How to create a string sound on an FM synthesizer (Elektron Digitone)

[@ElbowEddie]

Very good string sound! Sounds almost real:)

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks! ;-)

[@ps7365]

I just bought a Digitone and this has been very helpful. Thank you for doing it. Looking forward to your other tutorials.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! I made a couple of these and a sound set you can download for free. 🙂

[@johnnyk1080]

Great breakdown! This was very helpful

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching!

[@NIGH.NE.]

I love that you put a table of parameters! Thank you very much :)

[@mr_floydst]

Glad it was helpful! :)

[@KSKSKSx2]

well explained

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching!

[@isaiahromero9861]

That intro immediately reminded me of the theme from Mulholland drive

[@mr_floydst]

Just listened to it - yeah, haha, the resemblance is uncanny ;-)

[@MasterMainak]

Damn the sound at 12:37 , so flangery!!! Very detailed explanation in this video Floyd, really enjoyed watching this one. Your calm voice always makes these videos more fun to watch : )

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching once more ;-)

[@broonbulune3661]

Amazing!! It gives me desire to dig in more in my digitone, and that is gold to me!

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching!

[@howardanderson3061]

I love these sounds...thanks for doing another Digitone tutorial... Very impressive, nice job of creating the sound of a bow dragging across the strings.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching, one again! :-)

[@howardanderson3061]

@@mr_floydst you r so welcome!

[@kenb7540]

Excellent sound design. Thanks. Very helpful.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@watkins7086]

Nice 👍

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks!

[@threerecurring]

Excellent work and lush sounds! Thanks very much for putting this together in so much detail. After I got a Digitone last year, my other synths didn't really get a look in for some months - definitely a keeper for me too :D

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, same for me. It's nice portable device with a great sound and sequencer. Love it. If only they'd implemented the "every operator has feedback and it's own envelope" approach the Reface DX has. I miss that sometimes.

[@thanqol]

Great tutorial, thanks! One tip: when dialing in the speed of the LFOs, you have greater control on the second LFO page. The MULT option sets the speed of the LFO in multiples of the master BPM, so dial it down to around 2 to 8 for more precise control with the SPD parameter. Selecting a MULT value without BPM, will set the LFO to run free from the master BPM, in multiples of a tempo equivalent to 120 BPM.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for the tip! Of course, you're right. That would have spared me the fiddly fine tuning. :-)

[@WoodyPianoShack]

dope track at the beginning!

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks, Woody! :)

[@maverickkaden7133]

I know I'm pretty off topic but do anybody know of a good site to watch new series online ?

[@smguy7]

Great video and very helpful. Thank you! I've always found Elektron machines weak on strings sounds and pads - that why I have my Korg keyboards - Wavestate, Modwave and Opsix.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! A stereo chorus effect really can go a long way to create a convincing string sound, and most synths let you edit lp and hp filters on that effect. I don't remember if the Digitone has that (it's been a while and I sold it for an MPC One) ;-)

[@smguy7]

@@mr_floydst you are making excellent videos.

[@maarzt]

@Floyd Steinberg that was really good and very useful. Very helpful at the point that I am at with my Digitone. Ill be exploring your channel.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@maarzt]

@@mr_floydst and now I watched a second time and followed along, producing the sound in question and learning so much along the way in terms of sound design workflow, the various parameters control in terms of sonics, and especially the value/need for micro-tuning. I dont think I often start out with a sound in my head that I'm trying to create (like here) but rather just start going crazy on the knobs. Thanks!! I would definitely watch more of these types of videos if you were produce them.

[@Kwwmm]

Thank you for this!

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think this will get some views over the years. There was one guy who created a string sound on the DX7 (and made a video), but that didn't sound like a string ensemble tbh. Googled the topic and ... nothing. That's really strange, as everyone loves a good old string sound every now and then, right? ;-)

[@matugrossu]

nice orchestra. I was founding that sound

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching. Glad you liked it!

[@maximesteiner]

Thank you!!!!

