How to make Synthwave Sounds // Spoiler - It's SUPER EASY!!

#synthwave #sounds #demo #tutorial
A tutorial and demo on how to recreate the tones of F.M84, Miami Nights 1984, Timecop 1983, Waveshaper, Wayflow, Starcadian, Lazerhawk etc Make your own synthwave patches. How to make synthwave bass, pads, and lead sounds using a Prophet 5 in this, but most soft synths can do the same, even stock plugins that come with your DAW, The basic principles are the same... they're simple sounds from synths that had limited abilities in the 1980s.
If you're trying to recreate
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►ClubbingTV From the Studio:
• From The Studio
0:00 intro
0:40 Basic Bass
5:02 Legato Bass - long and low!
8:01 Sequenced Bass
10:53 Leads/Plucks
13:59 Arpeggios
15:17 Pads
18:07 All Together Demo - Track

[@slimyelow]

Wow. This all makes so much more sense rather than programming a patch by itself while not playing in context with the beat or the track.

[@roger5482]

totally agree - great content 👍👍

[@phpn99]

You put a smile on my face. My secret lust for cheesy soundscapes has been legitimized, thanks to your phenomenal skills, Starsky. To be honest, you are doing it considerably better than I remember it being done back in the day. Couldn't stop bobbing my head ; a silly grin stuck to my face, thinking "Yeah, you go baby, yeah !"

[@StarskyCarr]

Cheesy... CHEESY... how dare you sir :)

[@endoflevelboss]

"Yeah, you go baby, yeah" "you put a smile on my face" "bobbing my head" I love these cheeseball phrases Phil. You're like a big waxy ball of Edam rolling around the KZbin comments section with your Stilton sauce.

[@paolopaioli601]

The knowledge, the enthusiasm, the sense of humour, great great channel!

[@davidosolo]

Way to go mate. Very nice vid!

[@warrenmilton659]

Such a great video, I have a real love for 80s sound and you made that all so simple and explained it really nicely. Subbed, looking forward to watching more.

[@TheObxpander]

A++ content. But what it really does is showcase the beauty in the P5 tone. GAS intensifies.

[@StarskyCarr]

haha I know... I realised everything sounded gorgeous. I'd claim it as my programming, but with the P5 in front of me we really know why!! :)

[@ldandco]

Excellent video and tutorial.

[@carlbdfrd]

Great Vlog mate. Carnt wait to try some Synthwave

[@johnpaulpatton9786]

This kind of music just feels so good! Takes me back.

[@jjrusy7438]

that was a nice offering of cool tricks and ideas.

[@audioartisan]

This is just too cool. Excellent & skillful sound design, with awesome 80's vibes. Really enjoyed this fine production. Thank you!

[@DimiKaye]

Beautiful track, super helpful tips and I love that in your description you mention og synthwavers from the early 2010s. Keep supporting synthwave!

[@Farkeman]

That was very informative - thanks!

[@jamesrichardsutton]

I really got a lot out of this. I tend to make everything more complicated than it actually is, and creating sounds is one of those things for me. I love your channel. Thank you!

[@scattermish]

Loved this, more synthwave/80s please!!!

[@horder2344]

These tutorials are brilliant thanks. Love the 80s electronic vibe.Managed to get my Take 5 and TR6s sounding nicely using your tutorial. Really helpful. Cheers

[@kierenmoore3236]

“This is the way.” 🎹🌊

[@vrai_2_vrai]

This synth sound amazing! You really give it justice

[@MattyB3]

OMG!!! That was an awesome tutorial. I’ve been trying to learn how to create some of that classic rock pad sounds of the 80s.Hoping for more. Would love to see something with the OBX series .

[@marshalsea000]

This is a holy grail of programming/sound design - need more of this type of thing on youtube! Thanks Mr Carr, top quality vid as usual.

[@Acid42]

Love the tutorial. Really quite useful for preset junkies like myself. However I need to point out that all your drum sequences are EXCELLENT. Subscribed!

[@_alexxon]

Beautiful!!

[@everpuremusic]

Can't believe I slept on this video since my birthday this year! So luv'ly to hear you dial in those sounds we all luv so much since 1983! :)

[@LeonTodd]

Stellar tones! I love that synthwave is essentially a genre built around the 3 note riff from "Boys of Summer".

[@80ssynthfan48]

I have a synthwave idea in my head that just ends up being Boys of Summer with a different guitar line.

