Patch Reverse Engineering

Happy to help!

Oh, that's brilliant this is definitely helpful and gives a big push. My biggest struggle is the waveform (besides the rest) and its relation to the Filter now makes much more sense. Also coming back to it the other day is also a nice advise, yeah I know patience makes things more productive 😀

I think I print this post of yours and put it on the wall 😄

Many thanks, Joe the a professor 😀

When recreating a patch in a song it can be tougher because, as you said, it's hard to really "hear" it in a mixed song. So a few things:

1. Search the whole song for the most clear point. For example, in the last tut I did for Sicko Mode, I was struggling with the sub bass a bit because it had a particular tone, not a typical sine wave. However, I back-tracked to the intro and realized it was being played there without drums or the second bass, both of which were making it harder to hear.

2. Start with the most obvious aspects of the sound first. Get the easier stuff out of the way. Each patch is different so whatever sticks out, try to do that first.

3. Experiment. In my videos I make it look like a clear, easy and logical process, but since I can't hear the naked patch, I still have to experiment a lot. I'll do a little bit one day, come back to it the next, realize it's way off, try again, etc.

4. Focus more on the filter than the waveform. I find that I'm tweaking the filter a lot when recreating patches, more so than the waveform. When I do these recreations I end up with Saw 80% of the time, because even if the actual patch used a different waveform, it became less important due to the filtering and effects. I usually try to stick to basic subtractive waveforms for this reason, and it almost always works out, which saves a lot of time on trial-and-error that would be involved in trying out different wavetables.

And yes, a strong ear comes with repetition. Lots of repetition. Sounds are so infinitely different and internally complex, that it requires our brain's nondeclarative memory (the part that enables us to talk, walk, ride a bike, play the piano, etc) to get involved in order to recognize what's going on. And that part of our brain only learns through actual experience and repetition.

Lol: "scratch that mental itch"...
What you're saying is very reasonable, I'm exactly about to gain that superpower. So might be not specific enough, I'd like to understand how to achieve what you do. If I'm understanding well you just keep practicing until it becomes a second nature?

Maybe the best to tell about my problem (it is still about synthesis :D), I'm near to finish the Syntorial lessons and I usually work out the Group challenges often to 3 stars than 2 stars, but when it's about a sound in a real track I block and just foggy hunches or nearly nothing that I got to go with...

Hey Dubmethod

I've dabbled a bit but never really dug into it seriously. For me, I go through the exercise of recreating patches in songs to train my ear, so that I can ultimately make the things I'm hearing in my head, as well as tweak patches when I know/hear what I want or don't want them to do.

But reverse engineering doesn't really help with that goal, as I can't analyze what I hear in my brain.

So no, I wouldn't recommend it as a good starting point. It's definitely an interesting concept, and if it piques your interest, I would pursue it to scratch that mental itch. And no doubt you'll definitely learn things in the process.

But, in all things music, my goal is get to a point where I can make what I feel and hear with as little analysis and technical thought as possible. Free, open and pure expression.