Quick Tip : Creating noise based synth FX in Ableton Live

Creating synth effects patches is always a lot of fun but sometimes it's tough choosing the right oscillators to use. If you want a fail-safe sound source that should work with any project, I'd strongly suggest experimenting with noise generators.

In this example I take a quick look at what Ableton's 'Analog' has to offer in this area.

01 - Start with an Initialized Patch

When working on an new synth patch I always suggest you start with a blank initialized set of controls. This means you always start from the same point and you aren't heavily influenced by a previous patch.

I've quickly initialized Analog to give you an idea of what a good starting point looks like. Once you have a blank patch you are happy with, you can save it for later use.

02 - Activate the Noise Generator

As we turned off all our oscillators in the first stage we now need to activate Analog's noise generator. When turning this on you  will need to alter a few parameters. For the most effective noise based FX patches you'll need 'white' noise. This means every frequency is present, in Analog this just means opening up the noise generator's filter.

03 - Set Up the Filter and Add Modulation

Now activate the synth's resonant filter. Using a low pass mode and a healthy amount of resonance we have the tool we need to manipulate our noise to create some interesting effects.

Now use any modulator you like to automate the filter's cut off frequency. In this case I've used one of Analog's LFOs. So, in three moves we have a modulated, resonant noise based effect. Nice and simple.

Now go ahead and make your own and try a few more steps to make more complex, interesting effects.

Here's an example of what can be created:

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