One of the things that FabFilter One excels at is producing great lead synth sounds of any
type. You can create anything from the smoothest seventies analog sounds to the hardest techno
sounds.
The Oscillator Especially the sawtooth and the square wave forms are suitable
for lead synthesizer sounds. With the sawtooth wave form as a starting point, you can create
smooth and soft lead sounds as well as more techno-oriented sounds. The square waveform is
great for electro stuff.
The Envelope Generator
Most lead sounds use a fairly short attack, a short decay, a high sustain and a noticable
release. This will give your sound just that little bit of attack at the start and a good full
sound while holding down a key.
The Cut-off Filter
Adjust the frequency and peak values to get the timbre that you're after. Modulating the
cut-off filter is not essential when creating lead sounds. However, it can give your sounds
that extra rawness and body they need, especially when modulating the cut-off frequency.
Modulation
Use the modulation generator to achieve great vibrato or tremolo effects by modulating the
oscillator's frequency or the filter's cut-off frequency. It also works really well to use a
bit of cut-off frequency modulation by the EG. When using the oscillator's square wave form,
you can also modulate the pulse width using the patching
features. Modulating it with the EG or with the MG can both get you awesome results.
The Finishing Touch
One thing that will definitely give wonderful results with almost all your lead sounds, is
FabFilter One's great and smooth portamento. Even
using it just a little bit really brings your sounds alive. Experiment with it!
To get those awesome raw seventies synth sounds, push your filter to the limit, using high peak
values and combining different types of cut-off frequency modulation. Try changing the cut-off
frequency while playing, to really adapt it to your play. (See MIDI controller messages to change the cut-off frequency with the
slider on your keyboard.)
