ABLETON 12 SOUND DESIGN ATLAS
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Analog and Drift

The two virtual-analog synths side by side — Analog's dual-filter/dual-amp routing, sync, sub and vintage error, versus Drift's lean MS2/MS4 path, Shape Mod, voice modes and mod matrix — with eight techniques built on both.

analogdriftsubtractivevirtual analogfilterms2ms4syncunisondriftmonopolystereompequick routingbasspadlead

Analog and Drift are Live's two subtractive synths, and they solve different problems. Analog (2008, modelled by AAS) is the big modular-ish one: two oscillators with sub and sync, noise, two multimode filters that can run parallel or serial, two amps with their own envelopes and panning, two LFOs and a set of "error" controls that make it behave like a slightly tired Jupiter. Drift (Live 11.3, refined through 12.x) is the small, fast one: two oscillators, one filter, two envelopes, one LFO, a mod matrix and voice modes that cover 90% of what an analogue mono/poly is asked to do, at a fraction of the CPU and with MPE built in. Reach for Analog when the routing is the sound; reach for Drift when you need a good oscillator-into-filter patch in thirty seconds that still moves under the fingers.

Architecture

Analog

Analog is two complete voice paths sharing oscillators. Osc 1 and Osc 2 each pick a shape (Sine, Saw, Rectangle with pulse width, Noise), an octave/semitone/detune offset, pitch modulation from envelope and LFO, and a destination: Filter 1, Filter 2, or both (the F1/F2 buttons on the oscillator and on the noise generator). Each oscillator has a Sub/Sync mode switch: Sub adds a square an octave below the oscillator at a settable level; Sync hard-syncs Osc 2 to Osc 1 (and Osc 1 to Osc 2) so the Sync ratio becomes a timbre control. Each filter is a 2-pole or 4-pole LP, BP, Notch, HP or Formant with a Drive stage (Off, Symmetric, Asymmetric 1–3) and its own ADSR. Each filter then feeds its own Amp with Level, Pan and an ADSR. Filter 2 can take its input from the oscillators directly (parallel) or from Filter 1's output (serial), and the Quick Routing buttons set the common configurations with one click.

The Quick Routing panel (bottom of the oscillator section) switches between four layouts: both oscillators into both filters in parallel, F1 serial into F2, Osc 1 → F1 and Osc 2 → F2 as two independent synths, and a "mixed" layout where Osc 1 feeds both and Osc 2 only F2. They are shortcuts that set the F1/F2 buttons and the Filter 2 input switch; you can still fine-tune afterwards.

Drift

Drift is one straight path. Osc 1 chooses Sine, Triangle, Shark Tooth, Saw or Rectangle and has a Shape Mod control that bends the waveform (pulse width on Rectangle, wave morph on the others) from an assignable source. Osc 2 has its own shape set and a Mode selector that decides how it relates to Osc 1: summed as a normal second oscillator, hard-synced to Osc 1 (its pitch then becomes the sync sweep), or used as a modulator rather than an audible source — check the selector in your build for the exact labels. A Noise generator sits beside the oscillators. The mix goes into one filter (MS2 = 12 dB/oct, MS4 = 24 dB/oct, both the Wavetable MS circuit model) with an additional high-pass control, then the amp. Env 1 is hard-wired to the amp, Env 2 and the LFO are free, and a small modulation matrix routes Env 2, LFO, Key, Velocity, Mod Wheel, Pressure, Slide and Pitch Bend to any knob. Voice mode (Mono, Poly, Stereo, Unison), Glide, Legato and the Drift amount sit in the global section.

