Stranger Things main theme: how to sound design the main arp sound with the OB-6

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

EthanJamesMusic OB-6 videos

"This sound design tutorial will teach you how to approach the main theme of Stanger Things. The sound is a simple combination of a pulse wave with a sub oscillator to create the arpeggio.

The Sequential Circuits OB-6 can do a respectable job of coming close to the sound, because of the SEM filter that is borrowed from the original Oberheim that was used in the main theme.

Analog synthesizers have found a way back into film music, which has led to a lot of rich experimentation of what these instruments are capable of. I think my main takeaway is the heavy use of envelope, and setting the filter modulation much lower than a normal synth pluck would require. Also, having a really dry sound mixed in with lots of ambience really cuts through in a way that creates a strong effect.

I hope you learn something from this tutorial, and it gives you some ideas to try out! Please let me know if there are any questions, or if anyone knows what instrument was used on the film. I would guess a Minimoog or similar."

Stranger Things Theme: OB-6 sound design tutorial: How to make the synth bass

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

EthanJamesMusic OB-6 videos

"This is a sound design tutorial for how to approach the main theme of Stanger Things. The sound is a dirty chorus synth bass that is achieved by detuning the oscillators, as opposed to using a chorus effect..

The Sequential Circuits OB-6 can do a respectable job of coming close to the sound, because of the SEM filter that is borrowed from the original Oberheim that was used in the main theme.

Analog synthesizers have found a way back into film music, which has led to a lot of rich experimentation of what these instruments are capable of. I think my main takeaway is the heavy use of envelope, and setting the filter modulation much lower than a normal synth pluck would require. Also, having a really dry sound mixed in with lots of ambience really cuts through in a way that creates a strong effect.

I hope you learn something from this tutorial, and it gives you some ideas to try out! Please let me know if there are any questions, or if anyone knows what instrument was used on the film. I would guess a Minimoog or similar."

Sound design tutorial from Stranger Things Eleven using OB-6 part 2

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

EthanJamesMusic OB-6 videos

"This is a sound design tutorial for how to approach a specific sound that was used in the first season of Stranger Things. I was requested to show how I would make the chord sound that happens in the track "Eleven". The sound is a wobbly synth sound, with some wrinkles about modulated the filter.

The Sequential Circuits OB-6 can do a respectable job of coming close to the sound. This track has polyphony, so a multi-oscillator synth with separate envelopes is required.

Analog synthesizers have found a way back into film music, which has led to a lot of rich experimentation of what these instruments are capable of. I think my main takeaway is the heavy use of filter modulation using an LFO assignment. Also, having a really dry sound mixed in with lots of ambience really cuts through in a way that creates a strong effect."

Sound design tutorial from Stranger Things Eleven using OB-6 and Moog Grandmother

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a sound design tutorial for how to approach a specific sound that was used in the first season of Stranger Things. I was requested to show how I would make the lead sound that happens in the track "Eleven". The sound is a wet electric piano type of sound, with some wrinkles around the use of filter modulation and reverb..

The Sequential Circuits OB-6 can do a respectable job of coming close to the sound, and I tried to get a Grandmother version to come close. This track does require polyphony, so the Grandmother would have to be multitracked to get the same result.

Analog synthesizers have found a way back into film music, which has led to a lot of rich experimentation of what these instruments are capable of. I think my main takeaway is the heavy use of envelope, and setting the filter modulation much lower than a normal synth pluck would require. Also, having a really dry sound mixed in with lots of ambience really cuts through in a way that creates a strong effect."

Sound design tutorial from the film Blade Runner 2049 using OB-6 and Moog Grandmother

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a sound design tutorial for how to approach a specific sound that was used in the film Blade Runner 2049 from 2017 with a score by Hans Zimmer. I was requested to show how I would make the lead sound that happens in the track 'Mesa'. The sound is a wet synth brass type of sound, with some wrinkles, where the pitch is a little further apart than you normal would do for an EDM track or the type of pop 1980s track, where this type of sound was used a lot.

