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400 Chapter 24 Ultrabeat
The Ultrabeat Kick
You can use the extensive Ultrabeat features to create bass drums that are uniquely
“Ultrabeat.” Try modulating pitch with an LFO, rather than an envelope, for example.
To create an LFO modulated kick drum:
1 Start with the Standard Tutorial sound at a pitch of A#0 (Osc 1 Pitch), and choose LFO 1
as the Mod source in the Osc 1 Pitch section.
2 Set the degree of modulation by moving the blue Mod control to a value of A3.
3 Set LFO 1 to a low number of Cycles (25 to 35), a high Rate (starting with 70 Hz and
higher) and a medium value for Decay (Ramp rotary knob at about –190).
4 Experiment with the LFO waveform and you’ll discover that you can attain different
nuances in the character of the bass drum attack.
5 Modulate the Asym (Asymmetry) parameter with the same LFO, and also vary the Slope
and Saturation values.
This method enables you to create very different bass drum sounds with a single
oscillator, one LFO, and one envelope (for volume). The character of the sounds can
range from soft to punchy and the degree of tonality in the sound can be adjusted to
taste.
Note: The bass drum sound described is called Kick 3 in the Tutorial Kit at a pitch of D1.
Use the second oscillator (with similar settings or with a sample) or use the filter and
the ring modulator—the sky’s the limit as far as your imagination is concerned, so get
on with it, and create that next “gotta have it” drum sound.
Note: You can find an “emulation” of the legendary 808 bass drum under the name Kick
4 in the Tutorial Kit, at a pitch of D#1.