BlahBlahCafe - Jean-Michel Jarre forum

Hi all.

I'm talking of a sound based on an LFO with variable speed and a pitch bend down at the end of the sound.

I can't figure out how to recreate this sound.

At 0:25


What the LFO is modulating, that kind of stuff... I would be very grateful to anyone who could provide some hints.

Edit: I've got a Nordlead 2X so there is no problem designing the sound with all the needed modulations. It's just me... I can't seem to find the correct shape of the LFO and the destination.

Isn't this the typical VCS3 trapezoid EG?

GeeJee wrote:Isn't this the typical VCS3 trapezoid EG?

Modulating OSC 1?

Or the (resonating) filter.

I think you can say with almost certainty that its a VCS3/Synthi A - based only on the synths that JMJ had at the time. The effect is an LFO (on VCS3 this will be OSC 3) modulating either one or both of the other oscillators, most likely set to sawtooth waveforms. The get the effect the LFO speed will be modulated manually, either by the rate (Frequency) dial within the oscillator, or it may be mapped to the joystick. Often you'll find that filters play a part too, starting dull, brightening up, then dulling down as they fade away. This again will be done manually, either by adjusting the cutoff knob or again, assigning it to the joystick.

The joy with the VCS3/Synthi A is that both the LFO frequency and the filter can be assigned at the same time. This style of sound can be achieved with almost any analogue or virtual analogue synth with one assignable LFO and at least one oscillator.

Having said all that, GeeGee may also be correct in saying that it's the Trapezoid Envelope - on the EMS gear it isn't really an envelope in the terms of ADSR, but more of a trigger. The Trapezoid Envelopes are unique to the EMS gear but I think Doepfer have made a trapezoid module for their A100 modular system.

Forgot to mention, delay is also applied to the sound, and JMJ has a trick of assigning the dry signal to the left and the delayed signal to the right hand channels.

Delay effects are available everywhere, some VA synths have them built in. The Boss DD3 is a great delay pedal if you want to experiment further.

jeremy wrote:Hi all.

I'm talking of a sound based on an LFO with variable speed and a pitch bend down at the end of the sound.

I can't figure out how to recreate this sound.

At 0:25


What the LFO is modulating, that kind of stuff... I would be very grateful to anyone who could provide some hints.

Edit: I've got a Nordlead 2X so there is no problem designing the sound with all the needed modulations. It's just me... I can't seem to find the correct shape of the LFO and the destination.

This guy shows it on his Moog Little Phatty (...after the first 30 seconds...)

Also with that sound, and most of the EMS sounds on Oxy 1, 2, Equi 4, he uses extreme filtering, so that that occupy a very small amount of the spectrum while they are in the mix. Both lowpassing and highpassing.

The second trick that he employed is that he always played those sweeps in the same key to that of the track.
So on Oxygene 2, if you notice all the sweeps start and end either on G or C.

I created these sounds on the Moog Little Phatty and I think they're what you're after?

Found this on YouTube where someone creates the sound from scratch using a Moog Phatty. Maybe of use.

Apul wrote:I created these sounds on the Moog Little Phatty and I think they're what you're after?

Brilliant stuff man

Thanks a lot !

I'll give it a go after work tonight !