KVR Audio

Markku · Post by **Markku** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:00 pm

All of these wonderful VSTis are quite hard to use if there are no saved sounds, i.e. patches. That is what we share (or sell) if we want to let others use our creations. However, as a beginner, I'd like to pick your brain.

Let's forget what is musical or trendy sound. I know, it is the most important thing, creatively -- but technically it is not possible to measure that kind of attributes.

What I am asking for you pros to create a check list. A check list which tells that a patch is formally correct.

I'd like to include things like volume. Too loud causes clipping or distortion, too quiet needs adjustment...

If the patch is out of tune, it's probably problematic. Detuning multiple OSCs in same direction may cause this, possibly there are other reasons...?

So. What one needs to check, before sharing patches? What do YOU check? Please tell!

Markku · Post by **Markku** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:01 pm

Also, if different synth technologies need different tactics, you could have a different (sub-)check list for each...

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:28 pm

I had sone patches for both comercial soundsets and also factory presets.

Some points i check myself when doing patches:

1.) Volume:
A monophonic patch with a single note or a polyphonic patch with e.g. 4 notes should not clip but also not be too quiet.
This has to be tested with the track volume in the host/DAW set to 0dB which is the default for a new MIDi or audio track.
For polyphonic patches i usually test with 2 notes in lower octaves and 2 notes in higher octaves (overall 4 notes).
Be sure that the velocity is at maximum when testing.

2,) Tuning:
I try to keep patches in tune and use a tuning plugin like e.g. that includied with Ableton Live 9.

3.) Pitchbend range and Pitchwheel routing:
If the pitchbend range is adjustable the range should fit to the current patch. A value of +/- 2 semitones seems to be a common value.
If you could route the Pitchwheel/Pitchstick to other parameters than pitch it could also make sense to use this for other kinds of modulations.

4.) Modwheel:
If the synth allows using the Modwheel it should be routed to one or multiple parameters that make sense for the patch. Often this is used for adding vibrato or changing the Filter Cutoff.

5.) Aftertouch:
If the synth allows using aftertouch (usually this menas channel aftertouch as polyphonic aftertouch is rare with hardware synths and controllers...) you should route this to a parameter that makes sense for that patch.
Especially with monophonic sounds i like using this for adding vibrato but also for changing the Filter Cutoff this is quite common.
You could also also route the Modwheel and Aftertouch to the same parameters if it makes sense.

Checking those is often recommended by the develoeprs if you do factory presets. Sometimes they also adjust one or multiple of those to their own liking after you submitted your presets to them. This is especially true for the volume.

fluffy_little_something · Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:56 pm

Maybe this thread should be in the soundware or sound design forum.

Depending on the type of patch, it might make sense to modulate the volume with keytracking so that lower notes are louder than higher ones in the case of polyphonic patches that are played with two hands, else the bass note often becomes too quiet.

Actually, I think synths should have a kind of normalizing feature so that the volume stays within a specified volume range, no matter how many notes you play and how hard. I hate it when I zap through factory patches and the meter shoots through the roof

Give presets meaningful names. Some synths come with factory patches whose weird names don't tell me anything.

Markku · Post by **Markku** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:21 pm

Thanks for answers! This is just what I was asking for!

fluffy_little_something wrote:Maybe this thread should be in the soundware or sound design forum.

I thought about this, too, but I think it *could* also touch different technical aspects, so it may be general enough topic for this forum...

fluffy_little_something wrote:Give presets meaningful names. Some synths come with factory patches whose weird names don't tell me anything.

Yes! Naming conventions are very helpful! Especially when you get large amounts of patches!

Any more details or opinions?

kokotte · Post by **kokotte** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:52 pm

don' t forget velocity as source( if the synth have it) same for macro, a preset description is great too, but the most important: a funky name!

jdoo · Post by **jdoo** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:53 pm

To add to the great points made already…. I would consider :

Aprpeggio / Sequence. If the synth provides for patch level sequences or arps - Create one. It can be used in Demos, and gives the user an idea of what the patch is capable of…
Naming Convention / addendum - metadata for the patch. ( PAD, POLY, LEAD, BASS, …) is helpful, for folks who are indexing / trying to quickly find something

If you have extra time — a MIDI sequence is nice, depending on a patch. This along with Arps — gives a potential user an idea of what the patch can do. Short of this - create a SoundCloud sample for the patches

Aloysius · Post by **Aloysius** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:29 pm

If it doesn't translate to mono, I won't use it. I'm not a pro.