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@oscillatordreams2594]

Currently I try to find some violin sound on my Elektron Model:Cycles. It has no Filter, no real envelope and just one lfo, which can ether act as lfo or can be configured as primitive envelope. Having the possibility of damping the sound with a filter (with envelope) is great. Envelopes is, what I'm really missing... Greetings from Augsburg to Hannover! ;-)

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks! :-) On machines without a filter, the best strategy is to find an algorithm with two or more "branches" and to slightly detune them. Set the modulators only "halfway" and apply a swelling amp envelope to them. But as far as I understand the Cycles, you're stuck with preset patterns that are only slightly tweakable. I guess you'll have to improvise. Using an external pedal which provides filters (for example, ZOOM MS CDR 75) might take you there. :-)

[@mr_floydst]

P.S. Thanks for visiting my BandCamp page. ;-)

[@env4n3]

nice sound there :)

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks. :-)

[@missdotbee491]

Great job. Are the drums sounds stock or your own patches?

[@mr_floydst]

Thank you! Those were some Digitone preset drums.

[@FaOut]

I really want to buy a Digitone in the near future. Incredible act for live sets! If you decide to sell let me know hahahah

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! I sold off a lot of my stuff lately, but this one's a keeper, I think... At least for now. ;-)

[@NunyaB1s]

So if it had you scratching your head I instantly feel much better. Been trying to nail strings for a week now. HOWEVER... How would I do this with older FM synths that don't have the mix setting that lets you output B1 and B2? My end game is to get some decent strings with my MegaFM to take advantage of some distortion produced when long R decays get multiplexed. Being more DX11 style, we also lack a filter.

[@mr_floydst]

I managed to create a relatively good sounding string patch on the Reface DX as well, but that synth has the ability to feedback on every operator, allowing for a bunch of detuned saw waves. On a DX7 type synth, my best guess would be to start with a "two branch" algorithm and use 3 operators each to create the saw wave, then using envelopes and velocity sensitivity to make the sound come alive.

[@jojjeboy]

hey, is it possible to connect the nanokeys directly to the digitone?

[@mr_floydst]

I never tried it. But could well be possible if you use an adapter from the "printer" style port to mini-usb. Maybe other viewers have tried this? Please comment. :-)

[@IntiAlonso]

How does the polyphony work there? Can you use the all the voices in one track (patch)?

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! Digitone has 4 tracks that can use individual patches. So it's four different sounds at once, 8 notes at once. Plus you can change the patches with each individual step/note, so your tracks can use any number of sounds you like.

[@DBPawlan]

At 6:10 you showing going to the second page of Syn1 to detune modulators and carriers, but I cannot get to this screen. I press Syn1 and nothing changes?

[@mr_floydst]

Hi! I think you need to install the firmware update, which can be found here: www.elektron.se/support/?connection=digitone#resources Be sure to download the SysEx program, too, because you need that to transfer the update. Cheers!

[@DBPawlan]

@@mr_floydst Yes, you are right. Updated and now all's well! Thanks!

[@jasperdrift3856]

How have you connected the nanokey to the DT here? What cable are you using?

[@mr_floydst]

I bought a tiny USB to MIDI host from hobbytronics UK when it was still available. So it's usb->host->digitone. But if you're interested in a cheap solution, a Raspberry PI makes a perfect USB/MIDI host. I made a video on how to do that some weeks ago - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGXchperhNaFaa8

[@tacetfive]

why you use LFO2 on pitch, when you did little detune in SYN2 page, and it maked the same detune effect?

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching. You've got a point there. The LFO is introducing pitch modulation at a lower speed (while the modulation caused by the modulator detuning is at another, fixed speed). I kind of liked the effect when playing around with this sound, and that is the only reason for that. Your could also link the LFO to "pitch all". Or to anything you like. Best regards! :-)

[@cleonx]

how do you connect the nanokey tothe digitone?

[@mr_floydst]

Hi - thanks for watching - I've made a video specifically for that question: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4eXgIaIfJt-n9E ;-) (Short answer - a MIDI to USB host)

[@G4Nazarener]

It sounds more like a horn sound.

[@mr_floydst]

Thanks for watching! Well, you can just reduce the modulator's level to easier get control of the horn-yness. I'm showing myself the door, thank you. :-)