Aphex modulation pad

Pads can do far more than fill out chords. This month we create a set of Aphex Twin-inspired modulating pads

-  Dave Gale

Synth pads are among the most iconic elements of electronic music production. What we find most interesting about synth pads is how they can so easily morph from one sound to another, depending on the style of music and production you're trying to work within.

In one genre, you may have a brassy-sounding stab, which overtly sounds like a throwback to the '80s, but in another setting, you may find yourself with a more subdued and mysterious sound.

This is definitely one of the calling cards of the production styles employed by Richard D. James, also known as Aphex Twin. Nestled amongst a seemingly often chaotic soundscape, you will often hear a relatively subdued synth pad or two in there, which is the audio equivalent of a pad that's had that little bit too much to drink!

This woozy sound is heavily reliant on pitch modulation, generated by a low frequency oscillator. What makes this placement even more interesting, is the fact that it's often employed in a more melodic fashion, rather than simply shoring up the harmony of a chord.

We re-create the nucleus of this sound, using our very own Zebra CM plugin, which offers potential for both creating something similar, or acting as a spark to further pad development.

Step by step

1. Windowlickin' good pads

1 Let's start with an initialised patch; open your DAW and load up an instrument channel, armed with an instance of the ZebraCM plugin. Once the plugin window is open, move to the central display at the top of the window, click to reveal the drop-down menu, and select Init from the bottom. This will initialise the patch.