How to Turn Random Noise into Epic Pads in Bitwig Studio + Secret Sampler Feature

Tutorial | May 14, 2020

In this video, I show how to create tuned ambient sound using a sample and the filter section of Bitwig Studio's sampler. The process is similar to the one shown in another tutorial, but the key track feature in Bitwig's filter section makes it more efficient and easier to use. I demonstrate how to use the filter section to create tonality and character in a random noise sample and how to play melodies and chords with it. I also add modulation and effects to make the sound more interesting, and show how to use voice stacking to make the texture thicker. This technique is a fun way to turn random noises into usable pads and can be used for inspiration when you need new ideas. If you have questions, please leave a comment, and if you like the video, please leave a like and subscribe to the channel.

You can watch the Video on Youtube - support me on Patreon

Questions & Answers #

Maybe you dont watch the video, here are some important takeaways:

1. What is the technique used in the video to create a tuned ambience sound? #

The technique used in the video involves using an ambient noise sample and the filter section of the sampler to create a tuned ambience sound. Unlike the method shown in another tutorial, Bitwig Studio allows for the use of the key track and the filter frequency to change automatically according to the notes played. By raising the resonance of the band pass filter, the sample is given some tonality, which can be changed by adjusting the filter frequency. This allows for the creation of melodies and chords with a random noise sample without the need for prior treatment to the sample.

2. How is the polyphonic nature of the sampler used to create a richer sound? #

The polyphonic nature of the sampler allows for the creation of multiple voices with different filter frequencies and detuning applied to each. Modulators, such as a random modulator, can be used to apply different degrees of modulation to each voice, resulting in a detuned, analog sound. Applying the voice stacking feature can further increase the number of voices and enable the use of different modulations for each voice, creating a thick texture of sound pitched to the keyboard.

3. What are some advantages of using Bitwig Studio's filter section instead of EQ to create a tuned ambience sound? #

Using Bitwig Studio's filter section instead of EQ provides the ability to change the filter frequency according to the notes played and enables the use of key tracking, allowing for the creation of melodies and chords with the sample. Additionally, the polyphonic nature of the sampler means that each voice has its own filter, allowing for the application of different modulations and detuning to each voice. This can result in a richer, more textured sound that is pitched to the keyboard.

4. In what ways can this technique be used to spark creativity in producers? #

The technique demonstrated in the video can be used to create unique pad sounds from any ambient noise sample, providing a source of inspiration for producers who may be running out of ideas or need a creative boost. It allows for experimentation and exploration of random sounds, which can be turned into musical elements without the need for extensive processing or editing. This can lead to the discovery of interesting textures and tonalities that may not have been otherwise explored.

Transcription #

This is what im talking about in this video. The text is transcribed by AI, so it might not be perfect. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.
You can also click on the timestamps to jump to the right part of the video, which should be helpful.

