Create an Electro Kick with a Synthesizer

Edit Your Kick Sound Freely

This recipe is for an electro kick.

We will control the oscillator pitch with an envelope to create the sound.

Adjusting the decay produces a variety of tones.

How to Create the Sound

Excerpt from a YouTube Question and Answer

Env 4 was not explained. Is it OK to leave it as it is in the New Sound state? Adjusting it by ear is probably best, but I am curious how it was set in this example.

The volume envelope, ENV 4, is left at its default: Attack as fast as possible, Level fully up, Decay at 12 o’clock, Level (sustain) fully up, and Release just before 9 o’clock.

Oscillator Settings

Start with a sine wave, which has few harmonics, and mix in a triangle wave for a clean result.

Set the pitch relatively high to bring out the kick’s attack.

Apply the Envelopes

Apply envelopes 1 and 2 to pitch.
Then lower the pitch substantially.

• 1. Set Attack, including its level, to 0.
• 2. Turn Level all the way up, and adjust the tone with Decay.
• 3. If Release is too short, noise can occur, so adjust it to taste.

Use the Decay controls on Env 1 and Env 2 to shape the sound.

Shape the Sound

Use a low-pass filter to round off the sound.

A little distortion from Hard Clipper can also be effective.

The sound is now complete!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which waveforms form the basis of this electro kick?

Start with a sine wave and mix in a triangle wave for a clean tone. A sine wave has few harmonics, making it suitable for a clean kick sound.

Q2. What matters when setting the kick’s pitch?

Set the pitch relatively high to emphasize the attack, then use the envelope decay to bring it down substantially and create a characteristic kick sound.

Q3. How can I polish the kick sound?

A low-pass filter can round off the sound, and Hard Clipper can add a controlled amount of distortion.