For the ambient folk...how to create smooth pads/drones?

frank1985

Active member
have a lot of trouble creating smooth pads like this : YouTube

Whenever I try, I end up with a bumpy, warbly mess and no amount of eq or compression will even the resonances out. I usually layer up to three pads, with each one taking up its own frequency range. They are sent individually through an Eventide unit and printed with reverb and sometimes pitch shifting. I have tried dialling the reverb way back as well as applying it to a group rather than individual tracks but this doesn’t seem to make much difference

What are the secrets to creating velvety smooth drones?
 
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Whenever I try, I end up with a bumpy, warbly mess and no amount of eq or compression will even the resonances out...

...What are the secrets to creating velvety smooth drones?

Dude. This is all about the source. You need to spend a lot of time studying the field of subtractive synthesis.

A short answer to your question, the wobbles and bumps are caused by filter synchronization and low frequency oscillator management. Learn what's going on there, and you'll have command over the presets instead of being at the mercy of whatever the manufacturer gives you. The whole idea is to make the gear WORK FOR YOU. Not you working for it! :)
 
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