Music Tools

SynthSynthBright sawtooth synthesiser. PadSynth PadSlow attack/release, detuned saw chorus — warm sustaining pad. PluckSynth PluckSharp synth pluck — fast envelope-swept lowpass, no sustain. E. PianoElectric PianoRhodes-style tine with tremolo. Nylon GuitarNylon GuitarClassical nylon-string pluck. Steel G.Steel-string AcousticBrighter than nylon — ringing harmonics, sharper pick attack. E. Gtr ClnElectric Guitar (clean)Single-coil — saw through midrange formant, light chorus. E. Gtr DrvElectric Guitar (drive)Overdriven — soft-clip waveshaper, scooped mids, subtle vibrato. BanjoBanjoBright twang — high harmonics + sharp pick, fast decay. MandolinMandolinPaired strings + ~10 Hz tremolo simulating fast picking. HarpHarpSoft warm pluck — many partials, very long sympathetic decay. VibraphoneVibraphoneWarm metallic vibraphone with tremolo and bell-like decay. MarimbaMarimbaWood mallet — bright 4th partial, fast wood-damp decay. Xylo.XylophoneHard wood — bright, very short decay. Sounds 8va. Glock.GlockenspielBell-like metal bars, long shimmering decay. Sounds 15ma. BellsTubular BellsStruck bell — inharmonic partials, very long decay. Sounds 8va. CelestaCelestaSmall struck-metal keyboard — warmer than glock. Sounds 8va. ViolinViolinBowed string — slow attack, vibrato, bandpass formant. ViolaViolaDarker bowed string — lower formant than violin. CelloCelloBowed string with chest resonance and sub-octave body. D. BassDouble BassBowed orchestral bass with deep sub-fundamental. PizzPizzicato StringsPlucked strings — fast attack, short decay, woodbox formant. StringsString SectionBowed ensemble — three detuned saws, gentle section vibrato. TromboneTromboneBrass: low formant, slow attack, brightens through the note. TubaTubaDeep brass — sine + saw, slow attack, very low formant. FluteFluteSine fundamental with breath noise and gentle vibrato. OboeOboeDouble-reed: nasal double-formant, reedy character. BassoonBassoonLow double-reed with hollow body and reedy formant. TrumpetTrumpet (B♭)Bright brass — formant sweeps upward as the note develops. F. HornFrench Horn (F)Mellow brass — very slow attack, low formant. FlugelFlugelhorn (B♭)Mellower than trumpet — lower formant, no filter sweep. BrassBrass SectionEnsemble — detuned saws + octave through a sweeping bandpass. ClarinetClarinet (B♭)Single-reed — square wave (odd harmonics), hollow tone. S. SaxSoprano Sax (B♭)Highest sax — bright formant, breathy attack. A. SaxAlto Sax (E♭)Mid-range sax — warm formant, breathy. T. SaxTenor Sax (B♭)Lower sax — darker formant, breathy. B. SaxBaritone Sax (E♭)Lowest sax — deep formant, breathy. PiccoloPiccoloBright high flute — sounds octave above written. E. HornEnglish Horn (F)Lower oboe — double-formant, reedy character. A. PianoAcoustic PianoSine harmonics, sharp percussive attack — no tremolo (vs E. Piano). OrganHammond OrganAdditive sines on the classic Hammond drawbars (16′ 8′ 5⅓′ 4′ 2⅔′ 2′). Harpsi.HarpsichordPlucked keyboard — bright pluck + quill transient, no dynamics. Accord.AccordionBellows reeds + detuned twin for musette beating. ChoirChoir AahsMulti-formant vowel synthesis — two detuned voices for chorus. OohsChoir Oohs"Oo" vowel — darker and more closed than aahs. Sop.SopranoSolo soprano — bright high "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. AltoAltoSolo alto — mid "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. Ten.TenorSolo tenor — slightly lower formants. Reads treble-8vb. BassoBass voiceSolo bass — low chest formants + sub-octave reinforcement.

