Step 01 / 4
Blend three detuned saw waves #
Load Operator in Live 12 Suite. The starting settings collect the controls for this first step. Select Algorithm 11, the far-right diagram with all four oscillators connected independently to the output. Enable A, B and C; disable D. Choose Saw D for each active oscillator and leave the filter off for this first stage.
| Oscillator control | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coarse | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fine | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Level, displayed | −6.0 dB | −10 dB | −6.7 dB |
| Fixed | Off | Off | Off |
| Retrigger | Off | Off | Off |
| Phase | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Feedback | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Level < Velocity / Key | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% | 0% / 0% |
| Frequency < Velocity | 0 | 0 | 0 |
All three oscillators play in the same register. The small Fine offsets create beating between them. Operator's Fine numbers are frequency-ratio offsets, not cents. Keep oscillator frequency quantization on.
Give A, B and C the same amplitude envelope:
| Envelope control | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 885 ms |
| Decay | 1.21 s |
| Sustain / Peak | 0 dB / 0 dB |
| Initial / End | −∞ dB / −∞ dB |
| Release | 3.00 s |
| Attack / Decay / Release slopes | 0% / 100% / 100% |
| Loop mode | None |
| Velocity-to-time / release modulation | 0% / 0% |
The slow attack rounds the beginning of a note. Maximum sustain keeps the tone alive while a key is held; the curved release fades after the key is lifted.
Set Voices 6, Transpose 0 st, Tone 100%, Volume −9.0 dB, Spread 0%, Time 0% and Time < Key 0%. Disable Glide, Pitch Envelope and LFO. Keep global retrigger off, interpolation and antialiasing on, pan centered, and both pan modulation amounts at zero. Use a pitch-bend range of 2 semitones; leave other global controller destinations off.
Step 02 / 4
Soften the saws with a filter contour #
Enable Operator's filter. Choose Lowpass, 24 dB, and the PRD circuit.
| Filter control | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 2.80 kHz |
| Resonance | 1.0% |
| Drive | 0.00 dB |
| Keyboard tracking | 100% |
| Velocity tracking | 0% |
| Envelope amount | 15% |
| LFO modulation | Off |
| Shaper | Off |
Set the filter envelope to Attack 92.0 ms, Decay 4.30 s, Sustain 72%, and Release 3.00 s. Use Initial 0%, Peak 100%, End 0%, Attack Slope 0%, Decay and Release Slopes 100%, and Loop None. Leave envelope velocity-time and release-velocity amounts at zero.
The filter opens ahead of the slower amplitude swell, then settles to a softer sustained tone. Full keyboard tracking carries the filter upward with higher notes. The low resonance keeps the contour smooth.
Step 03 / 4
Spread the sound with ensemble modulation #
Add Chorus-Ensemble after Operator.
| Control | Value |
|---|---|
| Mode | Ensemble |
| Rate | 0.60 Hz |
| Amount | 45% |
| Feedback | 0% |
| Feedback inversion | Off |
| Width | 100% |
| High-pass filter | Off |
| Warmth | 0% |
| Output | 0 dB |
| Dry/Wet | 52% |
Ensemble adds several moving, delayed versions of the sound. The wet blend widens the pad and makes the detuning less exposed. Keep feedback at zero for a smooth texture.
Step 04 / 4
Add the room tail #
Place Reverb last.
| Reverb control | Value |
|---|---|
| Predelay | 8.00 ms |
| Input Lo Cut / Hi Cut | Off / Off |
| Size | 65.00 |
| Size smoothing | Fast |
| Decay | 3.70 s |
| Stereo | 100.00 |
| Density | High |
| Reflect / Diffuse level | 0 dB / 0 dB |
| Dry/Wet | 50% |
| Early-reflection Spin | On |
| Spin rate / Amount | 0.30 Hz / 17.50 |
| Shape | 0.50 |
| Diffusion High | On, Shelf |
| High frequency / Gain | 4.50 kHz / 0.70 |
| Diffusion Low | Off |
| Diffusion / Scale | 60% / 40% |
| Chorus | On |
| Chorus rate / Amount | 0.02 Hz / 0.02 |
| Freeze | Off |
The short predelay connects the room to the pad. High-frequency damping softens the reverberation while the long decay fills the space around sustained notes. Reverb's chorus adds a small amount of movement to the diffuse tail.
Hold single notes to expose the slow beating, or play chords for a broad pad. Very short notes remain soft because they end before the amplitude attack reaches its peak. Velocity does not change the oscillator levels or filter cutoff in this patch.
Operator control reference · Chorus-Ensemble and Reverb reference
Audio & settings ↓