Synthwave with freeware plugins
Back to the 80s
Synthwave is extremely popular, not least thanks to the „Stranger Things“series and bands like Scandroid and The Midnight. Thanks to the wide range of high-quality freeware plug-ins, you can create the striking retro sound without any vintage hardware. Below we show you how. You can use the “Beatbox Anthology Groove” from the magazine download data as a rhythmic basis.
Bassline
The filter envelope has to be adjusted as shown for the desired sound curve. Then record a bassline that rhythmically supports the groove. In our example song, the bass is supported by an arpeggio from the software synthesizer PG-8X [2] from ML-VST. Roland‘s polyphonic classic JX-8P was the inspiration for this plug-in. Select the mono playback mode.
Sequence + effects
In the VCA section of PG-8X we set Dynamics to 1. Also activate the chorus (mode 2). Our sixteenth note arpeggio is given the desired depth by the ValhallaFreqEcho delay effect and the Valhalla VintageVerb [3] reverb plug-in. In typical synthwave productions, of course, velvety soft pads can‘t be missing. An easy task for u-he Tyrell [4].
Bass
We programmed the 110 BPM beat with the UVI BeatBox Anthology 2. The bassline is provided by the discoDSP OB-Xd plug-in [1], which emulates the cult analog synth Oberheim OB-X. Set Voices to 1 and select the Pulse waveform for the first oscillator and the Saw waveform for the second oscillator. Turn up Detune slightly for subtle floating sounds and adjust the mixer level as shown.
Arpeggio
Move the DCO-2 control in the mixer all the way up so that both oscillators can be heard and select the Pulse waveform for both oscillators. Set the Range controls of both oscillating circuits to 4‘ and Cross Mod to 3. The cross modulation makes the sound a bit fuller. A little more liveliness is also provided by a slight modulation of the pitch of oscillator 2, which is done by LFO 1.
Pad
Turn the Shape 2 knob for the sawtooth waveform all the way to the left. A fine value of 6.50 and a light vibrato ensure a lively basic sound in the style of analog synths. To do this, set Vibr to 6.00 and adjust the parameters of LFO 2 as shown in the picture. The filter mode with 12 dB/Oct and the filter settings shown ensure the desired soft sound.
Basic sound
The sound is a bit livelier due to the softly added noise as well as a slight modulation of the oscillator‘s pulse width. For the latter, we adjust the modulation parameters as shown. Finally, the low-pass filter provides the desired smacking bass sound. Select the 24dB mode and adjust the other filter parameters as shown.
Filter
To do this, set the LFO control in the DCO-2 section to 6 and adjust the LFO parameters as shown. Additionally you can adjust the envelopes as shown in the picture. We use the filter to tame the overtone-rich sound. Lower the cutoff frequency to 0 and increase the resonance to 31 and the envelope intensity (Env) to 80.
Arpeggio 2
Adjust the envelopes as shown and activate the chorus (Depth: 41.00, Wet: 53.00). Now you can record a chord progression that matches the bassline and arpeggio. This sound also benefits from a pinch of reverb. In our example song, the arpeggio is supported by a sound from Ob-Xd, in which the oscillator cross modulation (Xmod) creates a metallic tone.