You loaded a free Serum bank. Now what?
A free preset pack is a starting point, not a finished sound. The Tonepusher Serum pack is a good excuse to practise the skill that separates producers who use presets well from those who just scroll: tweaking a patch until it belongs to your track. I will not list what is inside the pack, since contents can change. Check the download page for details.
Installing without headaches
- In Serum, open the menu and choose Show Serum Presets Folder.
- Drop the unzipped preset folder inside the Presets directory, not into System or Wavetables.
- Click the refresh icon in the preset browser, or restart Serum.
- If wavetables or noise oscillator samples were included, place them in their matching folders.
The five macro moves that make any preset yours
| Move | Where | Typical change |
|---|---|---|
| Trim the low end | Filter or EQ tab | High-pass at 30 to 40 Hz for leads |
| Adjust attack | Env 1 | 0 to 5 ms for plucks, 150 ms+ for pads |
| Detune unison | Osc voices | Lower blend for tighter mixes |
| Change velocity response | Mod matrix | Route velocity to filter cutoff |
| Tame FX | FX tab | Cut built-in reverb, use your own send |
Questions producers ask
Why does the preset sound huge alone but vanish in my track?
Wide unison and stacked FX fill the stereo field in solo. In a mix they compete with other elements. Reduce the unison count from 7 to 3, narrow the width to about 60%, and remove the reverb inside the patch.
Why do notes sound different on different keys?
Many presets rely on wavetable position and filter tracking. Check the key tracking on the filter and any wavetable modulation from key position. Play the same patch two octaves apart to find the range where it works.
How do I stop a pad from clashing with the vocal?
Cut 2 to 3 dB around 1 to 3 kHz with a broad EQ on the pad, and sidechain from the vocal if it still masks.
Should I bounce it to audio?
Yes, once the part is done. Audio is easier to process, stretch and share with collaborators who do not own the same presets.
Turn one preset into three sounds
Pick a single preset you like. Save it as Version A. Now change only these things and save as Version B: octave down, filter cutoff down by a third, add slower attack. Save Version C with a fast pluck envelope, higher octave and shorter release. You have now got a bass layer, a pad and a pluck from one starting point, all sonically related, which is a quick way to keep a track cohesive.
Genre starting points
- Future bass and pop: keep unison high on chords, but high-pass at 120 Hz and sidechain hard from the kick, around 6 dB with a 100 ms release.
- Techno and house: favour mono-ish stabs and plucks, short releases, and filter automation over 8 to 16 bars.
- Lo-fi and chill: slow attack pads, low-pass near 5 kHz, add a touch of noise or wobble in the pitch for age.
- Dubstep and bass music: layer a clean sub sine underneath any bass preset and cut everything below 100 Hz from the preset itself.
A 15-minute preset workflow
Minutes 0 to 5: audition presets over your loop with no effects on the channel. Minutes 5 to 10: pick one and make the five macro moves from the table. Minutes 10 to 15: play the part, check it against the vocal or lead, and print it to audio. Setting a timer keeps you from scrolling forever, which is the biggest trap with big preset banks.
Checking the pack before you commit
- Audition ten presets at the same velocity and in the same octave.
- Star the ones you would actually use in a song, not the flashiest.
- Delete or move the rest so your browser stays fast.
- Make sure you have a licence to use the sounds commercially; read the pack's terms.
Free packs may be time-limited or change over time, so confirm current availability and terms on the developer's official page. Never fetch presets from unofficial mirrors.
Fixing the usual preset problems
- Clicks on note start: raise the amp envelope attack from 0 ms to 2 ms.
- Lead cuts off other notes: check voice limit and mono or legato settings.
- Sound changes when you move the mod wheel: look in the mod matrix for the wheel routing before you assume a bug.
- Pitch sounds off: check the master tune and that no oscillator is set to a fine-tune offset.
Mini A/B test for a preset
- Play a four-bar riff with the preset untouched, record it.
- Apply your five macro moves and record the same riff.
- Level-match the two takes, then listen with the drums and bass playing.
- Keep the version that leaves space for the vocal or lead.
Related
For loads more free tools, see the free VST collection. To balance a synth against drums, read the gain staging guide, and for rhythm ideas to write against, try the UK garage sample pack.
Get Tonepusher free pack
