synth sounds

Ask Katy

My question is for Nick. When he creates synth sounds to be used in songs, does he like to start with basic, pre-recorded sounds and mix them
over? Or does he start by just playing some notes on his keyboard? I hope the question is clear; I have to admit to not knowing a lot about synths. Oh one more thing, when he saves sounds, is it done like a computer...with a floppy diskette in the keyboard, or does is Nick all digital now? Thanks a bunch, Clay

NICK SAYS: "It varies from song to song but generally I like to make my own synth sounds and use them. As for presets, occasionally you can access something
orchestral that is exactly what you are looking for but with analogue synths (my favoured breed) it is essential to explore the sonic possibilities and sculpt the sound to your personal taste.As we now record using a Pro-Tools digital system, most things that I play are saved to computer hard-drives which can then be transferred back into a digital keyboard. However, I do use many analogue devices and still feel that nothing sounds quite like the original instrument."