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pads from “my girls” by animal collective | ToneDB

my girls

animal collective

pads

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Tone Profile

A bright, shimmering, and rhythmically complex analog pad sound, defined by its iconic arpeggiated Roland Juno-60 character, lush built-in chorus, and spacious studio ambience.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Roland Juno-60

Amp: Roland Juno-60 Synth Engine

Processing: EMT 140 Plate Reverb (or similar spacious plate/hall reverb), Roland RE-201 Space Echo (or similar tape/analog delay), Lexicon PCM70 (or similar digital reverb/effects unit for ambience)

Other: Core sound relies heavily on the Juno-60's built-in Chorus (typically Chorus I or II, or both if modded) and its Arpeggiator (set to a fast rate like 16th notes, 'Up' mode, playing full chords). Patch settings: DCO Sawtooth wave, possibly with the Sub-oscillator blended in. Low-Pass Filter (LPF) with a moderate to high cutoff frequency, modulated by an envelope with a quick attack and moderate decay to create a bright, somewhat plucky character for each arpeggiated note. Recorded via direct input to the mixing console.

Recording Notes

  • The primary instrument for this sound is a Roland Juno-60 synthesizer.
  • The signature rhythmic texture comes from the Juno-60's arpeggiator playing chords at a fast tempo (e.g., 16th notes).
  • The Juno's famous built-in stereo chorus effect is a crucial component of the timbre.
  • Significant external studio effects were added during mixing by Ben Allen, notably spacious plate reverb (e.g., EMT 140) and echo/delay (e.g., Roland RE-201 Space Echo, Lexicon PCM70).
  • The synthesizer was recorded directly into the mixing console, not through an external amplifier.
  • The patch likely utilized the sawtooth DCO, potentially layered with the square wave sub-oscillator, with a relatively open filter setting to maintain brightness.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a synthesizer (hardware or software) that can emulate the Roland Juno-60 sound (e.g., TAL U-NO-LX, Arturia Jun-6 V, Roland Cloud Juno-60).
  • Start with a sawtooth waveform. Consider adding a square wave sub-oscillator if available on your synth.
  • Engage a Juno-style chorus effect. Experiment with both the brighter 'Chorus I' and the thicker 'Chorus II' modes (or their equivalents).
  • Program an arpeggiator to play your chord progression in an 'Up' pattern at a fast rate (e.g., 16th notes synced to your project tempo) over 1 or 2 octaves.
  • Set the Low-Pass Filter (LPF) cutoff moderately high. Apply an envelope to the filter (and possibly the amplifier) with a quick attack and a moderate decay/release to give each arpeggiated note a defined, plucky quality.
  • Add a high-quality plate or hall reverb with a long decay time (e.g., 2-4 seconds) and a generous wet/dry mix to create a spacious atmosphere.
  • Incorporate a stereo or ping-pong delay, timed to the track's tempo (e.g., 8th notes or dotted 8th notes), to enhance rhythmic complexity and stereo width.
  • If your synth/plugin offers it, pan the stereo outputs wide to maximize the spatial effect of the chorus.

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