SynthSynthBright sawtooth synthesiser. PadSynth PadSlow attack/release, detuned saw chorus — warm sustaining pad. PluckSynth PluckSharp synth pluck — fast envelope-swept lowpass, no sustain. E. PianoElectric PianoRhodes-style tine with tremolo. Nylon GuitarNylon GuitarClassical nylon-string pluck. Steel G.Steel-string AcousticBrighter than nylon — ringing harmonics, sharper pick attack. E. Gtr ClnElectric Guitar (clean)Single-coil — saw through midrange formant, light chorus. E. Gtr DrvElectric Guitar (drive)Overdriven — soft-clip waveshaper, scooped mids, subtle vibrato. BanjoBanjoBright twang — high harmonics + sharp pick, fast decay. MandolinMandolinPaired strings + ~10 Hz tremolo simulating fast picking. HarpHarpSoft warm pluck — many partials, very long sympathetic decay. VibraphoneVibraphoneWarm metallic vibraphone with tremolo and bell-like decay. MarimbaMarimbaWood mallet — bright 4th partial, fast wood-damp decay. Xylo.XylophoneHard wood — bright, very short decay. Sounds 8va. Glock.GlockenspielBell-like metal bars, long shimmering decay. Sounds 15ma. BellsTubular BellsStruck bell — inharmonic partials, very long decay. Sounds 8va. CelestaCelestaSmall struck-metal keyboard — warmer than glock. Sounds 8va. ViolinViolinBowed string — slow attack, vibrato, bandpass formant. ViolaViolaDarker bowed string — lower formant than violin. CelloCelloBowed string with chest resonance and sub-octave body. D. BassDouble BassBowed orchestral bass with deep sub-fundamental. PizzPizzicato StringsPlucked strings — fast attack, short decay, woodbox formant. StringsString SectionBowed ensemble — three detuned saws, gentle section vibrato. TromboneTromboneBrass: low formant, slow attack, brightens through the note. TubaTubaDeep brass — sine + saw, slow attack, very low formant. FluteFluteSine fundamental with breath noise and gentle vibrato. OboeOboeDouble-reed: nasal double-formant, reedy character. BassoonBassoonLow double-reed with hollow body and reedy formant. TrumpetTrumpet (B♭)Bright brass — formant sweeps upward as the note develops. F. HornFrench Horn (F)Mellow brass — very slow attack, low formant. FlugelFlugelhorn (B♭)Mellower than trumpet — lower formant, no filter sweep. BrassBrass SectionEnsemble — detuned saws + octave through a sweeping bandpass. ClarinetClarinet (B♭)Single-reed — square wave (odd harmonics), hollow tone. S. SaxSoprano Sax (B♭)Highest sax — bright formant, breathy attack. A. SaxAlto Sax (E♭)Mid-range sax — warm formant, breathy. T. SaxTenor Sax (B♭)Lower sax — darker formant, breathy. B. SaxBaritone Sax (E♭)Lowest sax — deep formant, breathy. PiccoloPiccoloBright high flute — sounds octave above written. E. HornEnglish Horn (F)Lower oboe — double-formant, reedy character. A. PianoAcoustic PianoSine harmonics, sharp percussive attack — no tremolo (vs E. Piano). OrganHammond OrganAdditive sines on the classic Hammond drawbars (16′ 8′ 5⅓′ 4′ 2⅔′ 2′). Harpsi.HarpsichordPlucked keyboard — bright pluck + quill transient, no dynamics. Accord.AccordionBellows reeds + detuned twin for musette beating. ChoirChoir AahsMulti-formant vowel synthesis — two detuned voices for chorus. OohsChoir Oohs"Oo" vowel — darker and more closed than aahs. Sop.SopranoSolo soprano — bright high "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. AltoAltoSolo alto — mid "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. Ten.TenorSolo tenor — slightly lower formants. Reads treble-8vb. BassoBass voiceSolo bass — low chest formants + sub-octave reinforcement.

