How to Design Trance Plucks in SynthCell

Synth plucks have played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of trance music, with their quick, percussive nature providing a rhythmic intensity that is essential to the genre. Characterized by a sharp attack and rapid decay, these sounds contribute to the sense of urgency and momentum that is fundamental to trance's appeal. Whether driving the song forward or underpinning the main riff, synth plucks are versatile tools for composers, offering a way to sync with the beat and basslines effectively. This guide will walk you through creating trance plucks using SynthCell in Pro Tools, from selecting waveforms to applying modulation and effects, inviting you to explore the creation process step by step. Let’s get started!

1. Set your oscillator to a saw waveform

Begin by selecting a saw wave in the oscillator section. This waveform is the go-to choice for trance plucks because of its bright and full harmonic spectrum, which cuts through the mix. Activate the 'Multi' option and set it to four voices. Activating the 'Multi' option and setting it to four voices essentially multiplies the single saw wave oscillator into four identical copies that play simultaneously. This technique, known as unison, thickens and enriches the sound by layering these voices together. When these voices are slightly detuned from each other, it introduces a lush, expansive texture to the sound, creating a sense of width and depth that a single oscillator cannot achieve on its own. This detuning, especially when set around 30%, introduces a subtle pitch variation among the voices, contributing to a fuller, more vibrant sound that's both complex and pleasing to the ear. To introduce a bit of high-end crispness, mix in a small amount of noise as well.

2. Enable the filter

With your oscillator set, move on to shaping the sound using the synthesizer’s filter. For trance plucks, a low-pass filter is your tool of choice. Dial the cutoff to around 45%, which starts to shape the pluck by cutting off some of the higher frequencies and making the sound more rounded and less piercing. Then, increase the filter envelope modulation to about 63%. The filter envelope controls how quickly the filter opens and closes with each note, which means setting the envelope correctly will give you that quick, stabbing sound with each keystroke that's a hallmark of trance pluck.

3. Configure your amp envelope settings

Once your filter is set, it’s time to fine-tune the amplitude envelope to define the pluck's character further. The amplitude envelope controls the volume of your sound over time and is critical for achieving the distinct staccato nature of a trance pluck. A well-crafted ADSR envelope for this patch ensures the sound starts and ends quickly, delivering the characteristic punchiness of a pluck. Here’s how to set the amp envelope for a trance pluck:

• Set a Short Attack: Start with a rapid attack to capture the immediate hit that defines a pluck sound. A quick attack ensures that the sound begins almost instantly when a note is pressed.
• Short Decay: Follow this with a short decay. The decay will determine how quickly the sound diminishes after the initial attack and is crucial for that classic pluck feel. It should be quick enough to give a tight, snappy character to each note but not so short that the sound feels too thin or lacks body.
• Low Sustain Level: Set the sustain level low or completely off. Since plucks are defined by their punchy start and quick drop in volume, you don’t want the note to linger.
• Moderate Release: Add just a touch of release to avoid an unnaturally abrupt end to the note. This will let the sound taper off gently, giving a polished finish to each pluck.

4. Fine-tune the filter envelope

Trance plucks often employ similar ADSR settings for both the amp envelope and the filter envelope to achieve a cohesive sound. The filter envelope shapes how the timbre and brightness of the pluck change over time, while the amp envelope dictates the volume.

For a coherent pluck sound, you might set a short decay and low sustain on both envelopes, ensuring that the volume and the brightness of the pluck recede together, which is characteristic of the sharp, percussive quality of trance plucks. The attack on the filter envelope is often set slightly faster than on the amp envelope to allow the brightness to hit just before the full volume, enhancing the pluck's impact. The release on the filter envelope can also be a bit shorter to ensure the brightness drops off quickly.

5. Modulate filter frequency with the mod wheel

The Modulation Matrix is where you can assign complex control routings to shape your sound interactively. For an expressive trance pluck, map the mod wheel to control the cutoff frequency of filter 2. This connection allows you to adjust the pluck's tone in real-time.

• Assign the Mod Wheel: Set the mod wheel as the source in the matrix. This will be your physical controller for real-time adjustments.
• Connect to Filter Cutoff: Choose filter 2's cutoff frequency as the destination. This will determine how much the mod wheel affects the filter opening and closing.
• Depth Adjustment: Fine-tune the modulation depth according to your performance needs. A subtle depth allows for slight warmth variations, while a higher depth provides a more dramatic tonal sweep.

In the modulation matrix, set the mod wheel as the source and filter 2's cutoff as the destination. Adjust the depth to your liking. This setup let’s you control the filter cutoff with the mod wheel, allowing you to dynamically bring warmth and openness to your pluck during a performance.

6. Add reverb and delay

Finally, you can venture over to SynthCell’s effect section to add reverb and delay to add a sense of space and depth to your trance plucks. Follow these steps:

• Incorporate Delay: Start with a dotted eighth note delay setting. This rhythmic echo can transform a simple pluck into a cascading sequence, adding a sense of movement and complexity.
• Utilize Spread Mode: Engage the delay's spread mode to scatter the echoes across the stereo field. This not only fills out the sound but also helps your pluck stand out, providing a larger-than-life feel that is essential in trance productions.
• Apply Hall Reverb: A touch of hall reverb gives your pluck a sense of space, emulating the expansive sound of a concert hall. Dial the mix to around 20% to enrich the pluck with ambient resonance, ensuring it's felt as much as heard, without overwhelming the core sound.

7. Apply side-chain compression

Side-chain compression is an essential technique in trance music that creates a rhythmic "pumping" effect, vital for the genre's dynamic feel. This technique uses the audio signal from one track, typically the kick drum, as a "key input" to trigger compression on another track, such as your synth pluck. Each time the kick drum hits, the compressor reduces the volume of the synth pluck, causing it to momentarily duck under the kick. This interaction not only enhances the rhythmic pulse of the track but also makes space for the kick, ensuring it punches through the mix with clarity and power. This technique gives tracks that signature pulsating or “pumping” effect that is a defining characteristic of electronic dance music.

With these steps, you're not just following instructions but building an understanding of how each component and parameter shapes the final sound. Mastering the creation of trance plucks in SynthCell not only equips you with a specific sound for your productions but also deepens your overall synthesis skills. The principles of crafting a sharp, staccato pluck can be applied to a variety of quick, percussive sounds across genres. Each adjustment you learn—from tweaking oscillator settings to fine-tuning envelopes—builds your ability to shape sounds with intention. This knowledge is what will eventually turn you into a skilled synthesist, able to create any sound you imagine. Enjoy experimenting with SynthCell and try incorporating this pluck sound in your next track!