# Build Russet Harbor in Ableton Live

Russet Harbor is a pad sound made with Wavetable, Chorus-Ensemble, Reverb and Utility.

Signal flow: **Wavetable → Chorus-Ensemble → Reverb → Utility**. Use stock devices in **Ableton Live 12 Suite**.

Flt 1 Freq: 1.46 kHz; Amp Attack: 1.18 s; Amp Release: 2.62 s.

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

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Finished Russet Harbor"><source src="audio/russet-harbor.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Finished sound — WebM/Opus](audio/russet-harbor.webm)

## Step 1 — Choose the first wavetable and amplitude contour

Choose oscillator 1’s wavetable, position and tuning. Set the amplifier envelope and voicing from the starting settings. Wavetable position chooses the harmonic shape; the amplitude envelope controls how the sound arrives and fades.

Use **Wavetable** 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: **Wavetable → Chorus-Ensemble → Reverb → Utility**. Begin with the instrument, then add each effect in its numbered step.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Osc 1 On | On |
| Osc 1 Pos | 34 % |
| Osc 1 Gain | -10 dB |
| Osc 1 Effect 2 | 12 % |
| Amp Attack | 1.18 s |
| Amp Decay | 3.38 s |
| Amp Sustain | -2.0 dB |
| Amp Release | 2.62 s |
| Unison Amount | 18 % |
| Volume | -9.0 dB |
| Osc 2 On | Off |
| Sub On | Off |
| Flt 1 On | Off |
| Flt 2 On | Off |

### Voicing and modulation

Choose the waveform and voicing controls below. In the Matrix and MIDI tabs, set the listed routes; leave unlisted routes at zero. The modulation amounts are the values shown in the matrix. Poly voices apply in Poly mode.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Oscillator 1 category | Basics |
| Oscillator 1 wavetable | Basic Shapes |
| Oscillator 1 effect mode | Modern |
| Oscillator 2 category | Basics |
| Oscillator 2 wavetable | Basic Shapes |
| Oscillator 2 effect mode | None |
| Voicing | Poly |
| Poly voices | 8 |
| Unison mode | Shimmer |
| Unison voices | 3 |
| Filter routing | Serial |
| Velocity → Volume | 60 |
| Pitch Bend → Transpose | 2 st |
| Env 2 → Flt 1 Freq | 18 |
| LFO 2 → Flt 1 Freq | 3.5 |
| Mod Wheel → Flt 1 Freq | 10 |
| LFO 1 → Osc 1 Effect 2 | 4 |

Use the [voicing and modulation settings](STARTING_STATE.md#voicing-and-modulation) for the oscillator choices, voice mode and modulation routes.

![Russet Harbor — Wavetable — step 1](screenshots/step-01.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Russet Harbor 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 — Layer the oscillators and animate the filters

Enable the additional sources and filters using the states below. Balance oscillator 2 against oscillator 1, then set the filter types, cutoff and resonance. Apply the listed envelope and LFO routes in the instrument’s Matrix and MIDI tabs; unlisted routes stay at zero.

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

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Osc 2 On | On |
| Osc 2 Pos | 25 % |
| Osc 2 Transp | 7 st |
| Osc 2 Gain | -20 dB |
| Sub On | On |
| Sub Gain | -20 dB |
| Sub Tone | 0.0 % |
| Flt 1 Type | Lowpass |
| Flt 1 Slope | 12 |
| Flt 1 Freq | 1.46 kHz |
| Flt 1 Res | 12 % |
| Flt 2 On | On |
| Flt 2 Type | Highpass |
| Flt 2 Freq | 95.0 Hz |
| Env 2 Attack | 2.20 s |
| Env 2 Decay | 3.30 s |
| Env 2 Sustain | 65 % |
| Env 2 Release | 3.50 s |
| LFO 1 Sync | Free |
| LFO 1 Rate | 0.11 Hz |
| LFO 1 Retrigger | Off |
| LFO 2 Rate | 0.17 Hz |
| LFO 2 Retrigger | Off |
| Flt 1 On | On |

![Russet Harbor — Wavetable — step 2](screenshots/step-02.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Russet Harbor 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 Chorus-Ensemble

Select the mode, then set Rate, Amount and Dry/Wet. Rate controls the speed of movement, Amount controls its depth and Width sets its stereo spread. The high-pass setting limits the low-frequency content entering the chorus.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Mode | Ensemble |
| Rate | 0.39 Hz |
| Amount | 23 % |
| Warmth | 12 % |
| HP On | On |
| HP Freq | 200 Hz |
| Dry/Wet | 24 % |
| Width | 110 % |

Place Chorus-Ensemble after **Wavetable**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#chorus-ensemble) include its remaining controls.

![Russet Harbor — Chorus-Ensemble — step 3](screenshots/step-03.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Russet Harbor 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 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 | 25.0 ms |
| In Lo Cut On | Off |
| In Hi Cut On | Off |
| Diff. Hi Freq | 3.30 kHz |
| HiShelf Gain | 0.60 |
| Density | High |
| Freeze On | Off |
| Decay Time | 4.20 s |
| Room Size | 90.00 |
| Dry/Wet | 28 % |

Place Reverb after **Chorus-Ensemble**. The [complete settings](ALL_PARAMETERS.md#reverb) include its remaining controls.

![Russet Harbor — Reverb — step 4](screenshots/step-04.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Russet Harbor 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)

## 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 | 2.60 dB |
| DC Filter | On |
| Bass Mono | On |
| Bass Freq | 180 Hz |
| Stereo Width | 105 % |

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

![Russet Harbor — Utility — step 5](screenshots/step-05.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Russet Harbor after step 5"><source src="audio/steps/step-05.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[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/russet-harbor.webm)

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