Filter
Top Products
Envelope shaping
DN530
Operator Manual 29
Envelope shaping
A rhythmic pulse of 8th or 16th notes going all the way through a song is a common
musical device. This could be a sequenced synthesiser, but a more interesting method
is possible using the DN530.
The synthesiser is set up to provide continuous sustained notes (changing according to
the harmony of the song), perhaps being processed by a chorus unit before passing
through the gate. A drum machine or sequencer is programmed to produce a regular
chain of 8th or 16th notes. This is used as the key input to the DN530 (an alternative
source of 8th or 16th note pulses is a live bass drum with added echo, timed to give the
appropriate repeats).
By adjusting the release time, the synthesiser will appear to play a perfectly timed
sequence of notes, which will add interest and rhythm to the arrangement.
Figure 4: Envelope shaping
In a similar way, a bass drum may be beefed up by using it to key a low frequency tone
produced by a synthesiser (or even the console oscillator) and mixing this gated tone
with the original drum sound. A snare drum may be given added bite by keying high
frequency noise.
Gating vocals
In a recording studio, vocals usually need to be gated to remove studio ambience,
headphone noise, breaths etc. This is best done after the vocal has been committed to
the recording medium, otherwise it may be possible to accidentally gate out something
that should have been recorded.
If gating is carried out as the vocal is being recorded, it is important not to gate the
signal before it is fed to the vocalist's headphones. Many vocalists find a gated
headphone feed distracting and it makes it more difficult to find the right note to come
in on.
Sustained synthesiser note
Signal level
Pulse from drum machine
Signal level
Time
Time
Synthesiser 16th notes
Time
Signal level