Dawesome, HydraTek, and Spektralisk offer three FREE copies of the Dawesome Kult virtual instrument and a brand-new double expansion pack to one lucky BPB reader!
The expansion pack project is called Oblivium, and it’s divided into two individual packs: Oblivium Alpha and Oblivium Omega.
It’s a meticulous collection of handcrafted presets that explore dark synth tones. The patches result from a collaboration between two sound designers who combined their artistic influences and unique styles.
Originally inspired by the Doom soundtrack and designed for Dawesome’s epic Kult synthesizer, Oblivium features a dark dystopian vibe. It is perfect for any composer or music producer looking for aggressive, organic, and complex sounds.
The sound bank has a strong horror-movie influence, and you will definitely get some inspiration for a spooky cinematic soundtrack.
Each expansion pack features 75 expressive presets, deeply customizable for both traditional MIDI keyboards and MPE controllers. The patches offer a vast array of sonic variation and customization possibilities for each of the 150 included patches.
With a main focus on complex sequences and aggressive, abrasive basslines, Oblivium Alpha thrives in gritty cinematic scenarios. It works great for dark bass-oriented music genres, while its sibling Omega takes care of desolate soundscapes and apocalyptic drones.
For those unfamiliar with Kult, it’s the latest innovative synthesizer from Dawesome.
Its uniqueness comes from its +30 complex oscillators, based on the mathematical chaos theory called Strange Attractors.
While not the place to dive deeper into this fascinating subject, it’s enough to say that you must hear it to believe it.
Kult’s innovative sound shaping options allow for organic overtones, a paradise for west-coast buchla-style synthesis enthusiasts.
You can further shape the sound with intuitive FM and AM synthesis controls, which seamlessly interact with the natural, organic sources.
The expanded filter section features a formant filter per voice, two comb filters that are driven by a distortion stage, and an analog filter with two coupled stages.
Featuring also an arpeggiator and a powerful but intuitive modulation system, the timbres possible with Kult are countless.
This is now your chance to get your hands on Oblivium, which offers a wide range of sonic textures to discover inside Kult.
More: Dawesome Kult / Oblivium Alpha / Oblivium Omega
The Giveaway
Dawesome, HydraTek, and Spektralisk offer three FREE copies of Kult + Oblivium Alpha and Omega to one lucky BPB reader.
To enter the giveaway, answer the following question in the comments section below: Do you prefer using presets or programming your synth patches from scratch?
We will randomly select and announce the lucky winner on this page on Monday, September 25th.
Good luck, everyone, and thank you for reading Bedroom Producers Blog!
The lucky winners are:
- Klaus
- Dmitry
- KalnzEB
Congratulations to our lucky winners (you will receive the prizes via email)! To everyone else, better luck next time – more giveaways are coming soon.
574 Comments
Douglas
onI use presets
David
onAfter getting myself familiar to the options, I prefer to have a quick look at the entire preset library but then start from a preset to sculpt a sound I need.
Luis
onI usually start with presets that get me in the ballpark of what I need, or presets I have made beforehand :)
Thanks for the chance!
Dana
onI prefer to use preset. Because i can imagine how the arrangement would be if i heard the preset first.
Granular love
onPresets for inspiration
Charlie
onI’ve used both methods. It depends on what kind of sound i’m trying to reach.
Nicola De Ieso
onI prefer using presets
David Hoover
onIt always depends on the synth itself. Presets are the start of exploration and sometimes they are good enough to throw in a mix with amazing results. Phase plant got me introduced and hooked on exploring sounds by building and tweaking. I haven’t found another synth that makes me want to explore tweaking yet I’ve used Phase Plant presets that worked well for my ears. I’m open to new synths though haven’t found any I’m more interested in yet.
Nielsen
onI like to design sounds from scratch, it’s really exciting when you’re looking to make a specific sound and then find yourself lost in a galaxy of other sounds while experimenting… then you end with a full bank of synth patches while you were « only » trying to create one sound!
BKooshian
onI prefer to start with presets and tweak them from there.
Panagiotopoulos
onI make my own presets, I get inspired by the motion of the ancient gears of the universe that is determined by the rules of consonance and dissonance. What I listen at the demos reminds me of these motion. I want to tweak further.
Medulasa
onI definitely like to start out with a preset and then tweak it, automate it until it suits what I’m trying to achieve.
Lawrence
onMainly design my own but will use a preset for some sounds, like a sampled instrument for example.
Vish Sr
onPresets with required effects and fine tuning
Ari Politi
onI’d love to design my own presets, but I’m afraid it would take me too much time.
That’s why I stick to existing presets.
Tristan G.
onI prefer to use presets to start, then I tweak it.
tkachen
onPresets
Aubrey
onOh, presets for sure.
Jaydreamer
onPresets normally but I do like to experiment from scratch to blend a sound to a track, normally lead synth.
Marieke
onDepending on ideas I have I’m working with either or both to be honest. Love to get creative motivation from presets though.
Ray
onI do both
Vinícius Lessa
onHi, so the presets help me out in what for me is the most vital part of Producing: the composition. I mean, I get an Idea, I start immediately writing some melodies and harmonies with the use of a vast list of presets that I’ve got, I love it, it helps me a lot.