[@coenrens]

@@80ssynthfan48 I wanna see this :'-D - if you make this, make sure to post the link here! :)

[@asator0505]

hahahaha, you nailed it! xD

[@kanekitchen3802]

Love this video, thanks for sharing all the knowledge.

[@StarskyCarr]

My pleasure!

[@richardjames111]

Excellent video!!!! 😀

[@oluf7707x]

Grea track. Every section brought a smile to my face. Thanks for this!

[@StarskyCarr]

Lovely 😊

[@adamgriffiths1703]

Really enjoy your content. Awesome stuff.

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks. 😀

[@lost-in-the-80s]

Very nice 🪄🎹 Thank you 👍

[@vincentc8692]

Thanks for the class…we appreciate your time and encouragement. Have a great one Mr. Starsky. Subbed.

[@StarskyCarr]

Cheers, hope it helps

[@Pestgris]

Thank you for a nice video

[@DS-wi3bk]

wowww man.. you have other level 🤘

[@needfortweed8734]

Very informational video. Loved it. I have a few tricks to try out on my synths now...

[@StarskyCarr]

Cool.. that was the point. Hoping people delve in themselves to get more fun from their kit - also it ends up saving time and making tracks sound better.

[@fawltytenor]

Nice sounds!!!

[@christiandelvaux8243]

Beautiful sound design and track 💯💯💯

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks 💯 :)

[@Geepstar]

This is great! Love it.

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks so much!

[@rolandmarckwort]

Nice one, have to love the Prophet 5!

[@StarskyCarr]

It’s a thing of beauty! Sounds quite nice as well.

[@mtnoblesavage]

Nice track and demo, I remember the early 80s trying to do the same thing with my Juno's 84 I think it was, great and fun times, couldn't afford the P 5 then but i've ordered the reissue a no brainer, beautiful, great work boo

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks dude. You’ll love the P5

[@JohnMcGFrance]

Really enjoyed this. I’ll be having a go at writing a synthwave track using my Jupiter xm and some plugins. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@StarskyCarr]

Cool. Hopefully it’s easy enough to follow. I whizz through it here so the vid isn’t 2 hours long!

[@dynup]

Awesome! I like the 80s sound so much, your jam is really great! 👍♥

[@StarskyCarr]

Cheers. It’s made a little easier with the Prophet 5 I think 🤔 😂

[@dynup]

Could you explain why?

[@StarskyCarr]

@@dynup just because it’s a great sounding synth and fun to use… but these tones can be made by anything really. I had intended to demo a couple of the patches on U-He’s Repro but haven’t installed it on my new laptop yet.

[@dynup]

Ok, thank you very much for your efforts! 😀

[@luismaum]

Excelent 🤟🏽

[@natbvm1880]

I’m too sick to play synths right now, watching you dial it all in hit the spot. Thanks so much.

[@StarskyCarr]

Hope you get better.

[@SLCPTV]

Great Video

[@adamoliver82]

Excellent tutorial video, but my god that prophet-5 sounds good!

[@matthardern1594]

Great vid

[@DerekPower]

Funny enough, I’m making an EP right now where it leans very heavy on the 1980s electronic aesthetic. I hesitate to call it solely synthwave because there are some other flavours thrown in to give it a bit more distinction. But this should fit any synthwave playlist 😁

[@DerekPower]

P.S. Everybody still looking for something 😉

[@Makebelieve123]

Love it ! Starsky do something with your Juno 106 or Alpha 2 please ! :) m

[@ptkelly80]

Regarding modulation matrixes, one of my favorite synth songs of all time is Kraftwerk’s “Ohm Sweet Ohm,” which has very simple synth sounds, but it’s so glorious.

[@haslo_]

Super easy, barely an inconvenience!

[@StarskyCarr]

😂

[@JemenJ]

Great video, nice sounds! Man I just think it was a missed opportunity to make P5rev4 just a MONO out. P6 and OB6 just make everything more big/wide/lush with their stereo out and pan spread.

[@ThisisRends]

Nice lesson.Well done!

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks! 😃

[@brianbargmeyer6718]

I was excited to try and make these Bass patches on the MS-20. Got to the part where you add modulation to the PWM aaaannnddddd sad panda 😆 damn it Korg!