Parameters that matter

Analog

SectionParameterWhat it doesStarting points
Osc 1/2Shape, Octave, Semi, DetuneSine/Saw/Rect/Noise, coarse and fine pitchOsc 2 −12 st, Detune +4 to +8 ct for two-osc width
Osc 1/2Sub/Sync mode, levelSub adds a square one octave down; Sync locks the oscillator to the other one, the Sync ratio sets the timbreSub 40–70% for bass; Sync ratio swept by Filter env for the classic sync lead
Osc 1/2PW, PW modRectangle pulse width and modulation amount from LFO/envPW 50%, LFO 1 to PW 20% at 0.3 Hz for PWM pads
Osc 1/2Pitch Mod (Env / LFO), KeyPitch envelope amount from the filter envelope, LFO vibrato, keyboard tracking on/offEnv +24 st on a short filter decay for drums; Key off for fixed-pitch noise
Osc 1/2 / NoiseF1 / F2Destination filter(s). Each source can hit one or bothNoise → F2 only, so it has its own envelope
NoiseLevel, Color, BalanceWhite noise through a 6 dB/oct tilt; Balance is pan into the filtersColor down for vinyl hiss, up for air
Filter 1/2Type, Slope, Freq, Res, DriveLP/BP/Notch/HP/Formant at 12 or 24 dB, Drive Off/Sym/Asym 1–3LP 24 + Asym 2 for warm bass; Formant with Res 60% for vowel pads
Filter 1/2Env amount, LFO amount, Key trackingModulation of cutoff from own ADSR, either LFO, keyboardEnv 40–70%, Key 50% so high notes open the filter proportionally
Filter 2Input switchOscillators (parallel) or Filter 1 output (serial)Serial LP 12 → HP 12 = tunable band-pass with two envelopes
EnvelopesA/D/S/R, Slope, Legato, Free, LoopFour ADSRs (F1, A1, F2, A2) with exponential or linear slope; Free ignores note-off, Loop repeatsAmp Loop with D 80 ms for stutter-trem without an LFO
Amp 1/2Level, Pan, Env/LFO on Pan and LevelEach path has its own level, pan and modulationPan L/R hard with same source = instant two-voice stereo
LFO 1/2Shape, Rate (free/sync), Delay, Attack, Retrig, OffsetSine/Tri/Rect/Saw/Noise, fade-in, phase offsetLFO 2 Noise to Filter 2 freq 10% for analogue nervousness
GlobalVibrato: Amount, Rate, Delay, ErrorGlobal pitch LFO; Error randomises the amount per voiceError 30–60% is the cheapest "vintage" control in Live
GlobalUnison: Voices, Detune, DelayStacks voices with detune; Delay staggers their start2 voices, Detune 8–15 for supersaw-lite; costs polyphony
GlobalKeyboard: Poly/Mono, Voices, Glide, Legato, Priority, StretchVoice allocation, portamento, keyboard tuning stretchMono + Glide 50 ms + Legato for basslines

Drift

SectionParameterWhat it doesStarting points
Osc 1Shape, Shape Mod, Shape Mod source, Octave, TransposeSine/Tri/Shark Tooth/Saw/Rect; Shape Mod morphs or sets pulse width, from Env 2, LFO, Key, Velocity and othersRect + Shape Mod from LFO 30% = PWM in two clicks
Osc 2Shape, Mode, Octave, DetuneSecond oscillator or sync/modulator depending on ModeSaw, −12 st, Detune 6 ct for width; Mode sync with Osc 2 pitch swept by Env 2 for sync leads
MixerOsc 1, Osc 2, Noise levelsLevels into the filterNoise −30 dB under pads for texture
FilterType MS2 / MS4, Freq, Res, HP, Key tracking12 or 24 dB/oct low-pass with resonance and an extra high-passMS4 for bass and leads (steeper, more "Moog"); MS2 for pads and keys (gentler, keeps air)
FilterEnv 2 amount, LFO amountDedicated modulation amounts for cutoffEnv 2 50%, LFO 10% synced 1/8 for subtle movement
Env 1A/D/S/RAmp envelope, alwaysA 2 ms for bass, 400 ms for pads
Env 2A/D/S/R, Cycle modeFree envelope with a cycling option (acts as a second LFO with envelope shape)Cycling Env 2 at 1/4 to Shape Mod = rhythmic timbre
LFOShape, Rate (free/sync), Retrigger, AmountSine, Tri, Saw, Square, S&H, Wander and more; tempo sync with note valuesWander at 0.2 Hz to Osc 2 Detune 10% for drunk analogue
Mod matrix3 free slots + fixed Key/Vel/Pressure/Slide amountsAny source to any target with bipolar amountPressure → Filter Freq 40%, Slide → Shape Mod 50% for MPE
GlobalVoice mode: Mono / Poly / Stereo / UnisonMono one voice with Glide/Legato; Poly up to the Voices count; Stereo runs two detuned voices per note hard-panned; Unison stacks voices with Detune and SpreadStereo for pads; Unison 4 voices Detune 20% for supersaw
GlobalDriftRandom slow pitch and timing instability per voice, modelled on ageing analogue hardware10–25% default; 50%+ for lo-fi tape-like wobble
GlobalGlide, Legato, Voices, Transpose, VolumePortamento time, legato retrigger behaviour, polyphonyGlide 60 ms, Legato on, for 303-ish lines

