Instead of sharing a list of favorite features of Ableton Live 12 like other articles, this article takes a different approach.

I am going to dive deep into the new ROAR saturator.

What is the ROAR Saturator: And why it’s freaking awesome

Roar is a groundbreaking addition to music production tools, particularly designed for Ableton Live 12. It offers a fresh take on saturation and distortion effects, aiming for more experimental and dynamic results.

Its multi-stage processing sets Roar apart, allowing signals to traverse various saturation curves, filters, feedback, and compression. This architecture facilitates flexible routing and modulation, enabling both musical and technical innovation in sound design.

Marco Fink, Roar’s lead developer, stated in an interview that the device is Inspired by the kinetic energy of psytrance and the dynamic soundscapes of Mick Gordon’s Doom soundtrack.  Roar’s development was driven by a desire to break away from the static nature of traditional saturation and distortion effects. It aims to capture the warmth and dynamism of analog signals while incorporating new experimental approaches.

Here is a great example that Ableton shared of what you can do with ROAR:

Key features include:

1. Shapers and Filters: Roar offers a range of distortion curves (Shapers) with accompanying filters, providing diverse sonic possibilities. Combining distortion and filtering within a single block simplifies sound shaping and adds richness to the output.
2. Modulation: Roar boasts extensive modulation options, including LFOs, Envelope Followers, and Noise sources. The Morphing control on LFOs allows for shaping classic waveforms, while the Modulation Matrix offers comprehensive control over parameter modulation.
3. Compression: Compression within Roar helps manage the dynamics of the processed signals, ensuring controlled and balanced output. The compressor’s simplicity and optimized settings streamline the user experience.
4. Feedback: Roar’s Feedback feature introduces dynamic and unpredictable elements to the sound, creating evolving textures and rhythms. Interaction between components within the feedback loop adds organic complexity to the output.

There are a lot of things that ROAR can do. There is waveshaping, filtering, and a ton of knobs. I’ll be delving into the basics of this effect in the article, but before I do, I want to talk about the WHAT and WHY behind saturators. 

Knowing the sound science behind this will give you a deep understanding of when to use the new ROAR effect. 

What are Saturators for in music production?

Saturators are indispensable components in music production, revered for their capacity to infuse audio signals with warmth, depth, and character by introducing controlled distortion. Operating on the fundamental principle of mimicking the pleasing nonlinearities inherent in analog gear like tube amplifiers, tape machines, and analog consoles, saturators shape the sound with nuanced precision. These tools are essential means of introducing harmonic richness and texture to digital audio, akin to the organic warmth found in analog recordings, thereby playing a vital role in music production.

The process of saturation typically involves gently clipping the peaks of the audio waveform, resulting in the generation of harmonics and the compression of dynamic range. This soft clipping behavior is what imparts the desired warmth and saturation to the sound, creating a sense of depth and richness that is often associated with analog recordings.

One of the primary mechanisms behind saturators is waveshaping, where the shape of the audio waveform is altered through nonlinear processing. Saturators reshape the waveform by applying mathematical functions to the input signal, introducing harmonics and altering its timbral characteristics. Parameters such as drive, intensity, and saturation level allow users to finely adjust the amount and coloration of saturation applied to the signal.

Additionally, saturators often incorporate algorithms that emulate the nonlinear behavior of analog circuitry, such as vacuum tubes, transistors, and transformers. These emulations aim to capture analog equipment’s unique saturation characteristics and sonic nuances, offering producers the ability to impart a vintage warmth and character to digital audio signals.

In essence, saturators serve as versatile sonic sculpting tools, offering producers a means to imbue their recordings with warmth, character, and depth. Whether used for subtle coloration or creative experimentation, saturators play a vital role in shaping the sonic identity of music productions across diverse genres and styles.

How Saturators Work with Harmonics

A key thing to know is how saturators change the harmonics of the sound, so let’s explore that.