[@StarskyCarr]

Haha you can get PWM style ish tones in the MS20 by modulating VCO2 with the LFO very slightly while keeping VcO1 static. It takes 2 oscillators but gets close ish. Take the triangle from the modulation generator on the panel and input to the VCO 2 freq inout. Then turn up the freq mod MG knob a bit. Use combinations of saws/sq and pulses. Some nice tones.

[@brianbargmeyer6718]

@@StarskyCarr awesome thanks! I’ll give it a shot!

[@alfasonicstudios]

Great job! Lovely sounds. Currently debating between getting a Prophet 5 or 10 myself. I’m not a Keyboard player so, considering the module.

[@StarskyCarr]

I bought the 5 and upgraded the board tk the 10. I thought originally that if the P5 was so popular why would I want more voices… but more is better tbh.

[@mosesve1]

Prophet into Empress Reverb. I really don't like the 80's pop music - but that combination gives me goosebumps. The Take5 is close and I love mine, but something about the prophet 5 is just magic.

[@Error6503]

Starsky Carr, pointing at wall of 80's synths "None of them has got a really complex modulation matrix" The DX7 sulks off into the corner as its sole reason for living was to have a complex modulation matrix.

[@StarskyCarr]

Haha… yeah but nobody programmed it. I edited out a short section on bell tones where I said something along the lines of ‘if you want those FM tones just pull up a preset on the DX7 it’s what everyone else did’ 😂

[@paulmcmc4005]

The sustained pulsed bass is also great for liquid DNB

[@wrenchposting9097]

Just bought a Rev2 this should be fun

[@StarskyCarr]

Rev2 will be great for this. I loved my P8 - sold it for the P6, but have tonnes of love for the Rev2. Almost replaced my P6 and OB6 with one.

[@EphemeralProductions]

a very interesting thing I found out just recently: there are MANY virtual synth plugins you can download for your computer, several of which are free! And they are all pretty much analog synths! All you will need is a controller keyboard, which you can find for $100-200! Then you can make a synth track as long as you have a multi-track production program. So you can use a synth like this guy has, or, use a virtual one!

[@StarskyCarr]

Thats a good point. I've a complete tutorial series on my Patreon that uses the free TAL Noisemaker synth as the basis for demonstrating and following instructional videos. It's great.

[@meleyz]

That bass line reminds me of Blue Monday, I like it!

[@StarskyCarr]

It is Blue Monday I think... (or near enough!)

[@tomc7299]

Nice new haircut and walkthrough thanks lol

[@StarskyCarr]

Should’ve gone for some highlights and a mullet 😂

[@timweinheimer1]

Thanks for this video your channel is great. Very Human League sounding 👍

[@StarskyCarr]

Much appreciated!

[@timweinheimer1]

@@StarskyCarr I grew up in the eighties during the whole thing great memories

[@timweinheimer1]

@@StarskyCarr I am a geezer as you would say in England 🇬🇧 😉

[@synthosaur]

🔥🙌🔥

[@sarahhey8654]

That single oscillator sounded Fat already, but when you added the second in one octave down, the bass was Super Fat 🔥

[@mattgomes7339]

At 16:00 he’s making some sick vaporwave

[@PCoyte]

The drum sounds are a big part of the sound too. I found a band recording from 1982 where I used a Juno 6 and Linn Drum 1 and it has very similar sounds to your end track!

[@StarskyCarr]

Yeah… maybe another video coming :)

[@georgemaraudeur7371]

I thought it was Barney till I put my glasses on 😂 (Barney is 66 btw). Thanks for the great vid !

[@riloh58]

Thanks Starsky. Can I ask how the P5rev4 is going since the new P10 board went in? Are you using stacks/splits much? I’m pretty resolved on trying to get one but, unsure if the extra cost of the P10 is worth it. I know you upgraded yours so perhaps that’s my answer. There’s something so very pleasing about seeing Prophet5 on the case though.

[@vectorhold6489]

It is easy! I made profitable hobby from it for over 10 years now. Cheers!

[@andyread5363]

Great drum programming. I'd like to see that covered.

[@StarskyCarr]

It may be on its way :)

[@kaikiefer8303]

@@StarskyCarr maybe you can picky back on this great tutorial for non-drummers(kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKCwnomidtudo68) would be cool if you could cover the typical 80 drums sounds, grooves, Drum Part Forms and Fills ...

