So you just bought a new synthesizer, programmable effects processor, or plug-in, and you love the presets. You’re thrilled with how it sounds. You explore every preset, tweaking them to your taste and it’s inspiring. But after a while, you get used to the sounds — it stops being as inspirational as it was when it was new. Don’t worry, this happens to everyone.
Luckily, there’s a very easy way out: make your own presets from scratch. This is how the professional sound designers do it, and it’s how you can too. Rather than starting from a preset that’s “almost there” start with a raw oscillator or sample or waveform or effect. Dig deep into the manual, into online help, into YouTube videos. Learn how you can tweak that raw sound. Learn how the modulation features work and start modulating your sound.
Don’t expect the first sound you create to be the Ultimate Synth Tone Ever. Give yourself permission to explore, to experiment, to sound terrible. But as you get the hang of it, as your tone comes together, you’ll find that you’ve not only created a tone far more personal than a preset, but that you’ll re-ignite your love for the box as you learn how to speak its language and unlock its secrets.
Give it a try, you’ll be surprised how inspiring programming your own sounds can be, even on an instrument you were about to give up on! As a bonus, you’ll have totally unique sounds to work with, different from anyone else who owns the same gear, and that’s certain to help you stand out in the crowd.