Sytrus Tutorial - Everything You Need to Know

• Main panel with general synth settings • Six operators (oscillators) that generate sound • Three filters to shape frequency content • Effects section with chorus, reverbs, and delays

• Matrix for routing signals between components • Keyboard for playing notes (can be toggled on/off) • Graph/curve editor for detailed control

Load the default preset to begin exploring and understanding how Sytrus generates sound

All controls are labeled at the top left corner of FL Studio for easy reference

• Sine wave as the default • Triangle, sawtooth, and square waves available • Combinations of multiple waves possible • Selection via slider or dropdown menu

Various controls shape the wave in subtle or dramatic ways, with options like de-click and pluck that dramatically alter the sound character

Oscillator output volume can be adjusted independently on the right side of the operator panel

• De-click: removes clicking artifacts • Pluck: creates plucked sound characteristics

Grid with rows and columns for each of six operators, three filters, effects, and output for controlling signal flow

To hear output from an operator, route its row to the output column and ensure the level is turned up

Multiple operators can be heard together by routing each operator's row to the output and adjusting their individual levels

Clicking any row or column in the matrix automatically selects the corresponding operator for editing

Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release control how volume changes over time when a key is pressed

Must toggle the envelope on in the volume envelope section to activate its effect on the sound

• Click and drag envelope points to reshape the curve • Adjust tension of curves by dragging the small nodes between points • Use dials below the curve for precise control

Volume can also be controlled using LFOs or different keyboard keys instead of envelopes

LFO modulation can control panning to create left-to-right movement following an envelope curve

Panning oscillates smoothly between left and right channels for a dynamic stereo effect

Panning, volume, pitch, and phase can all be controlled using envelopes, LFOs, or keyboard keys

Choose from various modifiers to customize how each parameter responds to input

Add multiple voices (up to nine) to create a richer, wider sound from a single operator

• Adjust unison type from mono to wide • Control detune amount for subtle or dramatic pitch variation • Change voice distribution to original, uniform, or blurred modes

Similar to synthesis tools like Serum, offering flexible voice distribution options

Unison creates thicker, more professional-sounding patches with enhanced depth and width

Eight times oversampling is the standard for high quality that matches what you hear before and after exporting

Ensure quality settings are identical between preview and export to guarantee the sound remains consistent

Additional oversampling provides more precision and higher quality but significantly increases CPU usage

Eight times oversampling produces extremely high quality sounds without excessive CPU strain for most users

• Low pass, high pass, and other filter types available • Slope steepness options: 12 dB per octave (one), 24 dB (two), 36 dB (three)

• Cutoff: controls the filter frequency • Resonance: controls emphasis at the cutoff frequency

Without modulation, filters act as static EQ; with envelope control, they respond dynamically to the synth

Route operator to filter, then filter to output to hear the filtering effect on the sound

Turn on the filter envelope and select cutoff as the control parameter to make the filter responsive

Shape the envelope to create a plucked sound effect with the cutoff opening and closing over time

More dramatic envelope curves create more pronounced filter sweeps and tonal variations

Envelope control allows creation of expressive, dynamic sounds that respond naturally to your playing

Use key mapping to make cutoff frequency dependent on which key is pressed on the keyboard

• Higher keys can have lower cutoff (less bright) • Lower keys can have higher cutoff (brighter) • Inverse relationship creates natural brightness variation

Brass synthesizer patches benefit from rolling off high-end on higher keys for a more pleasant tone

The graph shows different white lines for each key, representing their respective filter cutoff values

Wave shaper allows blending in varying amounts of distortion to the filtered sound

Either add distortion or don't—straightforward parameter with no complex interaction

Creates brassy, wobbly texture when combined with filter envelope modulation

Works alongside the filter to shape the overall tonal character of the synth patch

• Chorus: adds depth and width • Reverb: adds spatial ambience • Delays: adds rhythmic repetitions • Effects send: routes signal to external processing

Route the operator row to the effects column in the matrix to enable effect processing

Applying effects creates lush, professional-sounding textures with depth and dimension

Simply turn on the desired effect in the effects panel once routing is established

• Three stackable delays available • Control feedback and timing parameters • Create rhythmic repetition and space

• Access presets from Fruity Reverb 2 dropdown • Options include drum room, venue, and other ambiences • Each preset provides distinct reverb character

Adjust typical reverb parameters like decay time, diffusion, and early reflections

Experiment with different preset combinations to discover desired reverb texture

Turn on chorus by increasing the order parameter in the effects section

• Adds depth to the sound • Adds width and stereo dimension • Creates classic, rich synthesizer texture

Chorus is a fundamental effect in synthesizer design for adding subtle richness

Similar to unison, chorus creates thicker, more professional-sounding patches

Send parameter duplicates the signal to additional mixer tracks (one right, two to the right, etc.)

• Does NOT send an affected version of the signal • Allows separate processing and effects on parallel tracks • Enables blending of processed signal back with original

• Add distortion to parallel track • Apply custom delays or reverbs • Blend processed and original sounds

Avoid manual side-chaining on the mixer by using Sytrus's built-in send capability

• Global volume: master output level • Global pitch: transpose entire synth • LFO enable/disable: toggle all LFO modulation

Master envelope control allows subtly adjusting all ADSR curves at once for consistent envelope behavior

• Modulation X/Y: for live performance linking to parameters • Built-in EQ: affects output, effects, or both

For best results, use a powerful external EQ after Sytrus rather than relying on the built-in EQ

Modify one operator with the signal from another operator to create complex, evolving timbres

• Often produces metallic sounds • Creates metallic shimmer and complexity • Significantly transforms the base waveform

• Read the FM column: if operator 3 modulates 2, then 2 modulates 1 • Alternatively: operator 3 to 1 and 2 to 1 creates different results • Order matters when chaining modulation

An operator can be set to modify itself for additional tonal variation

Ring modulation works on the same principle as FM: one operator affects another

RM produces distinctly different tonal characteristics than FM despite using similar routing concepts

• Deep study of FM and RM requires hours of dedicated exploration • Best learned through hands-on experimentation • Listen and adjust based on what sounds good

Sound quality matters more than the generation method used to create it

The best way to learn Sytrus is to dive in, experiment, and listen to the results

If a sound is good, it is good—purpose and context matter more than technique

Achieve mastery through experimentation and active sound design rather than theory alone

When learned, Sytrus becomes a very rewarding and powerful tool in music production arsenal