How to get better sounding noise?

I’ve been really enjoying listening to Lightbath’s Selected Public Works vol. 5. In particular, the opening track has the most beautiful sounding noise associated with each note.

I’ve tried mixing various noise sources in VCV together with Plaits pre-envelope, but despite much filtering of the noise, I can’t seem to get anything nearly as effective as in this recording. I’m finding that: it always sounds like too much, or not enough; and that the noise sounds separate to the note, rather than sounding like a core part of it.

Any tips for getting better sounding noise?

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are you using field recordings for the noise?

That’s a cool idea, I had been using filtered white noise.

Tried it out with some road noise → Instruo Tanh → Supercell, and I’m liking the sound so far. The passing of the cars gives a sense of movement, which one might typically use an LFO + filter for.

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You may find inspiration in the Vwery Cool Patch Challenge #66:

There is also the Diswuiet Junto Project 0398:

Both are dedicated to noise in different ways.

Have you tried Lindenberg’s NO!ZER? Its pretty versatile. :slight_smile:

Could Lightbath have been using an envelope follower, processing the noise before applying the envelope, then mixing the noise with the note?

another thing you can try is lightly modulating the pitch or timbre of your main sound source with the noise. that ties it more closely than just mixing it.

Love this idea, will definitely give it a shot!

Hi…Have you at any point recorded something and had a reasonable impression of it, then, at that point inevitably of not paying attention to it you return to the recording and find that it’s currently not sounding anything like your previous impression ? I thought this piece was all the more unpleasant sounding, a lot harsher than I hear it now.

thats not related to this original thread topic, but yes. usually that mostly happens if i make something with my laptop speakers then listen to it on headphones and there’s some muddy bass frequencies that the speakers didn’t pick up.

Mind meld bass master to the rescue?

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