A saturator alters the harmonics of a waveform by introducing controlled distortion, which impacts the amplitudes of the various harmonics present in the signal. When an audio signal passes through a saturator, the original waveform is modified, generating additional harmonics. These harmonics are produced due to the nonlinear processing applied by the Saturator, which affects the shape of the waveform.

In the harmonic series, the original waveform’s fundamental frequency corresponds to the fundamental harmonic. As the signal passes through the Saturator and distortion is applied, new harmonics are generated at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. These additional harmonics contribute to the overall timbre and character of the sound, enriching it with harmonic content beyond the fundamental frequency.

Here is a video demonstrating how harmonics can be added with a saturator. I use Ableton Live’s saturator with a simple sine wave playing. The spectrum audio effect was added so you can watch what happens to the harmonics.

The Saturator’s distortion process affects the amplitudes of these harmonics, altering their relative strengths compared to the original signal. Depending on the specific characteristics of the Saturator and the amount of distortion applied, certain harmonics may be emphasized or attenuated, resulting in a unique timbral quality.

Overall, the interaction between the original waveform and the Saturator’s distortion mechanism modifies the harmonic content, enriching the sound with additional harmonics that contribute to its warmth, depth, and character.

How to use the ROAR effect in music production

The ROAR audio effect can be broken into 5 different sections. Let’s go through each one to get an idea of how this device works. 

Input Section

First up, let’s talk about the Input Section – the gateway to all the sonic madness Roar has to offer. You’ve got your Drive knob to crank up the distortion level, giving your signal that extra oomph without breaking a sweat. Feeling like tweaking the balance between highs and lows? Just twist the Tone Amount knob and dial in your desired frequency with the Tone Frequency slider. And oh, don’t forget about the Color Compensation toggle for some extra tone-tweaking fun!

Gain Stage Section

Now, onto the Gain Stage Section – where the magic happens. Each routing mode comes with its own gain stages, ready to rock your world. Whether you’re into Serial, Parallel, Multi-Band, Mid Side, or Feedback mode, there’s a whole bunch of knobs and toggles waiting for your creative touch. From adjusting Shaper Amounts to tweaking Shaper Bias and Filter Frequency, you’re in total control of how your sound gets shaped and sculpted.

Modulation Section

But wait, there’s more! The Modulation Section is where things start to get really funky. With LFOs, Envelope Followers, and Noise sources at your disposal, you can add all sorts of wacky modulation to your sound. Want to make your synth line bounce to the beat? Just slap on some LFO magic and watch it groove like never before.

Feedback Section

And let’s not forget about the Feedback Section – the cherry on top of the Roar cake. By feeding Roar’s signal back into itself, you can unlock a whole new world of otherworldly tones and textures. Whether you’re into Time, Synced, or Note mode, there’s no limit to the crazy sounds you can create.

Global Section

Last but not least, we’ve got the Global Section – where you can fine-tune your final mix to perfection. From Compression Amount to Output Gain and Dry/Wet balance, it’s all about finishing your sonic masterpiece.

Using ROAR in your music: Bringing it all together

I’ve shared what saturators do and how ROAR works, but there’s an important piece missing: ” So how do I actually use it?”

To give you that insight, I want to share an example of taking a set of sounds and using ROAR to drastically change the sound’s character. 

How does ROAR differ from the old Saturator effect?

After reading about ROAR, you might wonder why there is so much excitement about it when we have already had the Saturator plugin in Ableton live for a long time.

The Saturator is like a knife. Really useful to get the job done. And if all you need to do is make a few cuts, it’s the perfect tool.

ROAM, on the other hand, is a multi-tool for controlling the tone of the audio input. Its internal processing and the ability to add filters, modulations, and all these extras make it super powerful. 

There is a downside to the power of ROAM though. It will take more CPU/RAM and there is a steeper learning curve. There’s just more to it, so it demands more of you as the musician and of your machine. 

