# Build Velvet Current in Ableton Live

Velvet Current is a bass sound made with Drift, Saturator and Utility.

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

LP Freq: 340 Hz; Env 1 Attack: 8.00 ms; Env 1 Release: 200 ms.

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

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Finished Velvet Current"><source src="audio/velvet-current.webm" type="audio/webm"></audio>

[Finished sound — WebM/Opus](audio/velvet-current.webm)

## Step 1 — Shape oscillator 1 and the amplitude envelope

Choose oscillator 1’s waveform, shape, tuning and gain. Set Envelope 1 for the note’s amplitude contour. With oscillator 1’s filter routing off, this stage exposes the source harmonics before low-pass shaping.

Use **Drift** 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: **Drift → Saturator → Utility**. Begin with the instrument, then add each effect in its numbered step.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Osc 1 Wave | Saw |
| Osc 1 Gain | -8.0 dB |
| Osc 1 Oct | 0 |
| Osc 1 Shape Mod Amt | 0.0 % |
| Env 1 Attack | 8.00 ms |
| Env 1 Decay | 600 ms |
| Env 1 Sustain | 70 % |
| Env 1 Release | 200 ms |
| Vel &gt; Vol | 40 % |
| Drift | 3.0 % |
| Spread | 0.0 % |
| Glide Time | 35.0 ms |
| Volume | -6.0 dB |
| Osc 2 On | Off |
| Noise On | Off |
| Osc 1 Flt On | Off |

### Voicing and modulation

Set the voice options and modulation source/destination menus below. Their amounts appear in the Drift parameter table. A source has no effect when its amount is zero or its destination is None.

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Filter modulation source 1 | Env 2 |
| Filter modulation source 2 | Vel |
| LFO modulation source | Mod |
| Pitch modulation source 1 | Env 2 |
| Pitch modulation source 2 | LFO |
| Shape modulation source | Slide |
| Modulation row 1 source | Mod |
| Modulation row 2 source | Vel |
| Modulation row 3 source | Press |
| Modulation row 1 destination | LP Frequency |
| Modulation row 2 destination | None |
| Modulation row 3 destination | None |
| Voice count | 8 |
| Voice mode | Mono |

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

![Velvet Current — Drift — step 1](screenshots/step-01.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Velvet Current 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 — Blend the second oscillator and contour the filter

Enable oscillator 2 and route oscillator 1 through the filter using the states below. Balance the second oscillator, then set low-pass frequency, resonance and the Envelope 2 modulation amount. Key tracking and velocity modulation make the brightness respond to pitch and playing strength.

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

| Control | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Osc 2 Wave | Sine |
| Osc 2 Oct | -1 |
| Osc 2 Gain | -7.0 dB |
| Noise On | Off |
| LP Type | II |
| LP Freq | 340 Hz |
| LP Res | 0.25 |
| HP Freq | 25.0 Hz |
| Key &gt; LPF | 0.60 |
| LP Mod Amt 1 | 30 % |
| LP Mod Amt 2 | 12 % |
| Env 2 Attack | 2.00 ms |
| Env 2 Decay | 450 ms |
| Env 2 Sustain | 20 % |
| Env 2 Release | 200 ms |
| Mod Matrix Amt 1 | 0.0 % |
| Osc 2 On | On |
| Osc 1 Flt On | On |

![Velvet Current — Drift — step 2](screenshots/step-02.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Velvet Current 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 | Soft Sine |
| Drive | 2.0 dB |
| Output | -2.0 dB |
| Color On | Off |
| Pre Dc Filter | On |
| Dry/Wet | 70 % |

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

![Velvet Current — Saturator — step 3](screenshots/step-03.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Velvet Current 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 | 3.91 dB |
| DC Filter | On |
| Mono | On |

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

![Velvet Current — Utility — step 4](screenshots/step-04.png)

<audio controls preload="none" aria-label="Velvet Current 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/velvet-current.webm)

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