[00:00.000] I recently saw here on YouTube on the Abel channel a producer used some kind of ambient noise,
[00:05.920] some random noise, and the EQ to create some kind of tuned ambience sound. Then she resembled
[00:14.880] everything, put it into the sampler, and could use it as a pad sound basically. Inside Bitvic
[00:21.280] Studio with the sampler there's actually a kind of overlooked feature you can use to make this
[00:27.600] on the fly, and I think it's even better. So I want to show you that in this video, so stay tuned.
[00:39.200] If you want to save some money on Bitvic Studio and the upgrade plans,
[00:43.440] and you want to support my channel and my content, then go to my web page,
[00:47.680] use the link to the Bitvic store, use my code and save 10% on the regular price.
[00:52.960] So here we are in Bitvic Studio 3.2 RB Loftar, and for this example of course we need a sampler.
[01:02.240] So let's add one, and we need a sample, and I'm using this one here. I prepared this of course,
[01:10.480] and I'm using a sample here by my friend Skians, and it's plastic pants on wood,
[01:16.240] so just some random noise basically, and I'm using a loop function here, to make it kind of
[01:24.320] endless, and this is how it sounds. So in the tutorial by Bitvic Studio, she used basically an EQ
[01:36.880] to raise the resonance at some frequency, and then she resembled everything and loaded into the
[01:44.480] sampler to play it as a pad. Inside Bitvic Studio, you don't need that, you can just use here
[01:51.920] the filter section, and we switch here to a band pass to Paul, and all we need to do is to raise
[01:59.280] the resonance a bit, okay? This gives us some kind of tonality.
[02:02.720] You can of course use here also the four pole band pass, but at some point it sounds more like a
[02:16.640] sine wave. So there's no point in it really. I really like to use here the two pole, and to have
[02:24.800] some kind of texture and character cutting through the sound. So and when we play different keys here
[02:36.800] on the keyboard, nothing changes because the key track is disabled, and to change the tonality
[02:43.920] or the tone or the note of the sound, we have to change the frequency of the filter. But that's not
[02:55.520] playable, so we use the key track, one hundred percent, and we double click here this
[03:04.080] this filter knob. So it snaps to 262 hertz, which is in Bitvic Studio C3, as you can see down below
[03:12.400] here, and now we can play keys on the keyboard or play notes, and the sampler switches the frequency
[03:21.280] of the filter of this voice to the right frequency. So nice, now we can play melodies with the random
[03:39.280] noise sample without having the key track here enabled. Okay, all we do is changing the filter
[03:47.760] frequency here by playing multiple different keys on the keyboard. And because the sampler is
[03:54.800] polyphonic, the filter is actually also too polyphonic. So when we press multiple keys, we create
[04:03.120] multiple voices, each voice has its own filter, and each filter has key track enabled. So we can play
[04:10.720] chords with this random noise sample. Okay, sounds nice already. So because we don't have
[04:32.880] pitch track here enabled, we can now pitch the sample itself a bit by using the speed knob here,
[04:39.600] the playback speed, and it changes kind of the characteristics of the sound, and it also changes
[04:45.600] the rhythm. So listen to that. So nice, you can also change your of course the modes, maybe switch
[05:13.840] texture mode. Nice, we can also add a reverb and make it even more epic.
[05:43.840] Okay, so now you can start and add modulators, maybe a random modulator here, and I'm using
[06:05.840] hertz as speed. This goes all the way up, and people are, and I'm using free, and you can see here
[06:14.320] polyphonic is active. This means now we can modulate each voice differently. And yeah, maybe I'm using
[06:23.360] this here to change the frequency just a touch. So we have some kind of detuning for each voice.
[06:30.720] So every voice now has its own random modulator applied. So you can see we have three dots,
[06:46.400] and these three dots are basically representing the modulation value for each voice. So now we have
[06:54.240] three keys, and three keys have the key track enabled here, and change the frequency to the right
[07:02.960] node. And the random modulator changes the frequency just a little bit to have some kind of detuning
[07:11.440] happening for each voice, and this gives us a nice analog flair of flavor.
[07:27.120] Okay, so now that we changed the frequency for each voice differently with the random modulator,
[07:42.400] we can also use the same modulator to change the panning of each voice. So we just apply this here
[07:48.480] to the pan, and now each voice goes in a different stereo field position.
[08:10.160] Maybe we can also use the modulator here itself to change the speed for some of the voices,
[08:15.120] and maybe the start of that.
[08:25.280] So now we have basically multiple voices. When we press multiple keys, we have a lot of
[08:48.880] tonalities. We can play chords just with a random noise sample without treating the sample
[08:56.560] before you use it inside the sample itself. So you can do everything just with a
[09:02.000] filter section down below here, and it's really, really powerful. And as you can see, the main focus
[09:08.880] of the sample itself is not just sampling. It's basically creating nice sounds from random shit.
[09:18.160] So I think that's the main goal of the sample, really. That's how it's designed, basically.
[09:28.320] So what we can do now is of course we can click the sample here, use the info pane, and maybe
[09:33.760] activate voice stacking. So now we are virtually duplicating the sample itself five times,
[09:41.360] and can change each voice differently. So maybe we use your voice stack modulator.
[09:50.480] So we can now add different modulations to each voice, and maybe change here the speed, speed a bit.
[10:03.600] And yeah, let's try this. And maybe also the panning a little bit.
[10:23.360] As you can see, we have a lot of voices now. And this creates a nice thick texture of sound,
[10:30.960] all pitched right full to your keyboard. And it's fun. Yeah, as you just saw, the bit
[10:41.520] of example is pretty powerful when it comes to turning random noises into nice sounds. Also,
[10:48.720] the filter section of the sample itself, it's pretty powerful because of the key track,
[10:53.680] and because it's polyphonic. So it's actually pretty fun to record something with your phone,
[10:58.560] with your iPhone, and drag it into the sampler and create pets out of it. When you need some
[11:06.000] inspiration or you're running out of ideas, just use this. It's pretty fun actually to do this.
[11:14.080] Yeah, if you have questions about the video, then please leave a comment. And if you like the video,
[11:20.320] then please leave a like, of course, subscribe to the channel. And maybe think about the
[11:25.680] subscription over in Patreon. It really helps. We already surpassed, I think, last week 100
[11:31.200] subscribers, which is pretty great. I never actually thought I hit this goal ever. So this happened
[11:41.200] last week. Also, there are some presets coming in the release version of 3.2. I made 12 presets.
[11:50.800] I posted some snippets of the presets already on my social media accounts.
[11:59.200] That should be pretty fun too. Maybe I make a video about all these presets. I don't know yet.
[12:04.960] Some bass lines, some pets, and all kinds of stuff.
[12:08.000] Yeah, that's it for this video. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next video. Bye.