Computer Music

Special effects

> Step by step 3. How to program special effects with Klevgränd Enkl CM

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Synths are great for creating special effects and the building blocks are refreshing­ly simple. For our first effect, any synth with a noise generator will do, and we’re using Enkl CM, a basic monosynth from Klevgränd. To get started, create a fresh instrument track and load up an instance of Enkl CM. 2

The synth launches with the sawtooth waveform active. Look at the oscillator section in the top left and switch to the noise generator, which is at the right-hand end of the Osc section. Also check that the filter icon next to this is active. 3

The raw noise sound is pretty brutal so the first thing we need to do is adjust the attack and release. The ADSR volume envelope is in the middle of the interface and the four blue bars are the levels. Simply increase the Release time (we’ve set ours halfway up) and slightly increase the Attack. 4

Shaping a noise sweep is all about filtering. We want quite a thin and focused sound for our sweep otherwise it will use up too much of the frequency spectrum. Start by adjusting the low-cut filter next to the ADSR envelope. We’ve set ours at its maximum value. 5

Now adjust the sound while adjusting the High Cut Filter. We’ve made some final tweaks setting Resonance to about half, removed more low frequencie­s in the EQ and added the Delay effect. Finally, to create the sweep effect you need to either modulate or automate the Filter High Cut in your DAW and we’ve done the latter. 6

Sticking with Enkl CM we can now create a classic bubble-like effect. Starting with a default patch, choose the square wave oscillator, activate the filter and set the High Cut and Resonance to about a third. Now select the FM and sawtooth wave options for the LFO in the bottom left. 7

Next, wind up the LFO gain — we’ve set ours to the maximum. You should now have a slow pitch-modulating sound and to create the classic effect you simply adjust the frequency in real time. Once again to use this in a track, automate the LFO speed using your DAW automation. 8

We can make another classic effect using a similar configurat­ion. Take your existing sound and switch the osc to sawtooth and the LFO type to AM. Also increase the envelope Release times. Now by changing the LFO frequency at the bottom we are influencin­g the speed of amplitude modulation. 9

This effect works particular­ly well if we can change the speed and filter cut off together. First, increase the filter Resonance to give it more bite — we’ve set ours to two thirds. Now automate via your DAW the Filter High Cut and LFO Frequency. We’ve cut off both at high values, but do experiment.

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