A synth brass patch is an iconic sound. It works great for simple hits and even better for call and response with vocal lines.
If your ears have never been drawn to synth brass live in action, then it’s worth checking out some of these 1980’s hits that prominently feature this type of patch:
- Talyor Dane’s “Tell It To My Heart”
- Mariah Carey’s, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”
- Paul Abdul’s, “Forever Your Girl”.
For this one, you are going to want to make sure you watch the video, but here are some thoughts that I think will add a lot to what you gain from watching.
Before You Start
It’s always best to think about a sound you want to design in terms of the overall shape, which is most easily broken down into these categories.
Volume Over Time
A horn sound starts with an abrupt and sharp volume, sustains at that levels for the duration of the sound, and then almost immediately cuts off.
Timbre Over Time
Synth brass has a bit more sharpness at the very beginning of the sound and then mellows out slightly. We will recreate this attribute using a quick attack envelope on the filter.
Pitch Over Time
Synth brass doesn’t have a huge change in pitch over time, but there is variation in pitch that needs to be accounted for to accurately reflect brass. Gradual shifting in pitch from an LFO helps to add the density found in a horn section, and a slight swoop up to the intended pitch will create the illusion of a sharp horn attack.
What To Do With This Knowledge?
Volume Over Time = Amp Envelope
Understanding volume over time will let you know what the shape of the volume needs to be, in this case, A fast attack, 100% sustain, and a quick release.
Timbre Over Time = Filter Envelope
Since synth brass has an initial sharpness to the timbre, we will use a quick opening filter envelope and high filter resonance (30%)
Pitch Over Time = Pitch Envelope
To imitate the attack of horns, we will add a slight pitch envelope, causing the sound to start slightly above its destination and descend quickly into the pitch. Because it happens so quickly, a listener’s ears won’t discern the shifting pitch, but they will feel the enhanced attack.
Want More Sound Design?
Check out my Sound Design For Keyboardists course page. It’s a great way to get started with sound design and will have you tweaking presets, and making your own custom sounds in no time at all.