Any tips on creating long sweeping pads?

OP-1 Tricks and Tips
#1

Hey guys, I’m trying my best to create these long sweeping pads/sweeps/leads on the Op1 and I’ve picked up a lot of your songs that sounds a lot like the one’s I’m aiming at (think Tycho/BoC), but I don’t get the sounds that I want!


What’s your weapons of choice? What synth engine? any special parameters to look at or anything?
By using the “bender” while recording I tend to get good things out but thats like in the end of the process, I need the start! :slight_smile:
I’ve been sampling a lot of sounds from my iOS-devices earlier but I really want to keep it “inside the box”.

Any suggestions or tips would really make my day!

#2

Play them at regular speed and then slow them down :wink:


OP-1 Ambient Tutorial - YouTube

#3

Thanks for taking the time to make this video! Saved for further reference

#4

Cluster Cluster and more Cluster + Nitro and/or CWO with long delays/light modulation. Especially Cluster/ Nitro if your going for BOC soundz.

Also recording a tonal sample, setting loop points in the middle and adding attack

A little tremolo LFO goes a long way

Dsynth and Pulse get honorable mentions for pads.

#5

I like do this:

  1. Cluster, fm or Digital engine, set not too harsh tone. Different tones creates different pads obviously.
  2. Envelope: pretty long attack, not too fast decay, 10-20% of sustain, long release, not full counterclockwise, but enough long.
  3. Effect: Delay, blue parameter to one click from full clockwise, input 80, speed 10, feedback 80.
  4. Tremolo lfo, slow rate (near 0.5 Hz i think), green parameter to 4…8.
  5. If it’s used not for tape recording but just as pads generator, master effect to reverb with desired parameters, mostly for stereo effect.
    Voila.