The synthesizer quandary—every guitar player-turned-producer comes face to face with it sooner or later. On the one hand, that song you’re working on could really use a synth part. On the other hand, you’re a guitar player, not a pianist; those lessons your parents made you suffer through so long ago have been thoroughly wiped from the annals of your memory.
No keyboard skills? No problem. We at B&H can still give you practical advice on how to become a digital synth-smith, even if your wheelhouse is built of strings. Read on for tools, tips, and tricks!
Tools to Get the Job Done
"On the other hand, you’re a guitar player, not a pianist; those lessons your parents made you suffer through so long ago have been thoroughly wiped from the annals of your memory."
Fear not, gentle axe-grinders: you can turn literally anything you play on your guitar into MIDI (the currency of software synths), and thus, trigger digital instruments with the strum of your fingers. If you choose this route, you won’t even need to touch the piano keys; you’ll have to go through a lot of steps not to touch the piano keys, but still, it’s doable.
Chances are, if you have recording software, you already have the means to turn audio into MIDI. Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Studio One have tools for just this purpose, while plenty of online tutorials can show you how to track a guitar part and convert it to MIDI in no time. But in my experience, built-in MIDI conversion tends to work best for monophonic material—bass lines, solos, and the like.
If you want to convert entire chords to MIDI, check out Melodyne 4. Melodyne’s polyphonic algorithm can grab onto any chord you play—even bizarre ones—and give you near-perfect MIDI representation. I myself have used Melodyne to turn byzantine finger-picking patterns into MIDI. It got the job done quickly (don’t forget, Melodyne also gives you a powerful, industry-standard tool for editing the timing and pitch of your vocals too).
You can also turn your guitar itself into a MIDI trigger, tracking your soon-to-be synth parts directly into your computer without purchasing software for the task. This can be done through the Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer, though you will have to mount a MIDI pickup on the bridge of your guitar.
Now, what if you have aspirations to play the piano, but your skill level just isn’t there yet? We’ve still got you covered, with Mozaic Beats AutoTheory, a chord generator that allows you to play entire harmonic progressions upon your MIDI-controller with one finger. Want to add melodies and bass lines to your chords? Well, then you’ll have to use two fingers—which is still less than ten. Should you go this inexpensive route, there are plenty of online tutorials to get you started.
Seven Ways to Use a Synth
Now that we’ve covered the mechanics, let’s get practical. Here are seven basic ways to employ a software synthesizer in your productions.
1. Bass Parts
There’s nothing like the growl of four strings holding down the bottom end. Even so, a synth-bass can punt your production into a less classifiable—and sometimes more interesting—stratosphere. Using software synths in the bass register can push you to experiment in all sorts of ways, encouraging you to employ a gated staccato sound, or to churn out unexpected rhythms with an automated arpeggiator, or to experiment with far-out stereo separation.
2. Lead Parts
O! Those monster guitar solos of yesteryear! It sure was fun while it lasted. But somewhere along the line everything changed, and these days, non-vocal hooks often emanate from synthesizers. Think of that doodling synth in MGMT “Kids” or the drop in LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem.” You might not like these songs, but you have to admit those synth parts are ear worms. They’re also leads.
3. Pads
Think of a pad as any harmonic accompaniment that lingers, sustains, blooms, or floats on top of the music without ever distinguishing itself rhythmically. A pad can be any polyphonic instrument so long as it sustains. These days, synths are routinely used as pads to great effect. To hear one in action, check out Taylor Swift’s massive hit, “Shake It Off”—specifically the chorus. What’s that ghostly, ersatz pedal-steel sound going on back there? Why, a pad, of course.
4. Stand-Alone Parts
Naturally, any instrument played in isolation is a stand-alone part—what I mean here are synths that complement the arrangement with their own rhythmic, chordal pattern. Keep in mind, when balancing a stand-alone synth part against a guitar, you want to be mindful of frequency overlap between the two: a clean electric guitar and an unaffected Rhodes can often invoke similar timbres, and thus wind up clashing in the mix. Therefore, when planning out your arrangement, go for balance whenever possible. If you’re going for a fuzz-driven guitar sound, for example, try avoiding a fuzzy synth—unless you want your parts to clash, which if intentional, is always cool. But be sparing with this; a little goes a long way.
5. Sampling
Look, you’re not going to fit an entire string orchestra into your house. And a Javanese Gamelan at full volume is probably going to tick off the neighbors. But many soft-synths are excellent at replicating anything from strings to gamelans—and they’re getting better at it all the time.
6. Sound Design
Have you ever heard a crazy “whoosh!” leading into a pop chorus? Do you recall the escalating, screeching bit of noise before the drop kicks in on your favorite (or least favorite) EDM tune? That, my friends, is sound design. But sound design can also be so much more, like a rustle that isn’t quite wind panning from left to right, or a tinkling that isn’t quite a bell permeating the background. Many software synths have, within their preset banks, an “FX” section. Mess around with them—tastefully of course; you’ll find yourself adding drama to your productions.
7. Layering
Synthesizers also make excellent tools for sonic layering. Whether you’re doubling a lead guitar line or adding more gravitas to a chordal harmony, you can use a synthetic layer of sound to add subtlety and complexity to your productions. When a bit of layering is used right, you may not notice it in the mix. Still, when it’s gone, you’ll miss it. Most of the songs you hear on the radio today—indie and pop alike—utilize layers upon layers of synthetic sound to convey something that seems bigger than their individual parts.
Takeaways
It’s important to keep in mind that these seven utilizations of the synthetic are not mutually exclusive: a pad can act as sound design; multiple leads can be layered together; a bass part, undoubled, obviously stands alone. That’s what makes the experimenting process so wondrous—every element blends together to make a cohesive tapestry which, if executed smartly, just might take your fans years to unravel.
Another question you might be asking right about now: What are some good software synths to check out? Well, your DAW comes with stock sounds, some of which you’ll find terrible, and some of which you’ll genuinely love. For further exploration—especially into the world of samples and sound-design—check out behemoth engines like Synthmaster and Omnisphere 2. The gargantuan sound libraries these guys provide will keep you going for years, whether you’re dropping bass parts, layering pads, or everything in between.
And there you have it: a compendium on how to record MIDI without pianistic skills, how to employ synths in a mix, and some good tools for getting the job done. If this doesn’t keep you busy, we’d love to hear your thoughts on useful synth-tips for the guitar-oriented brain.
