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http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/91a ... 1a78d6b/14

Just stumbled across this. I don't think it's been posted here yet, but if it has feel free to lock this thread
Interesting read though, I've never actually read an interview where he disclosed that many details about his techniques. Skip to page 14 for where he talks about what he does to get his signature bass.

Here's most of what he said about his production though:

I use Native Instruments Massive, I use a lot of NI's FM8, actually, and even Operator. I've actually been using the Ableton Operator FM Synth just because Massive is great. Gear it towards a certain sound, whereas you can do so much with very simple sine waves. A lot of my signature monster bass sounds are FM8 and even Operator......

... There are always different strategies for different sounds. But basically, the whole idea is you have some waveform and the whole sonic spectrum is, depending on what frequencies are spiked and what frequencies are there or not there, will cause different formants. I've taken very simple waveforms that aren't wave-table waveforms, like a modern talking oscillator or whatever in that synth, and actually done similar things where I'm actually automating an EQ to actually create different vowels manually. So taking a simple sine wave in Operator, in FM8 and starting with that, you can get some different effects that you might not get in just automating the wave-table on the Massive thing, even though I like that as well.

He makes it sound like it isn't quite as difficult as we make it out to be.

great link! that was interesting what i read is how he gets different vowel sounds with the modern talking wavetable by NOT automating the wavetable position itself, but automating the EQ for it.

I've actually been using the Ableton Operator FM Synth just because Massive is great.

this is making my hungover brain hurt even more

hasezwei wrote:

I've actually been using the Ableton Operator FM Synth just because Massive is great.

this is making my hungover brain hurt even more

im guessing it was the magazine editors fault

hasezwei wrote:

I've actually been using the Ableton Operator FM Synth just because Massive is great.

this is making my hungover brain hurt even more

ditto.

hasezwei wrote:

I've actually been using the Ableton Operator FM Synth just because Massive is great.

this is making my hungover brain hurt even more

i'm twelve years old and what is this

The fuck!?!?!

I'm actually automating an EQ to actually create different vowels manually.

Wouldn't you have to memorize the exact formant frequencies for each vowel to do this? And wouldn't it just come out like shit compared to a formant filter because it's less precise?

good stuff..

heard him say he was working with noisia?!

im sure some heads in this forum may have something to say about this interview thou. i dare not speak much more in case i open pandoras can of shit storm worms..

like him or hate him, it made for a good read... thanks for the link

Ableton has vocal formant filters built into the default audio effects, I'm guessing you don't have to memorize exact frequencies haha.

hasezwei wrote:

I've actually been using the Ableton Operator FM Synth just because Massive is great.

this is making my hungover brain hurt even more

I had to reread over that sentence like 6 times in the article before I realized it was a mistake


I'm under the impression that he's using an instrument rack in live though, and just having a few different instances of FM8 with different EQs on each chain, then using the chain selecting function to cycle through the different chains.
Kinda similar to the way that guy who recreated the bass from Cinema did it.

Good read. I'm wondering which waveforms he's using in FM8. I know he says Sine, but I've noticed that setting some of the Formant waveforms to a really low ratio will yield some monster like growls, but nothing near what Skrillex is doing (although I'm sure some resampling is involved), anyone else been experimenting on FM8 with Skrillex-like timbres? Any interesting results? What are you guys trying?

Insahn wrote: anyone else been experimenting on FM8 with Skrillex-like timbres? Any interesting results? What are you guys trying?

TRIANGLES THE FUCKING TRIANGLES, they give a really nice smooth timbre and if given a nice envelope create really good vowel sounds, sometimes having a very high ratio square modulating and .5 ratio triangle gives a nice shimmery vocal like his growls. thats only two 2 oscillators though, i usualy have those two going through 3 more and those being sawtooths, squares, or parabols. all with low to medium ratios.

RandoRando wrote:

Insahn wrote: anyone else been experimenting on FM8 with Skrillex-like timbres? Any interesting results? What are you guys trying?

TRIANGLES THE FUCKING TRIANGLES, they give a really nice smooth timbre and if given a nice envelope create really good vowel sounds, sometimes having a very high ratio square modulating and .5 ratio triangle gives a nice shimmery vocal like his growls. thats only two 2 oscillators though, i usualy have those two going through 3 more and those being sawtooths, squares, or parabols. all with low to medium ratios.

would you mind sending me one of these patches to fool around with? I bought bifilter2 which has some really nice formants

Yeah when I get home about 12 am (UTC -7) I can upload one

That quote just backed up my theory that skrillex applies neurofunk reese notching techniques to his basses.

http://www.acapellasforu.com/

sick fucks they made me post this but figured the majority reading this thread can go suck a fuck anyway...how do you expect to release your own soul if your chasing another guys!! if your under the age of 16 disregard the above and say hi to your mom for me!

jrisreal wrote:That quote just backed up my theory that skrillex applies neurofunk reese notching techniques to his basses.

weird, i wonder where he got these dnb-specific production techniques people perfected over the last 10 years from *coughsporcough*

ok enough of that

interesting read indeed, i'll be looking into fm8 tomorrow i guess. some non-saw or square (as in insanely distorted sine) based waves to resample might be a nice breath of fresh air.

silkpantsman wrote:http://www.acapellasforu.com/

sick fucks they made me post this but figured the majority reading this thread can go suck a fuck anyway...how do you expect to release your own soul if your chasing another guys!! if your under the age of 16 disregard the above and say hi to your mom for me!

wut

hasezwei wrote:

jrisreal wrote:That quote just backed up my theory that skrillex applies neurofunk reese notching techniques to his basses.

weird, i wonder where he got these dnb-specific production techniques people perfected over the last 10 years from *coughsporcough*

ok enough of that

interesting read indeed, i'll be looking into fm8 tomorrow i guess. some non-saw or square (as in insanely distorted sine) based waves to resample might be a nice breath of fresh air.

haha yeah definitely. what daw are you on? If you're on FL Signature Bundle, no need for FM8 unless you got komplete or something. sytrus should do you more than just fine for FM synthesis.

I've got just one carrier operator right now and a bunch of modulators going, all triangles at different relative ratios (1.000's and .5000's) with a soft square on the B modulator at a 20.000 ratio and it's sounding pretty cool. Thanks for the tip, I think you are onto something with the triangles. I would like to mess around with that patch too when you upload.