In my corporate life where I only go back and forth between work and home, it's not often that something happens that would be the subject of a blog.
I want to go back to my traveler days when every day was sparkling.
There are many advertising articles introducing sound sources and plug-ins in DTM, but here I will introduce the plug-ins that I often use in actual production based on my own opinion and bias.
When it comes to sound sources and plug-ins, in the end it's important to download the trial version and actually try it out rather than reading other people's reviews, but if that's what you're looking for.
This time I'd like to introduce his synthesizer called SERUM from Xfer Records.
I use it almost every time I work on dance music like this song.
It's a standard and popular synth in the DTM world, and I think it's in the top 3 most popular on any comparison site.
Wavetable is a type of synthesizer that can freely change the waveform of the original sound, and you can also create your own oscillators, so you can create a wide range of tones.
The impression is that it tends to be more of a modern digital sound.
It may not be suitable for people who want retro analog synth sounds.
As of this writing, the price is 189 USD on the official website.
At the current dollar-yen rate, it's about 27,000 yen.
When I bought it, it was before the yen depreciated, so it was around 20,000 yen.
In the DTM world, there are always ridiculous sales such as 90% off, but this SERUM is famous for almost no sales, probably because it is a popular synth.
The trial version has a usage limit of 15 minutes on official website, Splice, you can use it for free for up to 3 days.
Splice is a rent-to-own installment payment system, and this is recommended for anyone other than an oil tycoon who can't afford 27,000 yen.
If you pay up to the full price, it's yours, and if it doesn't suit you or you find a better synth, you can cancel midway.
There are other wavetable-type synths, but the appeal of SERUM is the ease of sound creation brought about by its sophisticated UI and variety of built-in effects.
Also, since it is a standard synth, there are many instructions on how to use it online, and there are also a wide variety of third-party presets on sale, so it is suitable for people who are lazy to create sounds and want to use presets.
There's a good way to learn how to create sounds with a synth. First, line up two synths like this, set one as a preset, and initialize the other.
By turning the knobs and making several copies according to the preset, you will be able to understand what kind of sound you should move and how.
To apply an LFO (a mechanism that moves knobs regularly), select the LFO and drag and drop it onto the target knob or parameter.
Then the knob changes like this, and it starts to move.
You can change the range of motion of the knob by clicking and moving the small icon that looks like an eye test in the upper left.
Lots of effects too. The quality is also great.
Homemade preset 1. Its use is unknown.
Homemade preset 2. Looks like it could be used as a lead.
Homemade preset 3. It can be used for ambient music.
Time melts just by playing the sound in a loop and tweaking the knobs.
Perfect as an accompaniment to alcohol.