Overdrive (Part 2) Lead

Question

Just bought a Virus TI Desktop after hearing Ummet, Showtek, SvD, etc. rave about it and I have to say I'm absolutely blown away! I usually try to recreate sounds via Sylenth1 and often times can get pretty close, but with the Virus it's just a few clicks away and BANG! you get a huge, professional sound in one or two layers.

Anyways, right now I'm trying to recreate the lead used in Overdrive Pt. 2-- Ummet Ozcan & Calvin Harris (found here at 0:14):

I've made a pretty similar sound in Sylenth1 using about three layers but for the life of me I cannot get anywhere close with the Virus. I'm thinking it's a band-passed saw mixed with a hypersaw (and some pitch mod) but can't seem to get the right BP filter settings. I also can't get the phaser quite right...

Thoughts?

Edit here are some pics of a similar patch made in Sylenth1:

---

EDIT:

I think the biggest hindrance is just how different the filters are on Sylenth1 vs. Virus Ti, particularly the band-pass filter. Sylenth1's seems to be a bit wider whereas the Virus' is so narrow it's almost unusable IMHO. It may be best to just use a high-cut/low-cut filter with rectifier saturation and sine-fold distortion (via the FX 1 tab). Another option is a band-pass combined with a band-cut...

-E

Answer 1

You provide no example of your result, so I just have to go with end goal.

Crucial things to this patch are:

• two instances of virtually identical synths, one doing a pitch vibration and then sliding down. Pitch manipulation is a BIG part of the patch.
• snappy attacks. ADSR manipulation, for sure, but also locking your OSCs phase can be vital. Also, short pitch bursts in the beginning of notes.
• very sharp and precise releases. Any delays and reverbs, provided that they're used at all, should be killed at the end points of phrases completely.
• different pan position for voices. This could be achieved if your synth allows for panning your unison voices separately.
• rich frequency content. Of course a unison saw is a good candidate. I would recommend a synth that sports a bandlimited oscillator for this type of sounds, to avoid possible aliasing.
• relatively even frequency response all the way up from mid-low to mid-high. Distortion is a tempting option, but I would recommend a precise and powerful multiband compression. This is an art in itself, but it won't mess with harmonics like distortion does, won't react ugly on any polyphony (which is present here) and will give you that all-round result - if done right.
• lack of powerful base frequency. This can be either case of multiband compression or lack of these frequencies in the synthesis stage.

I personally don't hear a powerful filter work case here. The sound is fat, yet the cut in lows is too steep, virtually unpresent. I suggest that you should achieve that bandpass-like character with multiband compression + highpass eq if needed. Multiband would be overpowering your higher-sounding range, thus creating a bit lacking impression in low mids, which is what we're after. Avoid 5k, 7k and most of things above, or things will get sizzly very quickly.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

Have you tried applying these (I am going by your Sylenth patch there):

• Mix in a lower octave Sawtooth (not full unison on this).
• It does sound like a deep unison/Hypersaw type is also present, so this would be mixed with what you have. You may not need more than 8 voices on the unison when this lower octave is mixed though.
• Although there is a low pass filter sweep in the track, try a High-pass filter (with resonance) on the lower octave or both oscillators, since there are lacking low frequencies, while the Band-pass may have a too narrow slope.
• Wouldn't suggest any Phaser effects.
• If the Hypersaw is not thick enough an alternative is mixing in a Noise oscilator, probably best on High-pass filter setting, Mixed low. There appears to be noise in the track mix, maybe for extra effect, may even be audience cheer but it can be illusive!

Hope that helps!