SynthSynthBright sawtooth synthesiser. PadSynth PadSlow attack/release, detuned saw chorus — warm sustaining pad. PluckSynth PluckSharp synth pluck — fast envelope-swept lowpass, no sustain. E. PianoElectric PianoRhodes-style tine with tremolo. Nylon GuitarNylon GuitarClassical nylon-string pluck. Steel G.Steel-string AcousticBrighter than nylon — ringing harmonics, sharper pick attack. E. Gtr ClnElectric Guitar (clean)Single-coil — saw through midrange formant, light chorus. E. Gtr DrvElectric Guitar (drive)Overdriven — soft-clip waveshaper, scooped mids, subtle vibrato. BanjoBanjoBright twang — high harmonics + sharp pick, fast decay. MandolinMandolinPaired strings + ~10 Hz tremolo simulating fast picking. HarpHarpSoft warm pluck — many partials, very long sympathetic decay. VibraphoneVibraphoneWarm metallic vibraphone with tremolo and bell-like decay. MarimbaMarimbaWood mallet — bright 4th partial, fast wood-damp decay. Xylo.XylophoneHard wood — bright, very short decay. Sounds 8va. Glock.GlockenspielBell-like metal bars, long shimmering decay. Sounds 15ma. BellsTubular BellsStruck bell — inharmonic partials, very long decay. Sounds 8va. CelestaCelestaSmall struck-metal keyboard — warmer than glock. Sounds 8va. ViolinViolinBowed string — slow attack, vibrato, bandpass formant. ViolaViolaDarker bowed string — lower formant than violin. CelloCelloBowed string with chest resonance and sub-octave body. D. BassDouble BassBowed orchestral bass with deep sub-fundamental. PizzPizzicato StringsPlucked strings — fast attack, short decay, woodbox formant. StringsString SectionBowed ensemble — three detuned saws, gentle section vibrato. TromboneTromboneBrass: low formant, slow attack, brightens through the note. TubaTubaDeep brass — sine + saw, slow attack, very low formant. FluteFluteSine fundamental with breath noise and gentle vibrato. OboeOboeDouble-reed: nasal double-formant, reedy character. BassoonBassoonLow double-reed with hollow body and reedy formant. TrumpetTrumpet (B♭)Bright brass — formant sweeps upward as the note develops. F. HornFrench Horn (F)Mellow brass — very slow attack, low formant. FlugelFlugelhorn (B♭)Mellower than trumpet — lower formant, no filter sweep. BrassBrass SectionEnsemble — detuned saws + octave through a sweeping bandpass. ClarinetClarinet (B♭)Single-reed — square wave (odd harmonics), hollow tone. S. SaxSoprano Sax (B♭)Highest sax — bright formant, breathy attack. A. SaxAlto Sax (E♭)Mid-range sax — warm formant, breathy. T. SaxTenor Sax (B♭)Lower sax — darker formant, breathy. B. SaxBaritone Sax (E♭)Lowest sax — deep formant, breathy. PiccoloPiccoloBright high flute — sounds octave above written. E. HornEnglish Horn (F)Lower oboe — double-formant, reedy character. A. PianoAcoustic PianoSine harmonics, sharp percussive attack — no tremolo (vs E. Piano). OrganHammond OrganAdditive sines on the classic Hammond drawbars (16′ 8′ 5⅓′ 4′ 2⅔′ 2′). Harpsi.HarpsichordPlucked keyboard — bright pluck + quill transient, no dynamics. Accord.AccordionBellows reeds + detuned twin for musette beating. ChoirChoir AahsMulti-formant vowel synthesis — two detuned voices for chorus. OohsChoir Oohs"Oo" vowel — darker and more closed than aahs. Sop.SopranoSolo soprano — bright high "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. AltoAltoSolo alto — mid "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. Ten.TenorSolo tenor — slightly lower formants. Reads treble-8vb. BassoBass voiceSolo bass — low chest formants + sub-octave reinforcement.