Ytse
onI create my own patches or modify an existing preset. Occasionally I use a preset but make it my own with effects.
SMT
onI often start with preset and end up tweaking it into something completely different, but sometimes a good preset can write a song itself.
goshae
onOnly from scratch !
Max
onItS a fun challenge to start from a INIT patch.
To see were it can take me.
ninna
onUsually presets
Xiu
onWhenever I really want to get an idea rolling, I go for presets. When I already know exactly what sounds I want, but am still crafting the main idea for a song, I take more time tweaking presets, and or making new ones from scratch.
Kieran
onI like to use presets when sketching out a track, then tweak / remake them / kill my cpu with a giant fx chain to start building the colour and character. :D
Ryan Gemmel
onI try to patch from scratch, but definitely find some inspiration by going through any presets.
Mark
onI like using presets, but modifying them if necessary.
Robert
onA good preset can lead you down a surprising creative path so good presets as a starting point are important for sure. I always start with a preset that inspires me and tweak it to taste.
Lyke Paws
onI’m on a slow path to get to design my own patches, but as of now, I use presets and tweak them if necessary.
Stefan
onWhen new to a synth or just looking for a variation: Start with a patch.
When familiar: From scratch. Otherwise it feels hard to completely leave the original.
Ronan
onI find whenever I try using presets I spend so much time sorting through ones that aren’t quite what I’m after. Especially when I’m not tying myself to a particular vst so I have potentially thousands I *could* use. In the end I get much more done making my own cool sounds and then working out what I’m going to do with them.
David
onINIT ;-)
KINGMO
onI like to do both and I like to tweak presets to fit the vibes i am going for!
Rhett
onI prefer to start from scratch- it’s usually easier for me to form my own ideas and create them from a blank slate
Justin Wright
onI started out making patches from scratch, and sometime still do when trying a new synth. However when actually in the zone, making a song, I always reach for presets to tweak.
Damian
onI like to start with a plain ol sine wave and just start tweaking synth parameters and flipping through wave tables…
SEHYUN
onusing presets
Hugo Brown
onI like to use a preset to get close to what i’m looking for and then change it till i get exactly what i want
modular
onPresets. I then give them a tweak. :))
Mark Gibson
onI use presets a lot, so I buy soundbanks
Eric
onI start with a preset and then make adjustments to match what is in my head
Christophe
onboth
Michael Ner
onI like presets first to get a base for tweaking and inspiration
Gage Howe
onSounds are cleaner from scratch.
Jim Cairns
onI usually start with a preset, then tweak or add effects.
Wojtek Cholascinski
onI prefer using presets, they are a base for further twraks but I definitely start with presets.
Rob Turner
onI like to start with presets for inspiration
Sebastian Pantu
oni prefer presets!
Luca
onI usually start from an init patch and create a sound, but sometimes I do the opposite, start from a preset and tweak it to my liking
Jack
onI prefer making my own sounds, but I often get inspired by going through presets and tweaking presets is often really effective. Deconstructing presets has also been a great way to learn sound design.
Elier
onI find look for a preset that sounds good and tweak it until it sounds perfect.
Mark
onBoth. Presets assist in time-based constrictions in projects. Presets also especially assist in deeper understanding of the synth going in different directions in sound design than one may have.
Peter Bos
onI like starting with presets to get a feel for the instrument, but then tweak or start from scratch to get the sound I’m looking for.
Quentin D.
onI like to start with a preset and then I tweak depending of what I’m looking for.
ElVicente
onI prefer to patch from scratch but still like to study good presets. !
Jurgen
onBoth, I like programming sounds from init but also get a lot of inspiration from good presets
Richard
onI like to tweak presets because they have usually been made with an understanding of the synth’s architecture, especially if it’s a complex one.
Julen
onI like to start with presets and when I find one i’ll usually tweak it
Quetzal
onBoth, but usually I start with a preset.
Alex M.
onFor sounds that I have used a lot, mostly hoover and reese basses or pads, I tend to program them myself. But for the majority of leads and plucks, I prefer to edit the presets. I have found that most of the synths I’ve been using have great starting points within their presets, from simple to complex, and many work great just as they are, droping them directly onto my tracks. I’d say a 50/50 overall.
yiquoc
onIf I start from scratch, I lose track of time,
I try to start from a preset.
Ben Pluck
onThese days mainly using presets.
Dave
onI like to do both. It depends if I’m in a hurry or not.
Paul Nattress
onI started off loving presets then learnt about creating my own and get a lot of satisfaction in creating my own. There’s still space for presets as there are so many talented sound designers out there creating some amazing presets.
Hans
onI might use a preset to sketch in a sound—to figure out the general kind of sound I’m aiming for, but I almost always end up rebuilding the sound from scratch.
Semarus
onBoth, presets are helpful for learning, but I invariably tweak them to my liking or to use as a platform to go further.
Artem
onI prefer using presets and maybe tweaking a little since I’m bad at synth programming..! :)
Richard Lovell
onI usually start with a preset that’s close to the sound I’m looking for and then tweak it to my liking.