[@Maig]

Yeah, I kept wondering what drum machine is being used here and how you go about designing/choosing drum sounds

[@NewWebDesign]

hey pal ur a synth master with great videos - the big question i have is i would like to know which hardware synth can give me the sounds like jonas aden uses in i dip you dip and i dont speak French Diva patches horns and brass with modulations - i would rather spend alot and get diva with the analog filters be nice to have semi modular but not really needed as long as i can take it to diva aden sounds. what synth do you suggest me taking a look at? thanks in advance for helping me out - long fluffy horn sounds and i feel plucks in any synth is pretty easy also i know he dose tons of modulations so with someway to do that would be great

[@craigsurette3438]

Excellent tutorial! You really showcase the simplicity involved in programming these sounds. However, you also inadvertently showcase just how lackluster the basic tone of a lot of modern synths is , when we try this at home on whatever we have that isn't a Prophet 5, and it just doesn't "work" the same way. When i try to make these raw basic patches on my 300$ 10 year old Ultranova, or on some free VSTs the raw tone of the basic oscillator models just doesn't cut it. That " retro synth warmth" is very much a thing that these sorts of exercizes bring to the forefront. The reason earlier synth music could get away with such simple synth designs and sound programming, is that the basic tone of the instruments was so good it didnt matter. I think modern synth designers, especially the designers for prosumer instruments are seriously missing this very key point.That its the basic sound quality of the oscillators and filters etc and the playability that matters in an instrument, not the bells and whistles While it is true that my Ultranova can do lots of things many other synths cant, but what good are the 20 modulation slots on my Ultranova or my fancy super modern VST if the basic tone is well, lackluster?

[@StarskyCarr]

I almost replicated a couple on U-He’s Repro software to show how close you can get without spending a fortune - but realised it wasn’t installed on my new laptop. Maybe another vid doing it on something cheaper - but I wanted an excuse to have a play with jt 😀

[@matthewharper7333]

Cool. Now I can make New Order music

[@dennisristow2102]

Prophets are furniture disguised as analog synths. So happy to see Dave Smith remaking a machine like this. Too bad other big brands can't seem to pull off the same. With modern tech, you'd think a true analog CS-80 or Roland Jupiter 8 could be built and mass produced to be close to marketable....

[@hoagy_ytfc]

Tip 'o the hat to the thumbnail for this one :)

[@jorgerezg3686]

Excellent tutorial!! a question do you conect thesynth with a drum machine and which? do you use an arpeggiator? Thanks! Cheers from Argentina!!

[@StarskyCarr]

On this I used drum samples via logic. Drums are a whole other thing!

[@tonydesmet7389]

Wow, you just sold me a Prophet-5! 😋

[@StarskyCarr]

If only I got the commission! If you do buy one try one of my affiliate links ;)

[@jasonakagecko]

I think the pro- one has a great modulation matrix.

[@StarskyCarr]

It’s good for1981 and is the same as the P5 essentially, but compared to modern synths with 40 mod slots etc it’s really primitive. The point here is not to over complicate things with multiple LFOs and complex mod patching.

[@m77studio64]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@nrsynth8945]

Of course, the prophet 5 is the king of synthwave!

[@lindsaywebb1904]

Just goes to show, you only need a 707 and well…a Prophet. That bright brassy tone is quite something

[@StarskyCarr]

Hah.. that’s all!

[@compuzik]

Really great synth melody, Mr. Starsky. I like your stuff but could you please give me the chords you are playing here? I can't see all the notes pressed on the Prophet. Thanks in advance.

[@macdaddybender]

Brilliant stuff. My problem is that I can get some great sounds and a groove going for about 4 to 8 bars and then I don't know where to go with it 😅

[@felixvortex9]

Add another 8 bars and get your hook or chorus down!

[@80ssynthfan48]

You could try to bring in things more gradually. If you take Crockett's Theme as a reference, you will note how it evolves gradually from starting with a kick, hi-hat and rolling bassline before the other elements come in.

[@ogasi1798]

haha good one :-)

[@StarskyCarr]

😂 … and here it is!

[@nicks.8003]

Until the end I thought all those synths behind you were a photoshopped backdrop! I thought you were on a green screen. Starsky Carr is to blame for the chip shortage of the world.

[@StarskyCarr]

The famous 1980's chip shortage.

[@tendingtropic7778]

very nice, thanks, where do the drums come from?