Which one, when

NeedPickWhy
Two timbres from one note (sub + mid, or two panned voices)AnalogDual filter/amp paths with separate envelopes and pans
Serial 48 dB slope or LP→HP band-passAnalogFilter 2 input from Filter 1
MPE pads, pressure-driven leadsDriftPressure and Slide are native matrix sources; Analog has no MPE
Stacked poly chords with low CPUDriftRoughly a third of Analog's load per voice
Classic sync lead with envelope sweepEitherAnalog syncs both ways; Drift's Osc 2 Mode does it with Env 2 → Osc 2 pitch
Vintage instabilityBothAnalog: Vibrato Error + LFO Noise; Drift: the Drift knob

Techniques

Drift Mono bass: Sine plus Saw into MS4

Instrument: Drift · Level: beginner · Genres: techno, house, uk garage, electro

The two-oscillator bass every analogue monosynth does: a clean sine for the fundamental, a saw an octave up for the edge, a 24 dB filter deciding how much edge gets out.

  1. Voice mode Mono, Glide 40 ms, Legato on. Drift 15%.
  2. Osc 1 Sine, level 0 dB. Osc 2 Saw, Octave +1, level −8 dB, Detune 0.
  3. Filter MS4, Freq 180 Hz, Res 15%, HP 25 Hz. Env 2 amount 55%, Key tracking 30%.
  4. Env 1: A 2, D 300, S 0.8, R 80 ms. Env 2: A 0, D 220, S 0.1, R 100 ms.
  5. Matrix: Velocity → Filter Freq +35%, so accents open the saw layer. Mod wheel → Env 2 amount for live sweeps.
ParameterValueWhy
Osc 2 level−14 → −4 dBHow much saw sits over the sine; the "edge" macro
Filter Freq120–400 HzBelow 150 Hz is sub-only, above 300 Hz the saw harmonics become a line
Drift10–30%Slight per-note pitch wander; above 40% it stops sounding tuned on long notes
The sine carries the fundamental with no harmonics for the filter to remove, so cutoff changes brightness without ever thinning the low end. Putting the saw an octave up keeps its harmonics out of the 40–80 Hz region where they would beat against the sine.
Drift's noise and Osc 2 detune both introduce stereo-independent variation when in Stereo mode. Bass stays Mono; use Stereo only on parts above 200 Hz.

Analog dual-path bass: sub square under a driven saw

Instrument: Analog · Level: intermediate · Genres: dubstep, uk bass, dub techno, electro

Analog's answer to layering: Osc 1 with its Sub goes to Filter 1 and stays clean; Osc 2 goes to Filter 2, where Drive and resonance can be abused without touching the low end. Two amps let you balance and pan the layers separately.

  1. Quick Routing: the layout where Osc 1 feeds only Filter 1 and Osc 2 feeds only Filter 2 (two parallel synths).
  2. Osc 1 Sine, mode Sub, Sub level 60%. Filter 1 LP 12 dB, Freq 110 Hz, Res 0, Drive Off. Amp 1 Level 0 dB, Pan centre. Amp 1 env A 1, D 200, S 1, R 60.
  3. Osc 2 Saw, Octave 0, Detune 0. Filter 2 LP 24 dB, Drive Asym 2, Freq 500 Hz, Res 40%, Env 65%. Filter 2 env A 0, D 250, S 0.2, R 80. Amp 2 Level −6 dB.
  4. LFO 1 Sine synced 1/4 → Filter 2 Freq 30% for wobble; Filter 1 is not touched so the sub never pumps.
  5. Keyboard Mono, Glide 30 ms. Vibrato Error 40% so the saw layer drifts against the sub slightly.
In a single-filter synth, driving the filter into resonance also squashes the sub. Separate paths mean the sub gets a plain 12 dB low-pass with no drive and the saw gets the aggressive 24 dB circuit, and you balance them with Amp 1 / Amp 2 like two tracks that are phase-locked by construction.
Map Amp 2 Level and Filter 2 Freq to macros. That pair is the whole dubstep bass performance control set.

Sync lead, two ways

Instrument: Analog, Drift · Level: intermediate · Genres: electro, synthwave, hyperpop, techno

Hard sync resets the slave oscillator every cycle of the master; sweeping the slave's pitch sweeps the formant-like peak. The sound is the Cars/Prophet lead and modern hyperpop screech.

