Design your Sound

Essentials

Shape and design your sounds using synthesizers, effects, and routing tools. Start with a synthesizer to generate sound, add effects to transform it, and use routing tools to create parallel processing or complex signal chains.

  • Synthesizers — Generate sound with oscillators, filters, and modulation

  • Effects — Transform sounds with reverb, delay, distortion, and more

  • Routing tools — Split, merge, and route signals for parallel processing

  • Signal chains — Combine multiple devices for complex sound design

About Synthesizers

Synthesizers are electronic instruments that generate sound from scratch. Understanding their components helps you create and shape sounds.

Oscillators generate the raw sound waveforms. Common waveforms include:

  • Sine: Pure tone with no harmonics

  • Triangle: Smooth, mellow sound

  • Sawtooth: Bright, rich in harmonics

  • Square: Hollow, distinctive sound

Filters shape the sound by removing or emphasizing frequencies:

  • Low-pass: Removes high frequencies (bright to dark)

  • High-pass: Removes low frequencies

  • Band-pass: Allows only middle frequencies

  • Cutoff and resonance controls adjust the filter characteristics

Envelopes control how sound changes over time:

  • ADSR: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release

  • Filter envelope: Shapes tone over time

  • Amplitude envelope: Shapes volume over time

Modulation adds movement to your sounds:

  • LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator): Rhythmic modulation

  • Envelope modulation: Time-based changes

  • Can modulate pitch, filter, amplitude, and more

How it works together: Oscillator creates sound → Filter shapes it → Envelope controls timing → Modulation adds movement.

Add Effects

Add effects to shape and enhance your sounds.

  1. Add effects to your tracks or devices:

    • Drag effect devices from Library to timeline (onto instrument tracks)

    • Add effects in Studio view for routing

    • Use built-in mixer FX section

  2. Browse and use effect presets:

    • Browse effect presets in Library

    • Load presets to effect devices

    • Preview presets before applying

    • Save custom effect presets

  3. Use built-in mixer FX:

    • Every mixer channel has Reverb and Delay

    • Access from mixer channel FX section

    • Adjust mix and parameters

Effect categories:

  • Reverb/Delay: Add space and depth

  • EQ/Filter: Shape tone and frequency response

  • Distortion/Saturation: Add character and warmth

  • Modulation: Add movement (chorus, flanger, phaser)

About Routing Tools

Routing tools connect and route audio and MIDI signals between devices. Use them to create complex signal chains and creative setups.

Signal routing controls how audio and MIDI flows between devices. Understanding signal flow direction helps you build effective setups.

Splitting signals allows parallel processing:

  • Split one signal into multiple outputs

  • Process the same signal with different effects

  • Example: Split bass, process highs and lows separately

Merging signals combines multiple sources:

  • Combine multiple signals into one

  • Use for layering instruments

  • Blend multiple effect returns

Common routing patterns:

  • Parallel FX chains: Split signal, apply different effects, merge back

  • Multiband processing: Split by frequency, process separately

  • Layering: Merge multiple instruments for richer sound

Routing tools overview:

  • Splitter: One input to multiple outputs

  • Merger: Multiple inputs to one output

  • BandSplitter: Split by frequency

  • NoteSplitter: Split MIDI notes

See Plugins → Tools for detailed information about each routing tool.