Creating A Percussive Lead In NI Massive

We are really excited to welcome back the very talented Ryan Enzed as he walks you through how to create a percussive lead sound in Massive.

So many soft synths have multiple oscillators, slots for numerous effects, tons of filter types and what can seem like endless modulating options. Massive is definitely one of those synths. With all that noise (pun intended) you can get lost in all of the possibilities when trying to create that perfect sound for your music. Even though it may seem counterintuitive, some of the biggest sounds we hear in our favorite songs are in fact, very simple to make. The percussive lead sound in this tutorial is no exception.

Ryan Enzed walks you through how to create the percussive lead sound made famous by Martin Garrix in his song Animals. To hear the original sound you can go HERE. It starts at 1:31. As big as that lead sounds in the context of the song, it can be made using only one oscillator in Massive!

An interesting note about the tutorial, is that the percussive lead sound is made without using a filter. To augment the lack of character or warmth, Ryan uses the bitcrusher effect in Massive’s insert slot. You could achieve a similar effect using a saturator effect in your DAW. He also shows how to use a compressor to add a little bit more snap to the percussive transient. These are elements that are more mix oriented than sound design, but knowing how a sound will fit into a mix is the true mark of a great sound designer. Ryan knows that a percussive lead sound like this one will be competing with the bass, which is why he adds the bitcrusher to give it some air at the top end.

So the next time you’re setting out to tweak or create that huge lead for your next track, try dialing back the amount of oscillators you use. Less can be more.