Aethyr Heartsong
onHonestly I go with presets more often than not, but sometimes I’ll tweak it and almost always I’ll use various FX to customise the sound to being more to what I want. It’s very rare that I’ll just use a preset ‘straight’ as it were, but also I’m still figuring out how to make patches from scratch.
axb312
onPresets with a little bit of tweaking
Iam
onWith so many great producers good enought to provide fantastic presets, why re-invent the sound? Just use the presets as a base and develop the sound you need. The only difference to this scenario are synths like Omnisphere that can accept your unique sound input to develop …… still a bit like presets I suppose:)
TR4
onPreset Gang 👌
DMN
onPresets – Depending if I can be bothered, I have the option of reamping through all sorts of FX pedals and Valve Amps.
Jason
onI program my own patches for synths 80% of the time but still buy presets to learn new tricks and get ideas.
Arne Svendsboe
onI prefer presets, bacause that is faster for me.
skyscape
onI enjoy designing from scratch, however it is also good fun (and an excellent way to learn) to try to recreate an amazing preset from one synth in a different synth.
dbn-creation
onI always start with presets to hear the synth capabilities at first, and for inspiration before tweaking them…
Luka Dujmic {theperfectnumb}
onPresets are fun to get inspired, especially if I’m feeling stuck and need something to get me excited and get the creative juices flowing or to use in ways to try and decipher/deconstruct just how the producer/musician was able to make the particular preset and usually during that somewhere along the way I hear something I like that’s nothing like the preset and off I go into sound design and creating my own sound that feels one of a kind and inspiring to me. I’m already an owner of Kult and basically any and everything that Tracktion/Dawsome have put out but REALLY wanna get my hands on those presets by Spektralisk who I’m also inspired and motivated by as well. Thank you for your consideration and for doing awesome giveaways like this!
Danny
onNeither. I just like looking at the interface.
Frank
onI always run several presets to check what’s possible, then I start to tweak them.
Gabriel
onI like to mix and match, sometimes craft a sound from scratch or tweak it a little or further affect it with other plugins or bounce it in place and then reverse it or something interesting! Kind of depends what you’re going for and how much time you have. Presets can be good especially if you know what you’re looking for. I don’t like to scroll endlessly, so quality all rounder sounds make a big difference.
PeachRow
onIf I have time I like to start from scratch! But when there’s a deadline or other time constraint I’ll pull up a preset and tweak as necessary.
Fabio
ontweaking
Ashy
onI’ll usually throw a preset on, then build off of it/tweak it to my liking.
Someday I wanna start from scratch, but it’s a little too time consuming to make the sound I’m after… maybe I’ll become more competent starting from scratch someday ;)
lairyboy
onI get inspiration from preset and sometimes tweak if required, usually remove or reduce the effects.
AS
onAh. This is a tough question. It depends on the project.
Sometimes a preset just nails the sound I am seeking. I will do very little to it at that point. Sometimes adjusting the cutoff filter and light modulation effects. Other times, a preset is not sitting how I want it and it requires customizing, often those would be ARPs. Rarely is the ARP hitting the exact notes needed.
Thanks for doing this giveaway; looks and sounds amazing.
Akoustecx
onI love both.
Preset tweaking is a great way of learning how a synth behaves, but when a patch built from init is a perfect fit, it’s a beautiful day.
Ken
onIf I have a very specific sound in mind I’ll try and make it from scratch, otherwise I’ll start with a preset and make adjustments.
Cristiano Barata
onI’m a compulsive tweaker, so I prefer to create my sounds, either from scratch or by editing existing presets.
Feyra
onPresets to start so I can get my idea down fast. Then the tweaking of the preset to the “let’s make this difficult!” I typically revert to tweaking of original…
Austin Hardy
onPatching synths is part of the fun, but naming useless patches is my passion!
Irion Da Ronin
onI do my presets sometimes, and some other times i use already made presets. Good luck! :D
Jim Achen
onI’d say both, but mostly preset and tweak it.
RotoGluOn
onWell, I usually start by listening all the presets and then I try to pick the ones I loved and see how they’ve been built, sometimes I’ll just tweak them a bit and see whether I can achieve to “create” a derivative sound out of it that I like.
sc
onI prefer programming sounds from scratch. I like to start with something as universal as a sine wave and then see how things evolve from there. That said, you can learn a lot about how a synth works by studying presets.
Glow
onPresets then tweak them to taste!
T.ROCKS
onstart from scratch, end up hating it, use preset instead :)
Bart
onA preset first if it sounds interesting and work on it until it sounds more ‘ like it ‘ .
DJ Nielsen
onI love creating from scratch. I think you’re much more confident in your sound/music when you understand and know your mastery of different synthesis/techniques. This leads to a bigger ease in finding your signature sound as an artist.
richei
onme diggums presets primarily, lest me feels emboldened to cook up me own sauce, then me gets cooking
Niko
onI like creating sounds myself using basic forms like a sine wave and then seeing what happens. However, it is helpful to study presets to understand how a synthesiser works.