Creating Gritty Acid Sounds in Sylenth1

This week at ReadyForMasterclass we are announcing a new Sylenth1 bank by ReOrder and MYR. ReOrder and MYR went through their tracks over the past decade and picked out their favorite presets—ones they used again and again because of how useful they were—and created many new presets to complement them.

As a result, you’ll find sounds like the famous Skypatrol pluck, MYR’s favorite acid sequences, and ReOrder’s awesome psytrance basslines, in addition to brand-new sounds perfect for techno and uplifting trance. In this article, we’ll explore some of the unique features of Sylenth1 that make it still incredibly relevant for dance music producers. For this example, we’ll be creating a gritty acid sound perfect for uplifting trance and techno.

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Step 1: Initialize the Preset

Go to the middle section and select:
Menu → Preset → Clear | Init

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Step 2: Setting up the Oscillators

We’re only using one oscillator for this sound. Set the octave to -2 to shift into a lower register. Use 2 voices for stereo width, but turn detune all the way down. Crank up the stereo knob to pan those voices left and right.
Make sure to uncheck “retrigger” so each voice starts at a different phase—this gives the sound natural stereo movement.

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Step 3: Filter 1 Setup

Select a 24dB/Octave Bandpass filter and add resonance to give it that classic “squelch” character. The sound might feel thin now—but just wait for the distortion!

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Step 4: Adding Distortion

Enable Distortion and choose the Foldback type.
Set Dry/Wet to 100% and Amount to 9.1 for maximum grit.

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Step 5: Add Delay

• Set Left & Right Delay to 1/8D (dotted eighth note)
• Low Cut: 100Hz
• Feedback: 80%

This keeps the sound clean yet spacey and rhythmic.

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Step 6: EQ the Sound

Enable EQ and adjust:

• Bass Gain: Turn all the way down
• Treble Gain: Set to +3dB

This makes the acid sharper and helps it cut through the mix.

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Step 7: Set Up Modulation

We want to sweep the filter using the Mod Wheel.

• Set main Filter Cutoff to around 2.4
• Turn your Mod Wheel all the way up
• In the Modulation Matrix, choose:
• Source: Mod Wheel
• Destination: Cutoff AB
• Amount: ~5.2

Tip: Hold Shift while dragging for precise control.

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Step 8: Adding Filter B

Here’s where Sylenth1 shines! Switch to Part B (via Part Select). Don’t use any oscillators—just the Filter.

• Set Input Select to Oscillators Part B and A
• Select 24dB Bandpass
• Add Resonance (~4.5)
• Set Filter B Cutoff to around 7.4

This creates two peaks in the frequency spectrum, adding complexity.
The master Cutoff knob still controls both filters together—perfect for Mod Wheel sweeps!

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Step 9: Using This Sound

Now that the sound is done:

• Play short notes while moving the Mod Wheel
• Let the delay fill in space between notes
• Record mod wheel movement while jamming
• Later, quantize and edit automation for precise filter motion

This sound is killer for intros and outros—it cuts through the mix and stays interesting thanks to that movement.

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🎛️ Conclusion

You’ve just built a gritty acid sound with tons of character and motion using Sylenth1. This walkthrough is just the start—ReOrder and MYR’s new Sylenth1 bank has tons of these acid sounds, including sequenced versions with the built-in arpeggiator.

Sylenth’s distortion, filtering, and modulation make it an acid powerhouse—but it’s equally amazing for midbasses, plucks, and so much more.

Now go twist some knobs and let the acid flow! 🌀🔥

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