Part 96

Classic Patches: Bass, Lead, Pad, Pluck

Every classic synth sound = oscillator → filter → envelopes. The difference between a bass and a pad is 90% envelope times and 10% oscillator choice.

Four Sounds, One Architecture

Bass, lead, pad, and pluck all use the same signal chain: two oscillators through a lowpass filter, shaped by an amplitude envelope and a filter envelope. What makes them sound different is parameter choices, mostly envelope times. A bass has short envelopes and a low cutoff. A pad has slow envelopes and a high cutoff. A pluck has zero attack and a fast decay. The architecture is identical; only the numbers change.

The Recipe Format

Each preset below starts from an initialised patch and sets specific knob positions. The rationale for every setting matters more than the setting itself. Why does the Minimoog bass use two saws with slight detune? Because two nearly-identical waveforms beating against each other create the thick, chorused low end that defines that sound. Understanding the "why" lets you design your own patches instead of copying someone else's.

Try it: click each preset button to load a classic patch, then play the keyboard. Listen to how different envelope times transform the same oscillators and filter into completely different instruments.

Preset
Osc
Filter
Amp Env
Filter Env
Waveform
Spectrum