Surge XT Preset Generator
Design a trance sound with a handful of knobs, hear a sketch of it here, then download it as a real preset for Surge XT, the free open-source synth. Supersaw leads, plucks, pads, trancegates and rolling basses.
Sound
Gate pattern
The pattern goes into LFO 1's step sequencer, synced to your DAW's tempo, opening the oscillators' level on each step.
What's in the preset
Sounds to load your MIDI into
Supersaw Essentials: 25 free trance presets for Vital, the free synth. Leads, plucks, pads and gated stabs, voiced for every tool on this site.
Loading the preset in Surge XT
Put the .fxp file in your Surge XT user patches folder: in Surge, open Menu › Data Folders › Open User Data Folder and drop it into the Patches folder there (make a subfolder, such as Trance Tools, to keep them together). If Surge is already open, close and reopen it so it finds the new preset, then pick it in the patch browser. It works in Surge XT 1.0 and later, free, in any DAW.
Each preset has two macros set up: Macro 1 (Brightness) opens the filter, and Macro 2 (Space) adds delay and reverb. Automate them through a build-up for an instant filter sweep.
How the sounds are built
Every preset starts from Surge's own Init Saw, so nothing in it is left to chance. Supersaw lead: two classic saw oscillators with up to 16 unison voices, one an octave up, through a 12 dB low-pass, with a dotted-8th delay and a short reverb on the sends. Pluck: a few detuned saws through a filter that the filter envelope snaps shut. Pad: slow-attack supersaws with a wide stereo spread and a long reverb. Trancegate: a held supersaw chopped by LFO 1's step sequencer. Rolling bass: one mono saw with a 24 dB filter envelope and a sub an octave down.
Questions
Is Surge XT free?
Yes. Surge XT is free and open source, for Mac, Windows and Linux, as a plugin (VST3, AU, CLAP) and a standalone app.
The gate doesn't move. Why?
The step sequencer runs in sync with your DAW, so press play in the DAW rather than just holding a key. The pattern is half a bar of 32nd steps: each 16th of the pattern is a step on and a step that dips, so repeated steps still chop.
Can I share or sell the presets?
They're yours: use them in your music, tweak them, share them. Please don't sell them as a pack as they come.
Do you make presets for other synths?
Yes: the Vital Preset Generator makes the same sounds for Vital. For Serum, Sylenth1 and Spire, the Supersaw Calculator gives matching settings.