[@StarskyCarr]

Thanks… I normally use a mixture of samples and loops etc. not one instrument in particular. When demoing the synths I try not to spend too much time on the drums tbh, but may find a top loop, add some 80s reverb to a clap or snare etc. nothing too complicated.

[@arcanedevice2200]

Oh cool I Just need a P5

[@michaelknight141]

Your watch looks like the knobs :)

[@mishabigos]

Is he connected to an external sequencer? How do I do that with my Prophet?

[@baldeagle2313]

I fuck-ing love synthwave your synthwave ain’t synthwave this is like French disco sounding though or retro 80s synthwave. So nvm it is synthwave. Have a distinct classy ness to it. But I think the synthwave rn still has the cheesy chords. I really like the uploads I hear from neros77 some I’m not really a fan of I hear a lot of misses from synthwave type music. Your music can almost be trance like. 14:22 is super dope. It’s like ghetto wave idk what the fuck you call it. Anyway any form of the kick and snare and that synth feeling I like a lot. I would like to hear more trap oriented synthwave though like trap drums and retro sounds or synth sounds. Dope upload b

[@frankjuno8808]

Now just add some side chain compression on bass and especially the pad, and there we have it ;) (Or did you do this already?)

[@StarskyCarr]

No, just showing how to create the tones - not producing the final thing. Although sidechain isn’t a huge part of the synthwave sound, although every electronic style tends to use it to some extent these days. Not quite full on EDM or French disco 🕺🏼

[@JayKaufman]

How to make super easy synthwave sounds! [Starsky pulls out a £2,999.00 polysynth] Easy if you've got £2,999.00! ;) I'm taking the piss of course, because we all know these can easily be done on softsynths that emulate the originals or even on the Behringer clones if you've got a bit more money, but aren't middle-aged and minted.

[@StarskyCarr]

Haha... its wasn't always that way - I wasn't always middle aged!

[@JayKaufman]

@@StarskyCarr well played. I wasn't always middle aged either! Haha.

[@titovalasques]

Since I can’t afford a Prophet 5 I’ll just have to wait for Behringer’s Pro 16.

[@MrCshmn]

If you want great tone for just bass the Behringer Pro1 sounds much like these bass tones. I have one paired with a prophet 6.

[@titovalasques]

@@MrCshmn Ive been super keen on both the pro 1 as well as the model d.

[@bobz1736]

Watch out Alex 😅

[@StarskyCarr]

Haha…

[@vaportrails7943]

Eh. Sorta. The last track is ok, but most of this is EDM “boom tiss”. Most Synthwave distinctly does not use that worn out disco beat. Also, if the 80s were known for anything production-wise, it was reverb. So that comment was kinda strange. If you want to get really authentic, go for a Lexicon 224.

[@zooblestyx]

Listen mate. You can't just keep giving away our secrets like this. There are plenty of people who still believe this sort of music takes talent and effort to make. Why would you want to ruin this for us? ^^

[@StarskyCarr]

😂😂😂😂

[@HslSoulsick]

Sequenced bass > The Bravery

[@eancurtis9333]

I don't understand why you call this 80s synthwave ? Georgio moroder and kraftwerk created this sound in the mid 70s like 50 years ago... Imagine if moroder and kraftwerk were trying to emulate songs from the 1920s this is why modern music is dead and uncreative those guys were trying to create something new and futuristic

[@StarskyCarr]

It’s the recognised ‘label’ - not my creation 😂 but there’s huge interest in the sounds and the music of the 80s. I think a lot of it has to do with musicality. There were more chords played back then 😂😂

[@eancurtis9333]

@@StarskyCarr i get it but 80s sounds are everywhere current music its in rap in pop in dance etc i just feel like people need to create something new

[@StarskyCarr]

@@eancurtis9333 I think they do but it's not given space to breath and grow.

[@eancurtis9333]

@@StarskyCarr kraftwerk, suicide, joy division, throbbing gristle ,ramones,sex pistols did their own thing with out the industry giving them room to breathe i guess todays music doesn't have the guts

[@Roland_Tr909_Swing]

Too much bass in my headphones

[@StarskyCarr]

Drums are mixed perfectly, but the synth isn’t mixed to mastered standard - that wouldn’t make much sense considering the patch is constantly changing and I’m demonstrating the differences when changing the parameters. The synth is recorded ‘as-is’. Doesn’t seem to have bothered anyone else tbf.