Uploaded August 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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This is a sound design tutorial for how to approach a specific sound that was used in the film Annihilation from 2018 with Natalie Portman, by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow. I expanded on creating a synth brass sound by doing it in with Euroack and then teaching how to connect a complex envelope in a setup that uses multiple oscillators.

Analog synthesizers have found a way back into film music, which has led to a lot of rich experimentation of what these instruments are capable of. I think my main takeaway from making this video, is that a lot can be achieved by moving the pitch of two oscillators far apart from each other to create a lot of disturbance in the melody. Having complex envelopes creates a rich possibility for different rhythms from simple triggers.

I hope you learn something from this tutorial, and it gives you some ideas to try out! Please let me know if there are any questions, or if anyone knows what instrument was used on the film. I would guess a Minimoog or similar.