# Build Flint Snap in Ableton Live
Flint Snap is a snare sound made with Operator, Saturator, Reverb and Utility.
Signal flow: **Operator → Saturator → Reverb → Utility**. Use stock devices in **Ableton Live 12 Suite**.
Algorithm: Alg. 11; Filter Freq: 160 Hz; Ae Decay: 110 ms.
[Complete device settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md) · [Instrument settings](STARTING_STATE.md)
[Finished sound — WebM/Opus](audio/flint-snap.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 → Reverb → 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 | -8.0 dB |
| Osc-A Lev < Vel | 60 % |
| Ae Attack | 0.30 ms |
| Ae Decay | 110 ms |
| Ae Sustain | -inf dB |
| Ae Release | 80.0 ms |
| Ae Mode | Trigger |
| Osc-A Retrig | On |
| Volume | -12 dB |
| Spread | 0 % |
| Transpose | 0 st |
| Osc-B On | Off |
| Osc-C On | Off |
| Osc-D On | Off |
| Filter On | Off |
| Pe On | Off |
| LFO On | Off |
[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. 11** places A, B, C and D in parallel as separate audible layers.
| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Algorithm | Alg. 11 |
| Osc-B On | On |
| Osc-B Wave | Noise White |
| Osc-B Level | -5.0 dB |
| Osc-B Lev < Vel | 60 % |
| Be Attack | 0.50 ms |
| Be Decay | 190 ms |
| Be Sustain | -inf dB |
| Be Release | 100 ms |
| Be Mode | Trigger |
| Osc-C On | Off |
| Osc-D On | Off |
| Pe On | Off |
| LFO On | Off |
| Filter On | On |
| Filter Type | Highpass |
| Filter Slope | 12 dB |
| Filter Freq | 160 Hz |
| Filter Res | 8.0 % |
| Filt < Key | 0 % |
[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 | 3.0 dB |
| Output | -2.0 dB |
| Color On | Off |
| Pre Dc Filter | On |
| Dry/Wet | 60 % |
Place Saturator after **Operator**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#saturator) include its remaining controls.
[Sound after step 3 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-03.webm)
## Step 4 — Apply Reverb
Set decay, room size and Dry/Wet for the surrounding space. Predelay separates the direct attack from the room. Input filtering shapes what excites the reverb, while diffusion and high-frequency damping change the density and brightness of its tail.
| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Predelay | 5.00 ms |
| In Lo Cut On | Off |
| In Hi Cut On | Off |
| Diff. Hi Freq | 4.50 kHz |
| HiShelf Gain | 0.60 |
| Density | High |
| Freeze On | Off |
| Decay Time | 450 ms |
| Room Size | 30.00 |
| Dry/Wet | 9.0 % |
Place Reverb after **Saturator**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#reverb) include its remaining controls.
[Sound after step 4 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-04.webm)
## Step 5 — 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 | -0.77 dB |
| DC Filter | On |
| Mono | On |
Place Utility after **Reverb**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#utility) include its remaining controls.
[Sound after step 5 — WebM/Opus](audio/steps/step-05.webm)
## Downloads and settings
- [Complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md)
- [Starting settings](STARTING_STATE.md)
- [Finished sound — WebM/Opus](audio/flint-snap.webm)
[Read this guide on playgrid.cc](https://playgrid.cc/tutorials/flint-snap/)