If you are just getting started, use saturation. Master the basics. Once you have a good handle on saturation, you can upgrade to ROAM. 

Sometimes, you just need a straightforward touch of saturation, and the regular old Saturator is the perfect tool. Just keep that in mind… more options aren’t necessarily better. 

Extra resources to learn more:

I want to end this article with some links and videos you can check out to learn more about ROAR. 

There are a lot of amazing teachers and musicians who are starting to share how they use ROAR in their production, and I want to give them a shout-out. I’ve been inspired by these videos and how you get something out of them as well. 

I am working on new tracks for my Shatter Spell music project and wanted a really good collection of Frame Drums and Hand Drums. Luckily I recorded some over the years but never made an easy to use Drum Rack… until now.

And like usual, my work is your gain.

I created a free to download Drum Rack featuring a few Hand Drums. Check out the walkthrough below:

Download the Free Drum Rack

The Ableton Live Pack included seven different Frame Drums from around the world.

Bendir –  is a traditional instrument that is played throughout North Africa, as well as in Sufi ceremonies; it was played, too, in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Bodhran(High and Low) – is a frame drum of Irish origin. The drum goatskin head one side.  The other side is open-ended to allow one hand to be placed against the inside of the drum head to control the pitch and timbre.

Frame Drum – This was a rawhide frame drum with a single skin on one side similar to the Bodhran.

Shaman Drum (3 different versions) – The Shaman Drum was a 13 sided traditional Native American frame drum. Because the drum has so much character I 3 different Drum Racks. This gives you control over the quality of sound you are looking for to add to your track.

The Drum Rack is for free / by donation.  I want to give musicians access to tools and samples to help inspire their music. If this has helped you or you want to support me making more, consider donating. Even $2 goes a long way to cover website costs.

That is why I made the Textureal Drums (yes… I know I spelled that wrong).

I made this Ableton Live Drum Rack with unique drum sounds from my collection and added effects to give them textural life.

Check out this quick video preview I made:

Download For Free / By Donation:

Grab the Live Drum Rack

How I Use It?

When I am writing a track, I like to add layers and texture on top of my beat. To do this I create a Trap Beat… or whatever is ????. Once that is going I like to throw in the Textureal Drum Rack. That way I can add sparse, yet interesting hits that add a unique layer to the sound. I find it gives the sound life and makes the beat feel more intriguing.  It seems so simple, but it really brings things to a new level.

Keep Making Music!

Now that you have the Live Pack, feel free to use it royalty free in your own music. I also have a massive collection of other free Live Packs and Drum Racks on the site, so feel free to poke around the blog for more.

If your a music producer and your mixing your tracks, you might be hitting a wall with your mix because it’s to close to home.  Think about it… If you are attached to the outcome and can’t get over how rad a synth solo that is, then you might not have fresh ears for the mix. One of the ways to get over that is to mix other peoples music.

You know the saying, practice makes perfect.

That is why over the last few years I keep coming back to a few sites to download mixes to experiment with.  The following list is a collection of sites where you can download other peoples mixdowns and tracks to experiment with. It’s great because you can

1. Cambridge – The ‘Mixing Secrets’ Free Multitrack Download Library

I love this site by Cambridge. They released a massive collection of mixdowns from there students so the public could use them to practice.  There are hundreds of tracks and searchable by genre.

2. Telefunken Live From The Lab

I love this site from Telefunken. There is a great collection of tracks all sorted and ready to use. Here is what they said about the collection;

The multitrack audio files from these sessions are available for free download via clickable links below the individual performance videos. All audio files are presented in .WAV format and were recorded at 24bit / 48KHz sample rate. They are clearly labeled in the same format with the source listed first (LEAD VOX, ACOUSTIC, PIANO), followed by the microphone used (C12, AR-51, etc) and can be downloaded and imported into your Digital Audio Workstation of choice.

3. Meta Pop remix Contest

Ok… I know… these are more for remixing, but Meta Pop is also great for discovering mixdowns to try out an experimental mixing technique. What I love about this site is the tracks are fresh and popular, as compared to the first to above.

