$Page Retro Synths by Puremagnetik

$TargetName Retro Synths by Puremagnetik

retro_synths.png

*Welcome to Retro Synths by Puremagnetik.*

Retro Synths contains more than 4,000 samples from classic synths of the past three
decades, including rich bass from the Minimoog, acid squelch from the Roland TB-
303, and the classic digital "phase distortion" synthesis from the Casio CZ-series.

Retro Synths 3,5 GB of samples are organized in Instrument Racks, with the
original instruments unique characteristics and quirks reproduced through
extensive multi-sampling and intelligent Macro controller mappings. The Instrument
Racks also allow for detailed editing, layering and mapping that go beyond the
hardware sources.

Retro Synths was developed by $Link Puremagnetik <GotoPage:About Puremagnetik>.

More Packs available here:

$Link www.ableton.com/packs <http://www.ableton.com/packs>

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This lesson is also available as $Link a movie <http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=oz19GGJ0FlI>.

$Link Load the Retro Synths Demo Song.<Set:../../Demo Songs/Retro Synths Demo.als>
Besides the drums, all of the sounds in the Retro Synths Demo Song were made using
presets from the /Puremagnetik Retro Synths/ collection.

In this Lesson, we'll discuss each track and talk about how the Set was put
together.

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$Page Track 1: Drums
$TargetName Track 1: Drums
Kit808.tif
The *Drums* track contains all of the unpitched drums. The sounds come from the
"Kit-808" Drum Rack that is delivered with the standard Live 8 Library.

Besides the addition of a Compressor on this track, the sounds are largely
unmodified, besides some minor adjustments to the Macro Controls on the Rack
itself.

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$Page Track 2: PitchyBlips
$TargetName Track 2: PitchyBlips
The *PitchyBlips* track also uses the "Kit-808" sounds, but in an entirely
different way.

The addition of the Resonators device on this track turns the conventional drum
sounds into short, tuned stabs.
PitchyBlips.tif

To add variety, the decay time of the resonance is subtly automated throughout the
arrangement.
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$Page Track 3: Blips
$TargetName Track 3: Blips
Blips.tif
The *Blips* track uses a Retro Synths preset called "Sforzando," which can be found
in the *Opus* Instrument Racks folder. The Opus presets are based on samples from
the Moog Opus 3.

This Rack has been modified from the original preset to give the Sustain Macro a
wider range. It now reduces the sustain level of the instruments in the Rack to
zero. Additionally, the Decay Macro has been automated in the Set, so the sound's
duration constantly changes over time.

The synth is then run through a Resonators effect to add additional pitches to the
sequenced line, as well as a Simple Delay effect to apply stereo tempo-synced
delays.

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$Page Track 4: Stabs
$TargetName Track 4: Stabs
BriteStrings.tif
The *Stabs* track uses a Retro Synths preset called "Brite Strings," which can be
found in the *Vintage 80s Classics* Instrument Racks folder. The Vintage 80s
Classics presets use samples from an Oberheim Matrix 6.

The samples in the original preset have a rather slow attack, characteristic of
analog string sounds. In order to turn this into a stab sound, each sample's start
point was adjusted to begin somewhat later, after the sample had reached its full
volume.

The synth is then run through a Compressor which is triggered by the sidechained
signal from the kick drum on the Drums track.

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$Page Track 5: BlipKick
$TargetName Track 5: BlipKick
TeeBee.tif
The *BlipKick* track uses the "Tee Bee Ultralight" Retro Synths preset, which can
be found in the *TeeBee* Instrument Racks folder. The Tee Bee presets sample from
the classic Roland TB-303.

This sound hasn't been modified at all from its original preset, but three of its
Macros undergo continuous automation.

The resulting sound, however, owes much of its character to the Compressor on the
track. This has been set to fairly extreme settings, both to restrict the dynamic
range and to increase the percussive quality of the attack.

Following the Compressor, an Audio Effect Rack splits the incoming signal into
three frequency bands before applying subtle and different effects to the
individual bands.

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$Page Track 6: Bass
$TargetName Track 6: Bass
Bass.tif
The *Bass* track is built around the "CZ_ToogBass" Retro Synths preset, which can
be found in the *Phazeform Vol 1* Instrument Racks folder. These presets use
samples from the Casio CZ-1, a phase distortion synthesizer from the mid-80s.

The original preset has been adjusted in a number of subtle ways:

-> the Drive Macro, which controls the level of the Saturator effect, has been
turned all the way down.
-> the Simpler's notch filter has been enabled, and the filter frequency automated.
The filter is additionally modulated by the incoming note velocity.

Additionally, the bass is run through a Compressor, which is triggered by the

sidechained signal from the kick drum on the Drums track.

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$Page Track 7: Strings
$TargetName Track 7: Strings
Nanopad.tif
The *Strings* track uses the Retro Synths preset called "Nanopad", which can be
found in the *P-50 Linear* Instrument Racks folder. These presets sample from the
classic Roland D-50.

This preset has been heavily modified from the original version:
-> as with the "Stabs" track, each sample's start point was adjusted to begin
somewhat later, resulting in a very abrupt attack.
-> the Chord Type Macro has been disabled, and the tuning of the Chord MIDI Effect
changed so that a minor third and a perfect fifth are added above the incoming
note.
-> the Pan Amount Macro has been turned down, reducing the heavy stereo effect of
the original.
-> the filter cutoff and resonance are continually automated.

As on several other tracks, the synth is then run through a Compressor, which is
triggered by the sidechained signal from the kick drum on the Drums track.

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$Page Track 8: Delay Loop
$TargetName Track 8: Delay Loop
The *Delay Loop* track uses a Live Clip called "80-Multipog-Synch" from the
*Multivoice* folder within the *Modular Patterns* collection. These Live Clips are
phrases sampled from a variety of boutique modular synthesizers.

This clip has been transposed up a bit more than one octave, both to make it
brighter and to make it more in tune with the rest of the arrangement.
Additionally, the clip's Warp mode was changed from Tones to Complex Pro, to better
preserve its character after transposition.

The clip was then quantized to straight 16th notes. Finally, a volume clip envelope
was applied that silenced all but the fourth bar of the phrase:
DelayLoop.tif

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$Page Where to Go from Here?
$TargetName Where to Go from Here?
Although all of the non-drum sounds in this Set come from the Retro Synths
collection, they've all been personalized either subtly or drastically to fit the
nature of the song. Here are some ways in which you could make your own version,
using only Retro Synths sounds:

-> Try replacing the modified versions of the presets with the original versions
(or with entirely new presets). Live's /Hot-Swap/ buttons make it easy to locate
presets in the Library:
HotSwap.tif

-> Try recording an entirely new Arrangement from the Session View clips provided.
Even from the same basic materials, you can come up any number of song forms.

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$Page About Puremagnetik
$TargetName About Puremagnetik

Puremagnetik is a pioneering subscription service specializing in sound content for

the Ableton Live platform. Puremagnetik was developed by seasoned industry sound
designers that have worked directly with Ableton for many years.

$Link www.puremagnetik.com <http://www.puremagnetik.com>.

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