Armagibbon · Post by **Armagibbon** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:09 am

F*ckin tired of presets that put a filter sweep and nothing else on the mod wheel. I use exp and breath for dark to bright on my samples, maybe put it over there please? Mod wheel is for fast work. Yea I'm not gonna filter sweep the shit outta my keys and pads if I'm playing live f*ck that. Give me vibrato or filter accents or anything else I can use to perform...

Examigan · Post by **Examigan** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 11:32 am

Ingonator wrote:I had sone patches for both comercial soundsets and also factory presets.

Some points i check myself when doing patches:

1.) Volume:
A monophonic patch with a single note or a polyphonic patch with e.g. 4 notes should not clip but also not be too quiet.
This has to be tested with the track volume in the host/DAW set to 0dB which is the default for a new MIDi or audio track.
For polyphonic patches i usually test with 2 notes in lower octaves and 2 notes in higher octaves (overall 4 notes).
Be sure that the velocity is at maximum when testing.

2,) Tuning:
I try to keep patches in tune and use a tuning plugin like e.g. that includied with Ableton Live 9.

3.) Pitchbend range and Pitchwheel routing:
If the pitchbend range is adjustable the range should fit to the current patch. A value of +/- 2 semitones seems to be a common value.
If you could route the Pitchwheel/Pitchstick to other parameters than pitch it could also make sense to use this for other kinds of modulations.

4.) Modwheel:
If the synth allows using the Modwheel it should be routed to one or multiple parameters that make sense for the patch. Often this is used for adding vibrato or changing the Filter Cutoff.

5.) Aftertouch:
If the synth allows using aftertouch (usually this menas channel aftertouch as polyphonic aftertouch is rare with hardware synths and controllers...) you should route this to a parameter that makes sense for that patch.
Especially with monophonic sounds i like using this for adding vibrato but also for changing the Filter Cutoff this is quite common.
You could also also route the Modwheel and Aftertouch to the same parameters if it makes sense.

Checking those is often recommended by the develoeprs if you do factory presets. Sometimes they also adjust one or multiple of those to their own liking after you submitted your presets to them. This is especially true for the volume.

+1

Also, before any checklist, make sure you know what the plugin is really capable of. Learn it inside and out before you start to try to make presets. Some presets I have heard sound like they used a randomize feature and I am like...Huh?! What is that?

For my own presets, I don't use those randomize types of features. They are fun to experiment with, but usually they don't have useful results.

Aloysius · Post by **Aloysius** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:34 pm

If you need further help with lists of any description, kvr is full of experts in that field.

ENV1 · Post by **ENV1** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:34 pm

Dont make presets with a limiter/compressor on.

Worst mistake you can make because you wont even realize that youre making presets that are hopelessly overdriven.

kokotte · Post by **kokotte** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 1:58 pm

Aloysius wrote:If it doesn't translate to mono, I won't use it. I'm not a pro.

+1

fluffy_little_something · Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:04 pm

ENV1 wrote:Dont make presets with a limiter/compressor on.

Worst mistake you can make because you wont even realize that youre making presets that are hopelessly overdriven.

For some time I thought many Sylenth1 patches sounded either too quiet or distorted when the volume was right, but I noticed that the reason was that Mulab's mixer sliders are set to 0db by default, which seems too much.

ENV1 · Post by **ENV1** » Sat Jul 22, 2017 3:26 pm

As long as they dont push into the red with track/master at 0dB theres no problem.

Trouble starts when they do, because then youll have actual overdrive.

(FLStudio for example puts a limiter (or was it a compressor?) on the master by default so especially with that host it can be an easy mistake to make. Same of course when youre making new presets while working on a song and you forget to defeat/neutralize any post-synth-output processing.)

Checklist for a good patch?