The Importance Of Synth In Metal

When we think of Metal, we think of screaming guitars and dark voices and drums that are going hard. Though most Metal songs nowadays contain synths (even if it’s just a little), synths are not the first thing that come to mind when you think of Metal. Nevertheless: synths can make or break the song. We’ll tell you everything about it.

Why synths are important

Modern Metal bands use loads of synths in their music. Synths are sounds that the regular instruments can make and are created when keyboards are connected to the producing-program while producing. Modern Metal bands, especially bands that make fantasy Metal, use synths to create a mystic or dark atmosphere.

Because there are trillions of options when it comes to synths, bands use them to give themselves a distinct sound compared to other bands. Synths can also create more depth to a composition and make a song more interesting.

How are synths used in Metal?

Metal is not EDM, so the synthesizer will not be the most important part of a song. When you listen to synth in Metal, you’ll hear that it’s often used to compliment a guitar solo. They play the exact same melody or a third of fifth above or under that. We mentioned fantasy Metal before because they use synths a lot.

Synths in fantasy Metal create an underlying atmosphere. there is no melody or beat in it or whatsoever, it’s just there to create a vibe and a world where this music happens. Great Metal bands and great producers know when to use synths and when to leave them, so it’s still definitely Metal that they are making.

Performing live

A lot is possible nowadays, but it’s not possible to play the sound of synths on any regular instrument. There are a few possibilities when it comes to playing songs that contain synths live. The person behind the keys can attach their keyboard to a laptop that produces the sound of the synth, but there are also pedals for electric guitars that provide synths.

The last one sounds really cool, but to really master those pedals, you need a lot of practice. Loads of bands nowadays use a clicktrack, where they play to prerecorded sounds and constantly hear a metronome over an earpiece, so they won’t accidentally slow down or speed up. Because if their tempo changes, they won’t be in sync with the backing track anymore.

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