Creator chats: Sound designer Allen Morgan talks about making sounds with analog gear

For Neon Noir - Retro Soundtrack presented by Neon Wave, we talked to producer and sound designer Allen Morgan about the making of the pack. Via Zoom, we got to have a peek inside Allen's studio - a sleek and modern space where modular synths decorate one wall while other analog equipment catches your eye all along the parameter of the spacious room. It's a synth lover's paradise.

Everything used in the pack was all analog-based. Allen shared, "I used all real synthesizers. There's no software involved. I processed everything through preamps, compressors, guitar, pedals—all outboard gear." Allen wanted to use the synths of the 1980s that were originally used to create the songs and compositions that these sounds were loosely inspired by. He used a Korg MS-20, ARP Odyssey, Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50, a variety of Moog synths, and modular synths.

Allen explained, "I guess I'm a cinematic nerd of sorts. I just love that kind of sound particularly, Vangelis and John Carpenter's style. I guess you could call it retro cinematic—big synthesizer, big reverbs. In terms of contemporary composers, I also look to Cliff Martinez, as well as Trent Reznor and Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails. I like the spooky stuff, I guess. A lot of the music and sounds I make are in that vein."

The other thing that makes this pack unique is that Allen created every sound in the collection - all 350 - from scratch. He explained, "I never reuse the same sound, which means crafting an entire pack takes a significant amount of time. With these old analog instruments, there are no presets. You can't save anything. For every setting on an old analog synthesizer, once you get that sound, you have to record it right there. And if you change anything, it's a totally different sound at that point. That's why every sample is created from scratch."

The sounds in Neon Noir - Retro Soundtrack can and should be used in any genre. Allen said that he worries the word "cinematic" or "soundtrack" can pigeonhole a collection. Rather, these sounds are primed to accomplish some kind of mood in any project without being overbearing. "None of these samples are taking over the track, they are more textural, great for layers. These sounds could live in the background and set the tone. I took the angle of less is more. There is a lot said in one loop, but it doesn't necessarily overtake the whole track," he told us.

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