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Timing itself can be used more creatively. One of the features I use is to have two concurrent rhythms. This may simply be a drum, bass and guitar line focussing on the main beats of 4/4 but with a synth patch in triplets.

One of the best ways I've found to do this is to apply filters based on what's worked for me before, then tweak on a trial and error basis. Fortunately I've had a very good success rate. 

The trick that works for me is to apply a tremolo and a modulation effect to the synth channel. The tremolo is important since you can turn even a pad sound into staccato tuplets. That's useful. It can add a bounce to the music. Usually, I start with the synth playing either a pad sound, one per bar or set to some regular pattern such as quavers. The tremolo takes the input rhythm (if there is one) and turns it into a different output.
Add a modulation effect such as a filter bank and you can spice up even a boring sound. 

Try setting the tremolo depth to 65% instead of having it cycling between completely on and off. Set the cycle Phase to 160 or 170 and you can quickly get a groove going.

If that doesn't work, try adding a stereo delay, again this can be set to a tuplet time. You may have to work out the time in seconds to get the rhythm you want.

Signal Chain
In the above scenario, I'd see the following channels.
1) drums
2) bass
3) guitar
4) synth -> tremolo -> filter

If you need the natural sound of the synth to come through, then put the effects on a parallel channel
1) drums
2) bass
3) guitar
4) synth -> bus 1
Bus 1) tremolo -> filter -> delay
Then mix the bus output in to suit. This is also useful because you can eq out the low-end of the synth effects.

The attached mp3 uses both of the signal paths above. It starts with just drums and guitar. I then introduce a synth pad into the mix. The synth is processed through a rotor speaker simulator for some modulation and a tremolo for a rhythm effect. I've automated the tremolo rate to change at around 49 seconds. About 1 minute 2 seconds in and I've changed to another synth sound. This time the synth has its own output mixed low, but a pre-fade send is send to a bus. On that bus, I've put a filter (for changing the high pitch eq), a tremolo for the rhythm and a stereo delay (also for rhythm). I had to add a compressor to keep the output under control as well, although that's not always necessary. Just depends on how extreme the effects are. 


Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.

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