Ableton Forum

I'm wondering how you can create the pitch rising white noise sound found in progressive house. I DONT mean the normal white noise filtered and "whooshing" or sweeping up.

The noise sounds like its rising in pitch however white noise has no pitch so im struggeling to see how its done.

example: starts around 1:16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAJ2IrIPLEY

probably adding resonance to the filter.

or using a risset/shepard tone.

got no sound at work though, so can't hear the example.

Your example sounds like there is a pitched tone going beep-beep-beep-beep while unpitched white noise fades in and out behind it.

Frankly, I don't here the white noise pitching up. The white noise just raises in volume. The pitching sound is a block wave form stab kinda think which is raising in pitch

thanks for the tips will check them out when im home.

If you want something that sounds like white noise to shift in pitch (unlike the example), two approaches spring to mind.

One is try some FM synthesis to create a very broad spectrum sound, oscillator modulates oscillator which modulates another oscillator for example, then shift that up.

Another is to play some chords on a guitar or something and use tube distortion (antares tube?) followed by a high pass filter to add insane amounts of near-white-but-slightly-harmonically-related noise to it. Nice to fade in the distortion gradually, if writing progressive.

(edit, just thought of a 3rd. layer together loads of marginally pitched synth patches. now slide these up together).

Alano Tekashi wrote:Frankly, I don't here the white noise pitching up. The white noise just raises in volume. The pitching sound is a block wave form stab kinda think which is raising in pitch

I see what you mean, I think technially its not rising in pitch because noise doesnt have pitch but whatever the effect is it gives the appearance of sounding like its rising.

It seems to becoming really popular in progressive at the moment its a technique I want to nail.

If I find a full solution will probably post a tutorial video too.

1. created a rhythmic pitched tone that rises
2. add unpitched white noise with complimentary rhythm

I think what you mean about your example, is that because the rhythm of the white noise is subtly linked to the rhythm of the pitched noise, your mind associates the two so gives the white noise a kind of rising feel.

You may find that moving your highpass on the white noise ever so slightly adds to the effect. You already have a 12, 18 or 24db highpass on it, right, because you don't want that noise messing with your bass So you can also nudge that up just slightly to add to the effect, no full spectrum sweeps and don't use a resonant filter.

you say it's so popular in this days, so you should provide us other examples if you want some help, because when I first heard the track at the point you told us, I exactly thought what the others already said... the white noise is only fading in and out, and then there is a stabbing lead sound that change pitch.

or, if you want the exact effect that you linked, keep in mind that you don't have to work on the white noise, but on the other intrument you hear after it. ciw's suggestions is probably the easiest way to do it

This is alot better example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2sTu-9Vn48

26 secs to 40 secs.

This might be more clearer as its during an intro.

mmh it sounds like a filter turned from low-pass to high-pass

it definatley sounds like something else is giving it the perception that its rising in pitch or somehow rising its a trick one!

try this then:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-6XcOa8gHs

I'm not at home right now so I can't experiment

Your second example is again a rising tone of some type or other.

It might be created as a synth patch which has some pitched oscillators plus white noise (and LFOs on amp/filter to give it that wobbly effect).

It might also be created by a band pass filter on white noise. Check out the free vst 'chimera' for a synth that works entirely by doing this, it might be what you're after.

http://www.majken.se/index.php?option=c ... 3&Itemid=9

8TROW8 wrote:This is alot better example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2sTu-9Vn48

26 secs to 40 secs.

This might be more clearer as its during an intro.

Allright I see what you mean. Keep in mind that you hear multiple sweeps in that particular part. There's one sweep in the front which is just a white noise sweep with the lowpass filter being turned open. Add some reverb and highpass to that (play a little with it for the best result) and you'll be fine.

The other one on the background, which is indeed pitching up, is a little tricky. What you can do is use the operator and put a square wave on a and a white noise on b. Make sure you set the routing right. Choose the one in the right bottom corner


Anyway. Play with the levels of a and b so that they sound proper together. Now you can use the pitch bend automation to make it rise. And you'll need a lowpass filter on this one as well. You might need a chorus filter to make it a little "wider" or give it some character. If you find it too muddy, low cut/eq it.

Hopefully this helps a little.


edit: I'll try to create an example when I'm at home.