# Build Ember Thump in Ableton Live

Ember Thump is a kick sound made with Operator, Saturator and Utility.

Signal flow: **Operator → Saturator → Utility**. Use stock devices in **Ableton Live 12 Suite**.

Algorithm: Alg. 1; Filter Freq: 3.20 kHz; Ae Decay: 460 ms.

[Complete device settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md) · [Instrument settings](STARTING_STATE.md)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Finished Ember Thump"><source src="audio/ember-thump.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Finished sound — WebM/Opus](audio/ember-thump.webm)

## Step 1 — Build oscillator A and its amplitude envelope

Choose oscillator A’s waveform and coarse/fine tuning. Set its envelope mode, attack, decay, sustain and release for the fundamental body of the sound. Keep the other oscillators, pitch envelope, LFO and filter off for this first stage. **Ae**, **Be**, **Ce** and **De** refer to the envelopes for oscillators A, B, C and D; **Pe** refers to the pitch envelope.

Use **Operator** with the [complete starting settings](STARTING_STATE.md). Set the source and amplitude controls below; sections marked Off stay bypassed at this stage.

Signal flow: **Operator → Saturator → Utility**. Begin with the instrument, then add each effect in its numbered step.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Osc-A On | On |
| Osc-A Wave | Sine |
| A Coarse | 1 |
| A Fine | 0 |
| Osc-A Level | -3.0 dB |
| Osc-A Lev &lt; Vel | 60 % |
| Osc-A Phase | 0 % |
| Osc-A Retrig | On |
| Ae Attack | 0.50 ms |
| Ae Decay | 460 ms |
| Ae Sustain | -inf dB |
| Ae Release | 150 ms |
| Ae Mode | Trigger |
| Spread | 0 % |
| Volume | -10 dB |
| Transpose | -12 st |
| PB Range | +2 st |
| Osc-B On | Off |
| Osc-C On | Off |
| Osc-D On | Off |
| Filter On | Off |
| Pe On | Off |
| LFO On | Off |

![Ember Thump — Operator — step 1](screenshots/step-01.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Ember Thump after step 1"><source src="audio/steps/step-01.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Sound after step 1 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-01.webm)

## Step 2 — Shape the harmonics, pitch and filter contour

Use the oscillator switches and algorithm below to introduce the remaining sound layers. Set each enabled oscillator’s tuning, level and envelope. In a serial algorithm, modulator level controls the strength of FM overtones; in a parallel algorithm, it controls the level of a separate audible layer. Enable the pitch envelope and filter only where marked On.

Keep the first stage’s source and amplitude settings while making these changes. The [complete instrument settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#operator) show the resulting tone before effects.

**Alg. 1** is the serial path D → C → B → A → output. Only enabled oscillators contribute to the path.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Algorithm | Alg. 1 |
| Osc-B On | Off |
| Osc-C On | Off |
| Osc-D On | Off |
| Pe On | On |
| Pe Init | +24 st |
| Pe Peak | +24 st |
| Pe Attack | 0.00 ms |
| Pe Decay | 42.0 ms |
| Pe Sustain | 0 st |
| Pe Release | 60.0 ms |
| Pe End | 0 st |
| Pe Amount | 100 % |
| Filter On | On |
| Filter Type | Lowpass |
| Filter Slope | 12 dB |
| Filter Freq | 3.20 kHz |
| Filter Res | 0.0 % |
| Filt &lt; Key | 0 % |
| LFO On | Off |

![Ember Thump — Operator — step 2](screenshots/step-02.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Ember Thump after step 2"><source src="audio/steps/step-02.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Sound after step 2 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-02.webm)

## Step 3 — Apply Saturator

Select the curve before setting Drive. Drive changes the waveform’s harmonic content; Output balances the level after that change. Dry/Wet blends the processed and direct tone. Keep Color and clipping controls as listed because they alter the distortion character.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Type | Analog Clip |
| Drive | 4.0 dB |
| Output | -3.0 dB |
| Color On | Off |
| Pre Dc Filter | On |
| Dry/Wet | 75 % |

Place Saturator after **Operator**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#saturator) include its remaining controls.

![Ember Thump — Saturator — step 3](screenshots/step-03.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Ember Thump after step 3"><source src="audio/steps/step-03.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Sound after step 3 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-03.webm)

## Step 4 — Apply Utility

Set gain and width at the end of the chain. Set Utility’s **Gain** knob to the **Output** value in the table. Width changes the balance between center and side information; Mono combines the channels. Bass Mono narrows only the low frequencies below its cutoff. Keep DC Filter and phase-inversion switches at the listed values.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Output | 0.25 dB |
| DC Filter | On |
| Mono | On |

Place Utility after **Saturator**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#utility) include its remaining controls.

![Ember Thump — Utility — step 4](screenshots/step-04.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Ember Thump after step 4"><source src="audio/steps/step-04.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Sound after step 4 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-04.webm)

## Downloads and settings

- [Complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md)
- [Starting settings](STARTING_STATE.md)
- [Finished sound — WebM/Opus](audio/ember-thump.webm)

[Read this guide on playgrid.cc](https://playgrid.cc/tutorials/ember-thump/)