Welcome to Week 8 of Tonal Drop Thursdays! This week, we are channeling the aggressive, machine-like textures of classic 90s industrial music. To do this, we are firing up the Moog Slim Phatty. While Moog is famous for creamy, smooth bass, the Phatty series has a dirty secret weapon perfect for heavy electronic music: the Overload circuit. This isn't just high gain; it's a dedicated asymmetrical clipping stage placed before the filter that adds grit, compression, and nasty harmonics. Our free patch, "Industrial Grind," combines this Overload circuit with hard Oscillator Sync to create a tearing, metallic bass sound that...

Welcome to Week 7 of Tonal Drop Thursdays! This week, we’re taking the weirdest synth in the lineup—the Arturia MicroFreak—and forcing it to act like a vintage analog monster. The MicroFreak is famous for digital chaos, but it possesses a secret weapon: a genuine, 12dB SEM-style Analog Filter. Our free patch, "Analog Behemoth," uses the "BasicWaves" oscillator engine to generate thick, classic analog waveforms, and then drives them hard into that analog filter to create a massive, aggressive lead tone perfect for driving arpeggiators. Patch 7: Analog Behemoth (Vintage Style Arp Lead) Note: Start from an Initialized Patch (Hold SHIFT and...

Finishing anxiety hits hard when the year-end clock is ticking and your tracks aren’t done. That pressure to wrap projects can drain your creativity and stress your mind. Composer mental health often takes a backseat to deadlines, but managing that stress is key to finding your flow. Let’s break down how you can ease music production stress and keep your creative workflow strong—plus, how SonalSystem’s sound libraries can fuel your momentum. For more insights, check out this article. Understanding Finishing Anxiety As the calendar creeps toward December, the pressure to finish projects mounts. Understanding this stress is the first step...

Welcome to Tonal Drop Thursdays! We are stepping away from heavy industrial grit and diving headfirst into cinematic nostalgia. This week, we are firing up the ASM Hydrasynth. While often lauded for its complex digital wavetables, the Hydrasynth is also incredibly capable of warm, convincing analog emulation. Our free patch, "Hawkins Retro-Lead," captures that quintessential 80s sci-fi aesthetic made famous by shows like Stranger Things. It’s warm, slightly detuned, drenched in chorus, and perfect for arpeggiated patterns or soaring melodies. Patch 6: Hawkins Retro-Lead (80s Cinematic Analog Emulation) The secret to this sound is using simple waveforms, a vintage-style filter...

Most loops sound like they hit repeat on boredom. You know the frustration—hours spent crafting audio that just drones on. What if your loops could hold attention without sounding robotic? This guide reveals looping techniques that keep your sound design fresh and your music production lively. Stick around to see how creative sampling turns seamless loops into something you’ll want to hear again and again. Check out more in this guide. Understanding the Basics of Looping Looping in music isn't just about hitting repeat. It's about creating patterns that captivate and engage. Let's dive into the essentials of audio looping, sound...