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 model, and using the Hydrasynth's deep modulation matrix to introduce subtle "analog" instabilities.

Note: These instructions start from an Initialized Patch (Press 'Init' twice).

1. The Oscillator Section (The Analog Core)

We need thick, detuned sawtooth waves as our foundation.

• OSC 1:

  • Select Single mode.

  • Wave: Sawtooth (Wave position 1).

• OSC 2:

  • Select Single mode.

  • Wave: Sawtooth.

  • Tune: Set to about +10 cents for a thick, chorused detune against OSC 1.

• MIXER:

  • Set Osc 1 and Osc 2 levels to around 100 to drive the filter nicely.

2. The Filter Section (Vintage Warmth)

The Hydrasynth has amazing filter models. We want the classic "Ladder" sound.

• FILTER 1:

  • Type: LP Ldr 24 (Lowpass Ladder 24dB). This mimics classic Moog-style filters.

  • Cutoff: Set to a low-mid position, around 40-50.

  • Resonance: Around 30 to give it that classic 80s synth "bite."

  • Env 1 Amount: Set to +40. This will allow the envelope to pluck the filter open.

3. Envelopes (Pluck and Sustain)

• ENV 1 (Filter Envelope):

  • Attack: 10ms (Just enough snap without clicking).

  • Decay: 600ms.

  • Sustain: 40%.

  • Release: 500ms.

• ENV 2 (Amp Envelope):

  • Similar settings to Env 1, but perhaps a slightly longer Release (around 800ms) for a nice tail.

4. Modulation (Adding "The Drift")

Digital synths are too perfect. We need to make the pitch wobble slightly to sound "old."

• LFO 1:

  • Wave: Sine.

  • Rate: Very slow, around 0.5 Hz.

• MOD MATRIX:

  • Slot 1: Source LFO 1 $\to$ Destination Osc 1 Pitch (Amount: +0.3).

  • Slot 2: Source LFO 1 $\to$ Destination Osc 2 Pitch (Amount: -0.4).

  • Note: Using very small, opposing amounts creates a beautiful, subtle analog drift.

5. Effects (The 80s Sheen)

The sound isn't complete without the classic chorus/delay combo.

• PRE-FX: Select Chorus. Increase depth and width for that wide stereo image.

• DELAY: Select Tape Delay. Set time to around 1/8 dot and add moderate feedback.

• REVERB: Select Hall. A long decay time (4-5 seconds) pushes the sound into the background for that cinematic feel.

Your Turn: Perform the Patch

This sound really comes alive when you use the Arpeggiator. Turn it on, set it to "Up/Down" mode, and play some simple minor chords.

Macro Idea: Map the Filter Cutoff and Resonance to Macro 1 on the Home screen for instant real-time control over the brightness of the sequence.

Record your best retro-futuristic melodies, tag @sonalsystem, and use #HawkinsRetroLead!