12 tips for cinematic sound design
EQ TO LEAVE SPACE
The bigger the sound, the more room it takes up in your mix! While these expansive pads sound great on their own, they can chew up a lot of mix real estate. Excessive low end can be removed with a high-pass filter.
ADDING SAMPLES
Add clarity and character by layering foley with your synth. Fire up a sampler device and add a clean-sounding sample – perhaps the sound of a glass being struck. Or, if atmosphere is your goal, add in a field recording and randomise the sample start point, then tuck this under your main synth.
VELOCITY MAPPING
It’s possible to have a deep pad and a bright lead sound in a single patch. To achieve this, map velocity so it shortens the envelope attack time and raises the filter’s cutoff. By doing so, you can play soft chords with the left hand, but really dig into the important melodic notes on the right!
GET GRANULAR
Granular synthesis is a great shortcut to complex textures. Try out Max for Live’s Granulator II. Drop in a sample and have a play around with the Grain, FilePos and
Spray controls. You’ll be surprised how easy it can be to create a unique and highly complex sound. If you don’t use Max for Live, try our own XFadeLooper CM.
MODULATE THE MODULATION
An excellent way of making things less repetitive is to map several parameters to modulate the same thing. Try using Dune CM’s Modulation Matrix to map several parameters and LFOs to the same item. They’ll all conflict and interact, constantly changing the sound so that no two notes sound the same!
MOVING EFFECTS
Try setting up your effects on a return channel and sending your synth patch into it. Drop in an Auto Filter and turn up the LFO Amount and Depth controls to taste – Slow movement often provides the best results. By processing the effects separately, you can create another layer of movement in your patch.
LOW END POWER
Film composers tend to use low-end drones to add tension to their music. Adding another sine wave oscillator one octave below can introduce more power in your sound design. To really get the listener tense, hold a low note and play your melody over the top.
USE THE MODWHEEL
A great way of getting some extra control over your patch is to map parameters to your controller’s mod wheel. This can be done on most synths and is superb for creating expressive lead sounds. In string sample libraries, the modwheel controls the dynamics – mimic this in your patches for ultimate control over the tension.
LAYER UP
As you’ve seen in our tutorials, the chain option in Ableton’s Instrument Racks are superb for layering sounds. You can process all layers simultaneously, or you can create soundscapes that are completely independent. Try mixing a very high-pitched patch with a really low one and process separately. An important thing to understand is the point at which you have enough layers in there – don’t get greedy!
INJECT A PULSE
A trademark sound of John Carpenter is a pulsing bassline – it gives the listener a rhythm to latch onto and pushes the track forwards. Try underpinning your soundscape with an eighth-note arpeggio on a single bass note. You can add to the rhythm by mapping an LFO to the filter and setting the rate to match your sequencer’s tempo.
ADD SOME SHIMMER
A ‘shimmer’ is a fantastic way to bring a heavenly sound. These sounds are typically a combination of complex pitchshifting, delay and reverb. Check out Valhalla Shimmer ( valhalladsp.com) and Soundtoys Crystallizer ( soundtoys.com) for those ethereal tones.
KEEP IT SIMPLE!
A lot of cinematic music is quite simple… for good reason! You could say that cinematic music tends to lead the audience, rather than challenge them. So always remember, setting the mood and leading the emotions of the listener is the primary goal.