Synthesized snap

How to make that sound...
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Hi guys,

I would like to know how to make snaps with a synthesizer (without samples ...). I tried it on my own but without any success. Could anyone give it a try or has some tips how to make them?

Best regards,
Juljan

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Could you start with describing how for you an ideal "snap" sounds? Do you have a sample for reference? I'd start with examining such a sample in a wave editor that features a spectral view, and synthesize parts inspired on that.

For example: is there a tonal component, with constant or varying pitch, is one pitch sufficient or are multiple oscillators needed. Is there a noise component, what filter settings to use to approximate that, timing info for envelope generators...

Random google find: http://sound.stackexchange.com/question ... -intention
5) I have a fair degree of knowledge about synthesis and in my experience, synthesizing a convincing snap/clap is quite difficult. One defining characteristic of these kinds of sounds is their volume envelope which has several short rises and falls... if you're not sure what your doing I'd stick to sampling/recording.
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BertKoor wrote:Could you start with describing how for you an ideal "snap" sounds? Do you have a sample for reference? I'd start with examining such a sample in a wave editor that features a spectral view, and synthesize parts inspired on that.

For example: is there a tonal component, with constant or varying pitch, is one pitch sufficient or are multiple oscillators needed. Is there a noise component, what filter settings to use to approximate that, timing info for envelope generators...

Random google find: http://sound.stackexchange.com/question ... -intention
5) I have a fair degree of knowledge about synthesis and in my experience, synthesizing a convincing snap/clap is quite difficult. One defining characteristic of these kinds of sounds is their volume envelope which has several short rises and falls... if you're not sure what your doing I'd stick to sampling/recording.
Hey BertKoor,

thank you for answering.
Yeah, I already tried that stuff (by using a frequency analyzer (will do it again with a TFFT)), I am also not unfamiliar with synthesis in general but I was really wondering how to make snaps (like this: --> 01:39).

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spectrally, at least i figure in terms of "snaps" canonically used in electronic rhythms, we're looking more for the high frequency "attention" part, there is a fair low frequency component to acoustic finger snaps, so if you were doing a fancy job of synthesizing, you could break it into several ranges. exactly how, depends on what kind of effect you're looking for. you could use lowpassed/bandpassed noise, sines, other oscs. listen, experiemnt, create.

for snaps and claps, multitriggering is key. think.. the second part of a snap is your middle finger hitting the base of your thumb after releasing from the tip of your thumb. if you want to use synths that you already use that have one envelope, set up a few instances and shift different tracks around by a few clicks. i like to add a "hall" effect with noise instead of reverb as well.

i once released a pretty lousy vst called "saros" that was for the clicky sounds prevalent in late 90's hiphop, 2 or 3 offsettable triggers where you could patch each part differently, and get a lot of different effects, instead of using the same signal with a multistage envelope.

a goofy/fun way to do this is to patch up a synth patch that varies by velocity or note number, then spend a couple of minutes recording samples by using your keyboard to create the multitrigger effect, then spending hours trawling through all the crap you just made looking for something usable :)

if you're feeling especially tractable, check the "everything else" forum for my thread and pdf (on my homepage) "everything fun about synthesis" which is even longer than this post :)
you come and go, you come and go. amitabha neither a follower nor a leader be tagore "where roads are made i lose my way" where there is certainty, consideration is absent.

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Thanks a lot, xoxos!
Really interesing post and pdf - I already read it. :)

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ty :)
you come and go, you come and go. amitabha neither a follower nor a leader be tagore "where roads are made i lose my way" where there is certainty, consideration is absent.

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which synth do you want to use to make said snap.

do you have an fm synth
or a subtractive synth with a noise oscillator and a multistage envelope. Ill give you an easy way to make snaps that sound convincing. I can post a video or such perhaps with the exact synth you have..

Here it is with Dune 2


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