Your lead sounds powerful on its own, then the kick and bass come in and it disappears. Turning it up is not the answer. In this real mix situation, KOOROW keeps an FM lead at the same volume and makes it fuller, richer and more present using only Ableton Live’s stock audio effects.
The video is in Persian. This article walks through every step in English, with the settings used in the session.
The chain
- Utility: a little extra width, with the low end kept mono
- EQ Eight: clear the low end, tame a hum in the mids, add a gentle lift up top
- Saturator: harmonics for weight and density
- Compressor: control the dynamics created by filter automation
- Auto Pan: smooth random movement
Which lead needs this?
A section of a psytrance track can have three or four leads playing at once. This treatment is for the main one: the lead that carries the story and has to sit right in front of the listener. It works on any type of lead, not only FM.
Set the lead’s level first and leave it there. Every step below is judged at that same volume. The goal is a lead that sounds better at the same level, not a louder lead.
Step 1: Utility for width, with mono low end
- Add Utility and raise Width from the default 100% to about 130%. Some of the signal moves from the mid to the sides, and details such as the delay become easier to hear.
- Do not go much further. Too much width can easily cause phase problems.
- Turn on Bass Mono and set its frequency to about 300 Hz (the default is 120 Hz). Everything below that point is summed to mono, while the rest of the spectrum keeps its width.
Step 2: EQ Eight, small moves only
| Band | Move | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Low cut up to about 170 Hz | Leave the low end to the kick and bass |
| Band 2 | About −1 dB around 300 Hz, wide Q | When the filter cutoff closed during recording, this range started to hum and jump in level |
| Band 3 | About +1.5 dB around 5.2 kHz, gentle Q | A little brightness so the lead spreads into the space |
Be careful with the high boost. The ear is very sensitive in that range, and too much makes the lead painful to listen to. This is a case of “less is more”: small changes have a large effect. Compare with the EQ on and off on good headphones or speakers.
Step 3: Saturator for weight
Add Saturator to make the lead harmonically richer: heavier, fuller and bolder. Do not overdo it:
- Drive around +6 dB
- Output turned down to keep the level matched (around −3 dB or a little more)
- Hard Clip shape
With the Saturator off, the lead sounds hollow, like a thin branch. With it on, it becomes a tree with a solid trunk.
Step 4: Compressor so the lead can breathe
Recording filter cutoff moves with a MIDI controller during sound design leaves the lead with a lot of dynamic movement. Control it with Compressor:
- Fast attack
- Release on Auto
- Ratio left at its default
- Raise the threshold slowly until you see about 3–4 dB of gain reduction
- Make-up gain to bring the level back (1–3 dB in the session)
Do not over-compress. Treat the sound like a living thing: it needs to breathe and keep some movement. An over-compressed lead may be loud, but it stops talking to the listener.
Step 5: Auto Pan with smooth random movement
Finish with Auto Pan. Change the shape from the default sine to the smoothed random shape, so the position moves softly instead of jumping. In the video the amount is about 80%, with the rate synced to 1/4.
The result
At the same volume as before, the lead is fuller, richer and firmer, and it sits on top of the mix instead of fighting the kick and bass. No third-party plugins and no tricks, just a simple chain applied with restraint.
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