project 05 · week 11
Synth Composition with Vital
Overview
Create a 2–3 minute original music composition using Vital, a powerful wavetable synthesizer. You’ll design your own synth patches and use them to compose in any genre that inspires you—ambient, electronic, hip-hop, synthwave, cinematic, or otherwise. This project focuses on exploring sound design and synthesis as creative tools within your chosen musical style.
Learning Goals
- Understand the core principles of sound synthesis (oscillators, filters, modulation, and envelopes).
- Create and manipulate original synth patches in Vital.
- Apply synthesis and compositional techniques that reflect a chosen genre.
Project Components
- Synth Patch Portfolio
- Design 3–5 unique synth patches in Vital.
- Each patch should serve a role (bass, pad, lead, effect, etc.) and reflect genre-specific aesthetics.
- Label each patch clearly (e.g., “Dreamy Pad – Ambient,” “Dark Bass – Hip-Hop”).
- Composition (2–3 minutes)
- Compose a short piece that uses your patches as the primary sound sources.
- Focus on structure, texture, and how your sound design supports your chosen genre.
- Reflection
- Write a short reflection describing your creative process:
- How you approached designing each patch.
- How synthesis shaped the style and mood of your piece.
- Any challenges or discoveries along the way.
- Write a short reflection describing your creative process:
Submission Checklist
- 3–5 Vital preset files (file type: .vital).
- A 2–3 minute composition (Reaper project file and exported WAV).
- Written reflection (roughly 250–400 words).
Grading Rubric (50 points total)
| Criterion | Exemplary | Proficient | Developing | Emerging | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch Design (9 pts) | Three to five patches, each labeled with its role and sounding distinct from the others | Three patches present; one or two overlap in role or timbre | Fewer than three patches, or patches hard to tell apart | One patch, or factory presets renamed | /9 |
| Synthesis Technique (6 pts) | Oscillator, filter, envelope, and modulation settings each shape the sound in ways you can point to | Two or three of those areas used deliberately | A preset adjusted at one or two controls | Presets used as found | /6 |
| Composition Structure (10 pts) | Two to three minutes that introduce, develop, and resolve material | Correct length with a workable structure; one section stays static | Correct length but built from one repeating idea | Off length, or a loop repeated | /10 |
| Patch Integration (6 pts) | Your own patches are the primary sound sources throughout | Your patches carry most of the piece, with some stock sounds | Custom patches appear but stock sounds lead | Custom patches barely present | /6 |
| Mix Clarity (4 pts) | Every part occupies its own frequency and stereo space; nothing masks anything else | Mostly clear, with one or two parts competing | Several parts masked | No balancing attempted | /4 |
| Reflection (9 pts) | 250 to 400 words covering how each patch was built, how synthesis shaped the piece, and what proved difficult | Covers the process but stays general, or runs short | Present but too brief to show the process | Missing | /9 |
| File Organization (6 pts) | All .vital presets, the Reaper project, and the exported WAV present and labeled by role | All files present; labels unclear | A file missing, or presets unlabeled | Two or more files missing | /6 |
Total: ___ / 50
The first two criteria are the patch work at 30% of the project, the next three are the composition at 40%, and the last two are documentation at 30%.