  1. Analog. Osc 1 Saw, F1/F2 off (muted, master only). Osc 2 Saw, mode Sync, routed to F1. Osc 2 Pitch Mod from Env +19 st (the Filter 1 envelope drives it), Filter 1 env A 0, D 600 ms, S 0.3, R 300.
  2. Filter 1 LP 24, Freq 6 kHz, Res 10%: mostly open, the sync does the shaping. Amp 1 env A 5, D 300, S 0.8, R 250.
  3. Vibrato Amount 10%, Rate 5.5 Hz, Delay 300 ms, Error 20%.
  4. Drift. Osc 1 Saw. Osc 2 Saw, Mode set to the sync option, Octave 0. Matrix: Env 2 → Osc 2 pitch +24 st. Env 2 A 0, D 500, S 0.2, R 200. Filter MS2 open at 8 kHz so the sync harmonics survive.
  5. Both: Voice mode Mono, Legato on, Glide 20 ms for pitch slides between notes.
The slave's waveform is cut into pieces exactly one master period long, so the output period stays locked to the played pitch while the harmonic content follows the slave frequency. That is why a sync sweep reads as a filter sweep that never loses tuning.

Variations: replace the envelope with LFO Saw-down synced to 1/16 on the slave pitch for the ripping Nord-style sync arp. On Analog send the sync oscillator to F2 serial after F1 to clamp the top end with a second LP.

Analog serial filter: LP into HP band-pass pad

Instrument: Analog · Level: intermediate · Genres: dub techno, ambient, deep house

Filter 2 set to take Filter 1's output turns Analog into a variable band-pass with two independent envelopes. Sweep the LP down while the HP moves up and the pad closes in from both sides like a tape loop under a blanket.

  1. Quick Routing: serial (F1 → F2). Both oscillators Saw, Osc 2 Octave −1, Detune +7 ct. Noise 10% into F1, Color low.
  2. Filter 1 LP 12 dB, Freq 2 kHz, Res 20%, Env 30% with A 1.2 s, D 2 s, S 0.5, R 2 s. Filter 2 HP 12 dB, Freq 150 Hz, Env −25% (HP falls as the note holds), A 800 ms.
  3. Amp 2 is the only audible amp in serial mode: A 600 ms, D 1 s, S 0.9, R 2.5 s. Amp 1 is bypassed by the routing.
  4. LFO 1 Triangle 0.08 Hz → Filter 1 Freq 15%; LFO 2 Sine 0.11 Hz → Osc 2 PW (switch Osc 2 to Rect first if you want PWM) or Filter 2 Freq 10%. Two unrelated slow rates stop the pad repeating.
  5. Unison 2 voices, Detune 6, Delay 20 ms. Keyboard Poly, 8 voices.
Two 12 dB stages in series give a band-pass whose width you control with two knobs and two envelopes, which a single BP filter cannot do. Because the envelopes have different attack times the spectral centre physically moves through the note.
In serial mode Filter 2's input switch is the only thing that matters; the F1/F2 destination buttons on the oscillators decide what enters the chain at the front.

Drift Stereo and Unison pads with Shape Mod

Instrument: Drift · Level: beginner · Genres: ambient, synthwave, deep house, trip-hop

Drift's Stereo mode runs two voices per note, slightly detuned and hard-panned; Unison stacks more. Combine either with Shape Mod from a slow LFO and you get a moving pad with no external chorus.

  1. Voice mode Stereo, Voices 8. Drift 25%.
  2. Osc 1 Rectangle, Shape Mod 35%, source LFO. Osc 2 Saw, Octave 0, Detune +7 ct, level −3 dB. Noise −28 dB.
  3. Filter MS2, Freq 1.5 kHz, Res 5%, HP 100 Hz, Env 2 amount 25%, LFO 8%, Key 40%.
  4. Env 1 A 500, D 1500, S 0.8, R 2200 ms. Env 2 A 1500, D 3000, S 0.4, R 2000.
  5. LFO Triangle 0.15 Hz free-running (not synced), Retrigger off so each voice's PWM is at a different phase.
  6. Matrix: Pressure → Filter Freq 30% and Mod wheel → LFO rate 20% if you play it from Push.
Stereo mode is two de-correlated voices; with LFO retrigger off their pulse widths drift independently, which is what makes a Juno chorus sound wide. The MS2 slope keeps the upper harmonics that the detune lives in; MS4 would make the same patch sound smaller.

Variations: Unison mode with 4 voices, Detune 25%, Spread 80% for a supersaw; drop Osc 1 to Sine and raise Noise to −18 dB for a breathy choir-ish layer.

Analog PWM strings with vintage error

Instrument: Analog · Level: beginner · Genres: synthwave, lofi, trip-hop, dub techno

Pulse-width modulation from two LFOs at unrelated rates, both oscillators Rectangle, slightly detuned, plus the Error and Noise controls that make the tuning imperfect. The Solina/Juno strings recipe.

