Synth Brass Ensemble 02
This is another version of an 80’s style ‘synth brass.’ It uses multiple oscillators to create a brass ensemble effect, and modulates the pitch of one oscillator with a quick envelope to create an inharmonic blast during the initial attack.
1: Use sawtooth waves.
2: Tune the oscillators to avoid beating, and have a slow chorusing effect.
Tune the VCOs to C3 for a more tuba-like sound, and to C4 for a more trumpet-like sound.
3: Brass instruments take a moment for the pitch to stabilize. To emulate this effect, use the slew limiter as a decay only envelope. Set the slew time just enough to make the initial attack inharmonic. Keep the amount of FM on VCO-A very subtle. Try it with positive and negative amounts of FM.
4: Patch the sub-oscillator to filter FM3.
5: Use a low filter frequency. Brass instruments start low and increase frequency as the note stabilizes.
6: Set the filter to LP4 for a more muffled, mellow sound. Use LP2 for a brighter sound.
7: Amp Envelope Attack: Brass sounds reach full volume quickly but with a slight buildup. Give ENV-A a fast but not instantaneous attack. This mirrors the time it takes for the player’s breath and lip vibrations to stabilize.
8: Amp Envelope Release: Use a short release time. Brass instruments cease producing sound abruptly after the player stops blowing.
9: Filter Envelope Attack: Set ENV-B’s attack time slightly longer than the ENV-A’s attack time. The note should reach full volume before it reaches full brightness. A brass instrument’s tone gets brighter as the player continues to blow. The harmonics build up over time.
Further Reading
Gordon Reid delves into the fundamentals of synthesizing wind instruments, explaining the similarities between vibrating strings and air columns in pipes, and how to recreate them.
Synthesizing Brass Instruments
Explains the principles of synthesizing brass instruments, using subtractive synthesis to recreate realistic trumpet-like sounds.
Roland SH101 & ARP Axxe Brass Synthesis
How to synthesize brass sounds on simple monosynths like the Roland SH101 and ARP Axxe by adapting idealized brass patches to suit their more limited capabilities.
Gordon Reid demonstrates how to create brass patches on the Minimoog.
A YouTube video where Steve Porcaro demonstrates how to synthesize a synth brass lead by focusing on shaping the attack using sharp, transient "blip" envelopes on one oscillator.