This 2-part tutorial is a gentle introduction to modular patching focusing on the Noise module of the GameSynth’s patching environment. After generating room tones and whooshes in the first part, we will now design some impacts and environmental sounds.
Impacts
A Noise module can be used to create impact sounds when controlled by a short Envelope.
Foley Impacts – This patch generates typical Foley impacts, that could be used as layers for footsteps or object interactions for instance. Both ADSR envelopes are shorter than 500ms. One is driving the lowpass EQ Filter’s frequency, while the other controls the global amplitude of the signal. The benefit of using ADSR modules is to be able to assign random ranges to specific segments (whereas Envelope modules have a general variation parameter). In this case, a random range is assigned to the release to add variation to the duration. A bigger sound is achieved thanks to the Compressor and Saturator modules, which also have random ranges, generating more amplitude variations.
Did you know? Although we are exclusively using the Noise module in this tutorial, Granular Noise and Noise Bands modules are also available in the patching environment. Check them out!
Clap – Claps can be created using a similar technique. The signal path is slightly more complicated as several filters are used to shape the sound. No modulation is used on the filters this time: the Chorus effect will indeed apply a global modulation, thus simplifying the patch. Adding random ranges on the mid and high gains of the EQ (3 bands) module and on the resonance (Q) of the bandpass EQ Filter will produce nice tone variations.
Tonal Impacts – Even though we are using a Noise module as a sound source, nothing prevents us from designing something a bit more tonal. For this patch, the Envelope is set to a very short duration (50ms). An EQ (3 bands) is used to lower the high frequencies, while a Comb Filter will create the tonal resonances. By adjusting its delay, the overall tone of the sound can be modified. Adding a final Delay module will allow us to generate interesting UI sounds with this patch!
Environmental Sounds
Let’s finish with patches that are a bit more complex, to explore all the possibilities offered to us by the Noise module.
Wind – This patch is a bit similar to the whoosh patch from the first part of the tutorial. The Noise module is sent through different EQ Filters configured in parallel. They are set up as lowpass, bandpass and highpass filters. This allows for the independent modulation of different frequency bands by Perlin Noise modules. Perlin noise is a special type of noise used to create pseudo-random control signals, rather than audio sources. It works well for natural sounds, such as wind. The Mapper modules are here to keep these modulations within useful ranges.
River – To create the swirls of the water flow, Perlin Noise modules are again put to contribution. One of them modulates the frequency of a Ladder Filter. By setting the filter’s resonance to around 2, and quickly modulating its frequency, water-like sounds can be generated. An EQ (3 bands) is used to soften the sound, especially in the high frequencies. A separate branch of the patch sends the output of the Noise module through a lowpass EQ Filter, cutting frequencies around 2000Hz: this will create the continuous rumble of the river and make it sound more powerful.
Fire – This patch combines many of the techniques previously described in this tutorial. It is divided in three branches, each one using a different type of noise. The Brownian branch will generate the low rumble of the fire. Its amplitude is modulated by a Perlin Noise to produce a livelier sound. A highpass EQ Filter set at 60Hz helps managing the lower frequencies.
The second branch uses white noise to synthesize the burning sound. The Noise’s module lowpass input is modulated by a random LFO in order to mimic a typical flame sound. Different intensities can be achieved by adjusting the max output of the Mapper processing the signal from the LFO.
Finally, the crackles are simulated with pink noise being sporadically triggered by a Distribution module. As these sounds are extremely short, the Envelope is set to the minimum duration (0.01s) and the Impulse preset is used, further shortening the actual duration to around 1 or 2ms. A bit of variation is set in the Envelope to make the crackles sound less repetitive, thus more natural.
The position of the crackles in the stereo field is randomized. To achieve this, the signal from the random LFO is also sent to a Sample & Hold module. When triggered by the Distribution module, it will capture the current value of the LFO, which will be used to set the panning parameter of a Panner module. Each crackle will therefore sound like it is coming from a different position. Finally, Reverb modules add a sense of space to the crackles.
We hope this tutorial gave you some inspiration to experiment and create new sounds with noise sources. You can download all the patches below.
