Guide to Creating a Complete Track Utilizing a Single Audio Processing Tool

Guide to Creating a Complete Track Utilizing a Single Audio Processing Tool

Subscribe to our website's Blog for weekly gear guides, tips, tutorials, inspiration, and more.

In the realm of music production, one plugin can make all the difference. This time, we're exploring Lethal by Lethal Audio, a versatile synth that can handle percussion, synthesized instruments, and effects processing, all within a single plugin. Here's a step-by-step approach to building an entire track using Lethal:

1. Set Your Track Style and BPM Start by setting the tempo within your DAW to match your track style. Lethal is capable of designing sounds for various genres, so decide on your genre first.
2. Design Your Core Sounds in Lethal
3. Use Lethal's comprehensive synth engine to build your main synths (basslines, leads, pads). It has many presets and a deep synth editor to create custom sounds.
4. For example, create a powerful wobble bass using Lethal's modulation and filter controls to design evolving rhythmic bass patches critical for styles like dubstep or trap.
5. Design a bright plucky lead or chord stab by layering oscillators and shaping envelopes.
6. Sequence Drum Patterns Using Lethal’s Built-in Drum Sounds
7. Lethal includes drum kits and samples within its interface. Program your drum pattern (kick, snare, hi-hats) step by step in the plugin’s sequencer or your DAW’s piano roll using Lethal’s drum samples.
8. Layer different drum samples inside Lethal for complexity, such as combining synthetic kicks with acoustic snares.
9. Create Melodic Elements and Effects Within Lethal
10. Compose melodies and chords with Lethal’s MIDI sequencing. Use automation inside Lethal or your DAW to introduce dynamics and modulation changes over time (filter sweeps, LFO modulation).
11. Add effects such as reverb, delay, or distortion inside Lethal to give depth and character.
12. Arrange the Track
13. Arrange your parts stepwise: intro (pads + light percussion), build-up (drums + lead synth), drop (bass + full drums + lead), breakdown, and outro. Since all sounds come from Lethal, control variation by muting/unmuting tracks or adjusting parameters automation.
14. Mixing and Final Touches Within Lethal or DAW
15. Use Lethal’s mixer section to balance levels, pan instruments, and apply EQ or compression on individual sounds. This ensures the track sounds cohesive despite using one plugin.
16. Optionally add a mastering plugin outside Lethal for final polish, but the entire track sounds and arrangements come from Lethal.

Example: You might start with a deep analog bass patch crafted in Lethal’s synth engine combined with its house drum kit samples, program a four-bar drum loop, then lay a lead melody using an evolving synth preset. Throughout, modulate filters and effects LFOs inside Lethal to maintain interest and dynamic changes, finally arranging your track structure all from sequences and automation applied to Lethal alone.

While there is no detailed official tutorial specifically for making full tracks only using Lethal, this approach is common when producers challenge themselves to use only one versatile plugin synth like Lethal Audio to handle all percussion, synthesized instruments, and effects processing. This method fosters creativity and in-depth knowledge of the plugin’s capabilities.

In summary, building a full track with just Lethal involves: - Synth sound design (bass, leads, pads) - Drum programming with inbuilt samples - Sequencing melodies and rhythms - Applying internal effects and automation - Arranging sections with variation in Lethal’s interface

This hands-on approach to fully utilizing Lethal’s comprehensive synthesis, sample, and effect tools allows a producer to create entire compositions within a single cohesive workflow.

• A 16th note swing preset is applied to all clips except the kick and snare to humanize the track.
• The MIDI notes were constrained to the correct key using Ableton's Scale MIDI plugin.
• A melody is added to the track to fill out the atmosphere.
• A percussion section is added to the track for rhythmic action.
• The global swing in the groove pool is increased to make the track breathe.
• A bassline is an important element added to the track, emphasizing the offbeats.
• A stereo delay is applied to highlight the rhythmic quality of the melody and add depth, dimension, and ambience.

Various contributors from our website team of music mentors contributed to the tutorial. The synth plugin used in this tutorial is Lethal by Lethal Audio. The article discusses building an entire track using one plugin. The process begins with creating a kick and snare rhythm. The full version of the Lethal deep house demo from Woulg shows the entire process behind how the tracks were made.

1. To fully utilize the capabilities of Lethal by Lethal Audio, a versatile synth for music production, you can design an entire track within one plugin, following these steps: start with synth sound design (bass, leads, pads), progress to drum programming with inbuilt samples, add melodies and rhythms through sequencing, apply internal effects and automation, and arrange sections within Lethal's interface.
2. In the realm of sound design, Lethal's comprehensive synth engine allows for the creation of various genres' core sounds, such as a powerful wobble bass, bright plucky leads, or evolving synth presets for music distribution across various entertainment platforms.
3. Expand your music production skills by tackling beat making challenges with only one plugin, such as Lethal, to handle all percussion, synthesized instruments, and effects processing, cementing your mastery of technology and gadgets in the music industry.

Read also: