Is this phasing/modulation normal?

Question

I'm just getting into sound design so excuse the wrong usage of terms. Here's the sound I designed in Massive:

It sounds really nice except that I would like it to be more static and constant. Although I don't use any modulation, I hear that this sound is sort of phasing. BTW, can this be considered as phasing or is it just simple evolving/modulation?

I tested taking away effects and it's clear that the use of dimension expander and reverb result in this phasing/modulation—and technically, to the best of my knowledge, it should be this way.

My question is: is it possible to make it more static and less evolving without sacrificing the stereo width?

Thanks so much in advance!

Answer 1

Not really sure where to start... & I don't know Massive at all... but, if you're going to take what is essentially a mono sound & try to throw it out to broad stereo, the way you achieve it is by modulating each side separately.

That's basically what both the reverb & the dimension expander [which sounds like a copy of the old Roland Dimension D effect - a very distinct wide but mono-compatible chorus sound] are actually doing.

If you're going to attempt to broaden a 'static' sound, then your best bet might be to push individual notes out into the stereo field - this would depend on whether Massive can do that.

Alternatively, generate two similar sounds, not based on the same sample, & pan those L & R instead. try tweaking the tuning of one against the other - try to avoid sounds that would beat, as that would put back some modulation you're trying to avoid.