  1. Quick Routing: both oscillators into Filter 1 only. Osc 1 Rect PW 40%, PW Mod from LFO 1 25%. Osc 2 Rect PW 60%, PW Mod LFO 2 25%, Detune +6 ct.
  2. LFO 1 Triangle 0.4 Hz. LFO 2 Triangle 0.27 Hz, Offset 90° so they never line up. Both Retrig off.
  3. Filter 1 LP 12, Freq 3 kHz, Res 0, Key 60%. Amp 1 env A 350, D 800, S 0.85, R 900.
  4. Vibrato Amount 6%, Rate 4.8 Hz, Delay 400 ms, Error 50%. LFO 2 Noise → Osc 1 pitch 2% for extra wander.
  5. Unison 2, Detune 4, Delay 15 ms. Poly 8 voices.
PWM at two rates produces a comb of slowly moving spectral notches on each oscillator, which the ear hears as many instruments. Error makes each voice's vibrato depth different, the single most convincing cue that a chord is played by separate oscillators rather than cloned ones.

Drift rhythmic timbre with cycling Env 2 and S&H

Instrument: Drift · Level: intermediate · Genres: idm, electro, minimal techno, generative

Env 2 in its cycling mode is an LFO with attack/decay shaping; the LFO in Sample & Hold gives stepped randomness. Route both to Shape Mod and filter for a sequence-like timbre pattern from one held note.

  1. Osc 1 Saw, Shape Mod 60%, source Env 2. Osc 2 off or Sine −12 st at −10 dB for weight.
  2. Env 2: enable cycling, rate synced 1/8, A 20%, D 60% of the cycle (so the shape ramps up quickly and falls slowly).
  3. LFO Sample & Hold, synced 1/16, Retrigger on. Filter MS4 600 Hz, Res 35%, LFO amount 40%.
  4. Matrix: LFO → Osc 2 pitch +7 st (slot 2) with the amount scaled by Mod wheel, so stepped fifths appear when you push the wheel.
  5. Voice mode Mono, Legato, so the cycling restarts only on separated notes.
Send the MIDI from a Live 12 Rhythm generator at 1/8 with a 60% density and you get a different accent pattern on each clip while the cycling envelope keeps the 1/8 pulse.

Drift MPE lead for Push 3 / Seaboard

Instrument: Drift · Level: intermediate · Genres: ambient, trip-hop, mpe, neo-soul

Drift reads per-note Pressure, Slide and Pitch Bend natively. A lead where pressure opens the filter and adds vibrato, slide morphs the oscillator and the sync amount, and bend does bend, with no Expression Control device needed.

  1. Track: enable MPE on the input (the track's MIDI From chooser / Push 3 in MPE mode). Drift Voice mode Poly, Voices 6, Glide 0.
  2. Osc 1 Shark Tooth, Shape Mod 50%, source Slide. Osc 2 Saw in the sync Mode, level −6 dB; matrix slot 1: Slide → Osc 2 pitch +12 st.
  3. Filter MS4 900 Hz, Res 20%. Matrix slot 2: Pressure → Filter Freq +45%. Slot 3: Pressure → LFO amount +30% with the LFO Sine 5.5 Hz on pitch (vibrato that appears under pressure).
  4. Env 1 A 10, D 400, S 0.7, R 400. Pitch Bend range 48 st on the track for MPE glides.
  5. Drift 20% so the voices are not identical when a chord is played.
Three independent per-note dimensions (pressure, slide, bend) mapped to three timbral axes (brightness, harmonic structure, pitch) is what makes MPE sound like an instrument instead of a knob. Keeping Glide at 0 matters: MPE bend handles the slides and Glide would double them.
Analog ignores MPE channels beyond what Live folds into mono aftertouch and pitch bend. For pressure-per-note on an Analog patch, use Expression Control on a MIDI track per voice, or just use Drift.

Presets to build first

  1. Drift Mono Sine + Saw bass, Velocity → Filter, Mod wheel → Env 2 amount. Save as default Drift.
  2. Analog dual-path bass (Osc 1 sub to F1, Osc 2 saw to F2) with Amp 2 Level and F2 Freq on macros.
  3. Sync lead in both synths, A/B them (12.3 A/B compare) and keep whichever you reach for.
  4. Analog serial LP → HP pad with two LFO rates and Unison 2.
  5. Drift Stereo PWM pad with Pressure → Filter for Push.
  6. Analog PWM strings, Error 50%, through Chorus-Ensemble and Vinyl Distortion.
  7. Drift cycling Env 2 + S&H sequencer patch, Mono Legato, in a rack with Rhythm generator in front.
  8. Drift MPE lead with Slide → Shape Mod, saved as the Push 3 default.

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