all VA-PWM, turn all the dials up
Leave pitch #1 at 0.00 then detune #2 and #3, by small amounts (+/- 0.20). You could also tune one up/down an octave so +/-12.
Voicing - turn up Unisono to maybe 4 or 8, turn on pitch cutoff and slide the slider ever so slightly to the right, turn pan position to full.
Add some white noise, maybe even use an LFO to pulse the white noise on every beat.
Also, play with chorus, flanger etc and if you want the sound to be standalone layer it with a sub or lowpassed saw bass.
Oh and turn the master down to stop it clipping.
Then start making chords

[narrator]

I just had a go at making a lead using the chords from Spectrum.

Soundcloud

[Toolman4]

spookyspacecook pretty much has the basic idea. It's all about layering saws on top of each other, making the detuning effect more prominent as you go up the frequency spectrum. IMO glitch mob does the best job of making some weighty supersaws that have a great balance of distorted clarity. Things to consider when doing this: Chords are harmony, where bass usually isn't harmonized...therefore when layering, consider dissonance between the low and higher ends of the frequency spectrum. Also know that chords take up LOTS of space in the mix, so compose/arrange/layer accordingly. Oh boy do I love harmony

Check the song in my sig. It does this the best of my ability so far.

[bleak]

Thank you all for the very helpful insight. I appreciate every one who pitched in. I arranged some of these supersaws in chords, and they sounded VERY powerful.