The Sequential Circuits OB-6 can do a respectable job of coming close to the sound. I have no idea what was actually used for the film, but it sounds closer to a CS-80, which now costs over $100,000 used. For this reason, I'm teaching how to make the sound on both OB-6 and the Moog Grandmother.

Analog synthesizers have found a way back into film music, which has led to a lot of rich experimentation of what these instruments are capable of. I think my main takeaway from making this video, is that a lot can be achieved by moving the pitch of two oscillators far apart from each other to create a lot of disturbance in the melody. Also, having a really dry sound mixed in with lots of ambience really cuts through in a way that creates a strong effect.

I hope you learn something from this tutorial, and it gives you some ideas to try out! Please let me know if there are any questions, or if anyone knows what instrument was used on the film. I would guess a Minimoog or similar."

Sequential Circuits OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 12: How to make an Ambient Evolving Pad with mallet effects

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth.
This twelfth video shows how to make an ambient evolving pad with some percussive mallet effects too."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential Circuits OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 11: How to make In The Light By Led Zeppelin

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth.
This eleventh video shows how to make the lead sound and something sort of close to the drone celli for the Led Zeppelin song 'In The Light'."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Live annotated eurorack emotional cinematic synthwave, ARP-2600, Moog, OB-6 Tangerine Dream inspired

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a live cinematic synthwave electronic music performance inspired by later Tangerine Dream music, where I wanted to setup a more meditative environment and create a slow musical progression by interweaving layers with the Eurorack, using the electric bass as a guitar type of instrument, providing bass from the Moog Grandmother, chords from the DSI OB-6, and texture from the ARP-2600, and more texture from the Buchla 208c Easel Command. This is an entirely live and unrehearsed improvised performance, and I included annotations to show some of what I'm thinking about and also to demonstrate the different musical themes weaving in and out of the texture Since I'm a film composer by trade, this came out relatively cinematic and would work in certain movie score settings. This is a very simple setup to make a big sound. I hope this is educational for you as well, in terms of how I put these performances together. Hopefully this camera angle also helps you learn something!

Patch Notes:
Eurorack:
Stillson Hammer running at x6 multiply but using 1:1 gate from 0-ctrl to make bass. Two envelopes, one to VCA, one to filter.
Tempi clock divider running two channels of Make Noise René. First channel is to Dixie II oscillator to Jove filter to Erberverb. Second is to Serge NTO to Serge VQVCF to Echophon. I'm using a x4 clock divider to the Y channel, which is 1:1 to the VCA gate, but I'm using the C channel gate to the filter, which creates an interesting rhythm.

Moog Grandmother:
Normalled patch

ARP-2600:
3 oscillators tuned in octaves.

DFAM:
Pitch to Noise volume to create snare.

OB-6:
Polysaw chord setting"

Live annotated eurorack Tangerine Dream inspired cinematic synthwave, ARP-2600, Moog, OB-6

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a live cinematic synthwave electronic music performance inspired by later Tangerine Dream music, where I wanted to setup a more meditative environment and create a slow musical progression by interweaving layers with the Eurorack, providing bass from the Moog Grandmother, chords from the DSI OB-6, and melody from the ARP-2600. This is an entirely live and unrehearsed improvised performance, and I included annotations to show some of what I'm thinking about and also to demonstrate the different musical themes weaving in and out of the texture Since I'm a film composer by trade, this came out relatively cinematic and would work in certain movie score settings. This is a very simple setup to make a big sound. I hope this is educational for you as well, in terms of how I put these performances together. Hopefully this camera angle also helps you learn something!"

