Gear up studio-heads, today we learn how to create some of those classic gaming sounds of the past. We’ll be using Logic Pro but you can easily create these sounds in any DAW! Our weapon of choice is Logic’s ES1. It’s a well rounded subtractive synth that is more than capable of getting the job done.
Take a listen to the sound we’ll recreate:
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Step 1 – Load up an ES1.
Let’s start with our Oscillators. Turn your Sub Oscillator off and set your Wave Oscillator to a triangle waveform. Adjust your mix so it’s set to Wave.
Step 2 – Tweak your Filter.
Max out your Drive and set your Cutoff to about 75%. Turn up your Resonance to 50%. Also, maximize your ADSR via Velocity. This feature will alter the sound based on your ADSR envelope and the velocity at which you strike the keys.
At this point your synth should sound similar to this:
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Step 3 – Add some Clip Distortion.
Now that we have a quality starting point, we can add some distortion to give it that Lo-fi feel these sounds are known for.
Set your Tone to 920 Hz. Next, dial down on your LP Filter to remove any harshness in the highs. You can also remove any low-end rumble or muddiness via the High Shelving Frequency.
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Step 4 – Polish off with some Bit Reduction.
A touch of Bit Reduction will help add to that old school sound. Don’t over do it though. At this point, it should be used in moderation. Start with the settings you see above, then adjust the Resolution and Downsampling to your tastes.
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Summary
Try experimenting with different waveforms in the ES1. You could easy get another classic gaming sound by switching to a square wave in your synthesizer. Most of the sounds of that era were generated from basic waveforms so don’t over think things.
The formula is simple — basic waveform + bit reduction = vintage video game sound
We hope you found this tutorial helpful! Be sure to check in regularly for great articles, amazing loops and more!
So that’s how they get that 8bit sound!!! Awesome!! OMG why didn’t I find this site sooner?!?!?