The other benefit is if you like a track you can always remix it and submit it for the contest.

4. Splice

Splice is amazing for so many reasons. There are always new samples to play with, and tracks you can collab on. The site has a massive collection of Project Files to choose from.  This list is specific for finding mixdowns to try out new techniques, and for that… splice is a little lacking. The reason why is usually the tracks are whole project files. Meaning the producer generally already has eq and all that in there. That means you have to take the time of going in and deleting it.

Also opening project files from other producers will pretty quickly drive you made. Most people do not label or organize things. It can be a nightmare.  Wow… Really… It shows you how important it is to organize your tracks.

I kept it on the list because you can still find some really cool tracks to experiment with.

5. Full Subaqueous Tracks

You could also try mixing with the free 10 tracks I released as Ableton Live Templates. I took my whole album, tides of twilight, and packaged up each of my tracks at Live Sets for you to use. You can see how I organize my projects, try out new mixing techniques, and get a taste of what my production style is like.

All 10 are downloadable for free. I also have a premium version with added video content and downloads available.

Get Cracking with Mixes!

With this list, you have access to hundreds of tracks to practice with. If you new to mixing and what to level up your skills, try mixing one a day or one a week. Over time your workflow will be fast and your skills lightning speed.

If you got other to add to the list, comment below and I will check it out.

NASA released a collection of sounds and said this:

Some spacecraft have instruments capable of capturing radio emissions. When scientists convert these to sound waves, the results are eerie to hear.

In other words, these sounds are either radio wave transmissions or other radiation. They are then translated or processed into sound for human hearing.  I went through the Public NASA Sound Library, European Space Agency Library, and a collection of recordings by Don Gurnett at the University of Iowa. These sounds make awesome textural pads or layers for your music. There is nothing like playing with the sounds of the universe.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look at how you can use them with Live’s 10.1 Wavetable Synth.

 MAKING SAMPLES INTO CUSTOM WAVETABLES

Live announced the ability to add custom wavetables in Live 10.1 update. I thought it was going to be an incredibly complex process but they surprised.  It is actually really easy to use samples as custom wavetables.  All you have to do is drag and drop a sample. Yeap… that is it.

The audio file can be dragged from the Browser, from a clip slot in the set, or directly from anywhere on your computer.

Wavetable reads the first few seconds (up to 256 wavetables) from the file. Each wavetable is a 1024 sample.  In other words, it chops up the sound into 256 splices each being 1024 samples each.  It does this all automatically so you don’t have to start thinking about all the math to prepare the file. It’s incredibly smooth and easy to do.

If you want to learn more about making custom wavetables, check out this article. I had to learn how to make my own 1024 sample wavetables the hard way. This was before Live let you drag and drop samples.

SOUNDS FROM SPACE WAVETABLE PRESETS

Once I realized I could use any sound I wanted, an idea popped in my mind.  A few years back I heard sounds from the Nasa Soundlibrary and I decided I wanted to turn them into wavetables.  I collected a bunch of sounds and started experimenting. I found the best collection of samples to use with Ableton Live’s Wavetable. I was then playing with the sound of stars. Here is a walkthrough video:

The presets and samples are free / by donation with the link below.

Download Free / By Donation Live Pack

When you open the live set you can play with the Presets I created, or drag and drop the samples on the first track into a new wavetable to make your own.

CREATIVE POTENTIAL WITH WAVETABLE

Adding custom Wavetable’s with Live 10.1 opens up a whole world of creativity. You can record your own voice and make it a synth, or you can take field recordings… you name it.  If you have found a cool technique, I would love to hear about it. Comment below with any links to videos using custom wavetables, or tricks that you have discovered.

MORE WAVETABLES

I have tons of articles and videos on how to make sounds using Wavetable. If you want to level up your synthesis chops check out the Wavetable category of my blog.