SynthSynthBright sawtooth synthesiser. PadSynth PadSlow attack/release, detuned saw chorus — warm sustaining pad. PluckSynth PluckSharp synth pluck — fast envelope-swept lowpass, no sustain. E. PianoElectric PianoRhodes-style tine with tremolo. Nylon GuitarNylon GuitarClassical nylon-string pluck. Steel G.Steel-string AcousticBrighter than nylon — ringing harmonics, sharper pick attack. E. Gtr ClnElectric Guitar (clean)Single-coil — saw through midrange formant, light chorus. E. Gtr DrvElectric Guitar (drive)Overdriven — soft-clip waveshaper, scooped mids, subtle vibrato. BanjoBanjoBright twang — high harmonics + sharp pick, fast decay. MandolinMandolinPaired strings + ~10 Hz tremolo simulating fast picking. HarpHarpSoft warm pluck — many partials, very long sympathetic decay. VibraphoneVibraphoneWarm metallic vibraphone with tremolo and bell-like decay. MarimbaMarimbaWood mallet — bright 4th partial, fast wood-damp decay. Xylo.XylophoneHard wood — bright, very short decay. Sounds 8va. Glock.GlockenspielBell-like metal bars, long shimmering decay. Sounds 15ma. BellsTubular BellsStruck bell — inharmonic partials, very long decay. Sounds 8va. CelestaCelestaSmall struck-metal keyboard — warmer than glock. Sounds 8va. ViolinViolinBowed string — slow attack, vibrato, bandpass formant. ViolaViolaDarker bowed string — lower formant than violin. CelloCelloBowed string with chest resonance and sub-octave body. D. BassDouble BassBowed orchestral bass with deep sub-fundamental. PizzPizzicato StringsPlucked strings — fast attack, short decay, woodbox formant. StringsString SectionBowed ensemble — three detuned saws, gentle section vibrato. TromboneTromboneBrass: low formant, slow attack, brightens through the note. TubaTubaDeep brass — sine + saw, slow attack, very low formant. FluteFluteSine fundamental with breath noise and gentle vibrato. OboeOboeDouble-reed: nasal double-formant, reedy character. BassoonBassoonLow double-reed with hollow body and reedy formant. TrumpetTrumpet (B♭)Bright brass — formant sweeps upward as the note develops. F. HornFrench Horn (F)Mellow brass — very slow attack, low formant. FlugelFlugelhorn (B♭)Mellower than trumpet — lower formant, no filter sweep. BrassBrass SectionEnsemble — detuned saws + octave through a sweeping bandpass. ClarinetClarinet (B♭)Single-reed — square wave (odd harmonics), hollow tone. S. SaxSoprano Sax (B♭)Highest sax — bright formant, breathy attack. A. SaxAlto Sax (E♭)Mid-range sax — warm formant, breathy. T. SaxTenor Sax (B♭)Lower sax — darker formant, breathy. B. SaxBaritone Sax (E♭)Lowest sax — deep formant, breathy. PiccoloPiccoloBright high flute — sounds octave above written. E. HornEnglish Horn (F)Lower oboe — double-formant, reedy character. A. PianoAcoustic PianoSine harmonics, sharp percussive attack — no tremolo (vs E. Piano). OrganHammond OrganAdditive sines on the classic Hammond drawbars (16′ 8′ 5⅓′ 4′ 2⅔′ 2′). Harpsi.HarpsichordPlucked keyboard — bright pluck + quill transient, no dynamics. Accord.AccordionBellows reeds + detuned twin for musette beating. ChoirChoir AahsMulti-formant vowel synthesis — two detuned voices for chorus. OohsChoir Oohs"Oo" vowel — darker and more closed than aahs. Sop.SopranoSolo soprano — bright high "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. AltoAltoSolo alto — mid "ah" formants, singer's vibrato. Ten.TenorSolo tenor — slightly lower formants. Reads treble-8vb. BassoBass voiceSolo bass — low chest formants + sub-octave reinforcement.