June 8, 2024
by GForce Software
GEOSynths Sound Design was established in 2017 and is owned and managed by UK-based Jamie Morden. With over 30 Years experience within Audio Production, Live Performance and Sound Design, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience, together with a Professional attitude to complete a Project on time and on Budget.
Sound Design has been the focal point for Jamie, especially in recent years due to the revival of Analogue Synthesizers and the advancements within Digital Synthesis.
Geosynth, who contributed to OB-X, Axxess and more recently impOSCar3‘s sound design, kindly agreed to answer a few questions.
Do you have any tips for getting great-sounding patches?
For me, the key to making sounds that are interesting and which are musical, is to keep movement throughout, even if subtle and not really obvious, just have movement over time, either through modulation or through your own expression with the controllers, you become the modulation!
For me, a “Preset” is just the starting point, a “snapshot” and my goal is to allow the user to vastly change the sound, it’s tone, duration and shape (In context) by utilising the available controllers, though always being mindful that they can get back to the starting point, the “Preset” at any time, without the need to reload.
I find myself spending a lot of time with the filter envelope rather than the amp envelope. It’s where I determine a lot of the shaping and dynamics of the sound, transitioning from dark to bright rather than simply from quiet to loud.
Which of your impOSCar3 patches do you consider your personal favourite?
It’s hard to narrow it down to just one, however if I had to choose, “Rejects” would definitely be one of my favourite motion sounds. In addition to the notch filter, I have a particular fondness for the band-pass filter, and this sound utilises it exceptionally well over time.
“Rejects” has three key stages that I find particularly captivating: the band-pass sweep, the wavetable transition, and the LFO rate, which can be slowed down using aftertouch. On top of that, the use of macros, especially macro 1, adds another layer of versatility by allowing me to change the shape of the sound dynamically.
Is there anything, in particular, you liked about impOSCar3?
ImpOSCar3 stands out to me for its truly unique sound compared to many other synthesizers I’ve worked with. The range of tone you can achieve with just the oscillators is remarkable, especially with the wavetables and the ability to create your own waveshapes. When you add in the various filter types and the wildness of the resonance, it truly becomes a sonic playground for Musicians.
What’s your favourite synthesiser?
I have developed multiple sound libraries for a variety of Synthesizers from companies like Moog, Novation, Nord, and many others. However, I have a particular affinity for the sound of Sequential Synthesizers, especially the Oberheim OB-6. The OB-6 holds a special place in my heart not only because of its fantastic sound and user-friendly interface, but also because of its unique State Variable Filter (I have a soft spot for notch filters).
Moreover, the OB-6 holds sentimental value for me as it was the first Synthesizer for which I created a commercial bank of patches back in 2017, marking the beginning of GEOSynths as a business.