How to make a warm, evolving pad on the Korg opsix
Build a warm, drifting pad on the Korg opsix from an init patch. Follow the oscillators, filter and modulation, watch the tutorial and download the patch for free.
The opsix can make warm, dusty sounds as well as the brighter FM tones it’s often associated with. In this tutorial, I start with an init patch and build a pad with a gently fluttering upper layer, a little pitch drift and a mod wheel that opens up the sound as you play.
You can follow the steps below or watch the full walkthrough. If you want to hear the finished result first, download the patch for free.
Start with two saw waves
Choose algorithm 1. We’ll use two carriers for the main sound and add only a small amount of FM later.
Change the carriers from sine waves to saw waves. The saw waves give us harmonics to shape with the filter. Set one carrier lower than the other, with an interval that adds some character to the pad.
Give both layers a slow attack so the sound fades in. Let the higher layer have a longer release, while the lower layer gets out of the way sooner when you lift your fingers. That leaves the upper sound hanging in the air.
Let the filter open gradually
Bring the filter cutoff down and add a little resonance. The sound will be quite muffled at this stage.
Assign envelope 2 to the filter cutoff, then increase its attack and sustain. The aim is for the sound to brighten gradually and stay open while you hold the note. If it brightens immediately and then fades, check the envelope shape.
Give the upper layer an uneven flutter
In the modulation matrix, route LFO 3 to the level of operator 1, the higher layer. Raise the amount until you can hear that layer moving in and out, without turning the pad into a strong rhythmic pulse.
At a fixed speed, that movement soon becomes predictable. Route envelope 1 to LFO 3 speed so the flutter changes over the course of a note. In the video, I try a negative amount to give the movement a slower start. I then add a modest amount of LFO 2 to LFO 3 speed for further variation.
Hold a chord and listen to the higher notes appear and recede at different moments. That changing relationship between the layers is the heart of the patch.
Taking this idea to the Hydrasynth
I’m interested in what happens when one modulation source changes another. Here, the envelope and LFOs alter the speed of the flutter rather than simply moving a filter or pitch at a constant rate.
If you also use a Hydrasynth, its modulation matrix offers plenty of room to explore that kind of movement. My Hydrasynth Vol. 1 patches include slow-building pads and subtle Macro controls for changing the sound as you play.
Add a little pitch drift
Route LFO 1 to operator 3 pitch to move the lower layer slightly against the higher one. Keep the amount restrained: too much produces an obvious warble.
In the video, I settle around 18–20 for the modulation amount. A held chord is a good way to judge it. You should hear a little instability without feeling that the patch has gone out of tune.
Open the sound with the mod wheel
Assign the mod wheel to filter cutoff. With the wheel down, the pad stays darker; push it up to reveal more of the saw waves.
I also assign the wheel to bring in a little unison, increasing the voice count to two. As you move the wheel, the sound becomes brighter and wider. It gives the patch a useful performance control without needing to change the notes you’re playing.
Add reverb and a touch of FM
Add reverb to place the pad in a space, keeping enough definition to hear its changing layers. I also use some compression to bring the brighter sound and the darker reverb together.
Finally, return to the sine-wave modulator feeding one of the saw waves. A small amount of FM adds character. Lowering its ratio changes the harmonic texture; try a few settings and listen for one that adds something without taking over the pad.
That takes the opsix init patch from a plain starting point to a sound that drifts and changes under your fingers. The approach is useful beyond this one patch: give layers different envelopes, then let modulation change how another modulation source behaves over time.
Download the patch and hear more sounds
Download this opsix patch for free if you’d like to play it or inspect the settings yourself.
I’ve explored warm, evolving sounds across my Korg opsix Vol. 1 bank. You can hear the full patch playthrough there, or go straight to the Gumroad listing.
If you also make music with Arturia synths, I’ve followed a similarly wavering, retro direction in my MiniFreak Retro Ambient and MicroFreak Vol. 2 collections.