Overwhelmed with creating sounds

[Dan]

I've had my Virus for over a year now and I still haven't created my own sounds. I've spent some quality time with learning the OS and how to traverse the many menus. I learned how to perform an arrangement dump to my sequencer so I don't need to write down what sound patches I use with each song. But, I'm still using presets. I've read numerous articles on the Internet about subtractive synthesis and I get the basics. I'm just still a bit overwhelmed by all of the settings on the Virus. Where should I start? I have Sound Diver installed on my PC and I like the way it shows all of the settings up-front without having to go into separate sub-menus. But I'm still intimidated by the whole sound design process. Any suggestions? What's a good way to ease myself into it? I was thinking about loading up some of my favorite presets and disecting them. How did you all start with designing sounds?

Thanks,
Dan

[delobbo]

Well the best thing you can do, to start, is to call up a sound you like, and turn one knob, see how it affects the sound. Press a button, see how it affects the sound. Repeat this for every button and knob on the panel. Sorry if this is obvious, but it's precisely how I learned the basics about sound design. You can read about LFO's in a manual, look at diagrams of waveforms, and study the logic of sound design for many months - but the best way to learn about it is to actually do it, is what I say.

Good luck! The Virus is a MONSTER!!!!!!! Go nuts.

[Dan]

I keep checking back to this forum to see if anybody replied to my message about creating sounds on the Virus. Many thanks for the reply! I guess I just need to dive right into it. Enough with the theory...

Thanks again!
Dan

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

When it comes to designing your own sounds on a synth....there is nothing more fun

It helps to be a bit geeky, as you will need quite a bit of patience at first. Do not loose heart if you find yourself getting frustrated.....we all have at one point or other.

But over time you will figure out what makes a good bass, a good pad, good fx etc etc. The real key to programming a synth....is to master the very basics....and then use your creative mind to expand these basics into whatever you can dream up of. This takes many yrs....its a contant creative learnign process process.

Its been some time since you started this thread......hows it been going for the past 18 months?

DS

[nrgy]

I have started to try and make patches on the virus c. mostly leads, and evrytime I end up with almost same sound

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Originally Posted by nrgy

I have started to try and make patches on the virus c. mostly leads, and evrytime I end up with almost same sound

That is the classic newbie thing that we have ALL probably experienced. I sometimes make that mistake even now....

You get the same sound every time b'cos you have got yourself into a habbit of turning the same knobs, the same amount, using the same envelope settings etc etc. Remember, programming a synth is a subtle process. If you take knobs and twist them to extremes (Sounds gay I know) you will end up gettign the same sounds ALL the time.....I know b'cos I've done it.

U need to approach programming differently.......

Try experimenting with different oscilator waveforms, different osc pitches, different detune amounts, different filter modes, different resonance settings etc etc. Have u used osc sync mode? Have tried using the 64 digital waveforms in the osc section?

Subtle changes here and there is all that is needed to 'colour' the sound into a million shades of grey.

DS

[nrgy]

I have tried osc sync and the 64 other waveforms, but I guess it's like you say, I'm turning the same knobs.
I'm addicted to the osc1 & osc2 in lfo1 section
I like sounds that have that "false" tone in them, if you know what I mean.
the two types of sounds I usually come up with, is such sounds like the lead sound in most of Beam & Cyrus and also detuned saw leads.

Guess I'll have to explore this beauty alot more to understand how to get other nice sounds from it.

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Have u got any mp3's of the kinda sounds ur making?

Why dont u try and make some leads using pulse waves in the osc section and use BP filters? Thats gonna sound very different to what your making with saws.

Force yourself to make different sounds....thats what I have to do

DS

[nrgy]

at this moment I don't have a computer where I can record anything:S
but I'm getting it in a week or so ....finally

[DIGITAL SCREAMS]

Cool ! :P

Make some sounds, record them and then link them to us so we can all listen + give advice

Best way to learn

DS