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 10: Sound Design Examples

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth. This tenth video shows some custom sound design examples to give you an idea of some of the possiblities."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 9: Aftertouch

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth. This ninth video teaches you how to use the aftertouch function and some interactive possibilities of the control. Please leave a comment with any questions or requests and a like if this was helpful."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 8: Arpeggiator and Panning

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth.
This eighth video teaches you how to use the arpeggiator, the detune function, and the pan function."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 7: Effects

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth. This seventh video demonstrates the various effects that available to use for your sound design."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 6: Cross Modulation

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth.
This sixth video shows the various possibilities of cross modulation with the OB-6. Please leave a comment with any questions or requests and a like if this was helpful."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 5: LFO

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth.
This fifth video shows the various assignments and shapes of the LFO. Please leave a comment with any questions or requests and a like if this was helpful."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 4: Envelopes

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth. This fourth video gives an overview of the two envelopes which are hardwired to amplitude and filter."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential Circuits OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Dune Soundtrack The One Hans Zimmer Cover all analog synthesizers, Moog, ARP-2600, Soma Lyra-8, DFAM

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a synthwave cover of the soundtrack for The One by Hans Zimmer from the movie Dune. I wanted to see if it was possible to get somewhat close to the spirit of the music using only analog electronic synthesizers with guitar. I am using some Eurorack modular with a Buchla Easel Command and Soma Labs Lyra-8 to create the drone, while the Moog Grandmother is covering the low brass parts, and the ARP-2600 is covering the string (cello and bass) parts. I'm using the Moog DFAM to cover the low drum hits. Finally, I'm using the Sequential Circuits OB-6 to do the end high strings.

I hope you enjoy! This was a fun exercise in sound design and trying to get the spirit of the orchestra into an analog synth orchestra idea."

"If you enjoyed this, please consider supporting my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ethanjamesmusic

Patch Notes:

Eurorack modular:
Instruo CS-L: using final outputs of both oscillators to a Make Noise Optomix to filter some of the high frequencies. The symmetry of both oscillators is being randomized by fluctuating voltage from a Frap Tools Sapèl.
Random Source Serge New Timbral Oscillator saw output to Serge Variable Frequency VCF. Low pass output to mixer. Filter frequency is being modulated by a Zlob modular Diode Chaos, while Q gain is being modulated by a Make Noise Wogglebug stepped output.
Make Noise Morphagene has a guitar loop playing D, and I'm using the knobs to make things change. Audio to an After Later Audio Monsoon (Clouds clone).
Make Noise Erbeverb in feedback mode to mixer.
All Eurorack audio to an Eventide H9 pedal doing reverb.

Soma Labs Lya-8 is in full drone mode with Hold turned all the way up. Most oscillators tuned close to a D with some variation. Audio is going to a Make Noise X-Pan modulated by an Intellijel Quadrax.

Buchla 208c Easel Command is providing more pulse-like ambience with random voltage changing the timbre very quickly. Audio to Make Noise X-Pan.

Moog Grandmother normalled patch with very slow attack and decay that is also assigned to the filter.

Moog DFAM using a very long decay with the two oscillators tuned a half step apart. Oscillator 2 has very low volume, so it's mostly contributing the attack sound.

ARP-2600 normalled patch with moderate ADSR modulation of the filter.

Sequential Circuits OB-6 using a polysaw sound being controlled by the Novation Bassstation II."

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 3: Filter Types and Blend

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth.
This third video gives an overview of the four different filter types that can be used, as well as how to blend them together to create new sounds. Please leave a comment with any questions or requests and a like if this was helpful."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 2: Oscillators

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons

Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lesson 1: Overview

video upload by EthanJamesMusic

"This is a tutorial series for anyone who wants to learn how to do their own sound design using the Sequential Circuits (former Dave Smith Instruments) OB-6 synthesizer. The goal is to break this subject down into understandable and digestible bits of information that you can apply to your own electronic music. I am primarily a media or film composer, so we will learn ambient, techno, and EDM style sound design using the synth."

EthanJamesMusic Sequential OB-6 Tutorial Lessons