Downtempo and ambient pads: before and after

The harsh pads you heard in the relaxation style were one example of a fault: a held pad that buzzes when four notes sound together in a quiet style. This is the same mend for Downtempo and ambient. Every pad the style can pick was played alone on the same two held chords and read.

Live since 5:40 am, Wed 14 Oct 2026. Pick Downtempo and ambient in Auto to hear it on the page itself.

Nobody has listened to these. They were made and measured by an agent that cannot hear. The figures say the held pads are much less buzzy and start more gently, at about the level they had. Whether they sound right is yours to judge by ear.

What changed

Pads the style could pick	52
Given soft settings for when they are held	34
Left as they are (under the line already)	14
Taken out of this style	4 (they still play in every other style)
Buzz band of the 34, on average	-37 dB before, -62 dB after, at about the same level

The buzz band is the sound between 1 and 4 kHz in the held part of the chord. The line is 49 dB under full level: the softest of the relaxation pads that was counted as buzzing read just over it. Lower is softer. This style plays its pad two ways. When the chord is held (or played in half notes or longer) the soft settings are on. When the pad plays a rhythm it is the sound it always was, because a soft slow pad cannot play a rhythm.

Whole tracks

Each is the first minute of a track Auto wrote from the same starting point, on the page as it was and as it is now.

Downtempo and ambient, track one

The first minute of a track. The pad is Thin light both times, held, then in half notes. Before it is on its own bright settings, after on its soft ones. The drums and the lead are the same.

Before

Whole mix: level -20.6 dB, buzz band -33.8 dB

After

Whole mix: level -20.1 dB, buzz band -37.5 dB

Downtempo and ambient, track two

The first minute of another track, the pad held all the way. Before, the pad is Pan flutes. After, the dice land on Oboes with its soft settings (four pads leaving the list moves which pad is picked). The lead here is a loud one and it sits in the same band, so the whole mix figure moves little; listen to the chords under it.

Before

Whole mix: level -19.1 dB, buzz band -31.2 dB

After

Whole mix: level -19.5 dB, buzz band -32.4 dB

Lo fi, for comparison: not changed

The same track from the copy before and the copy after. Lo fi is the next style to get this mend and is not touched yet, so these two should sound the same. Two renders are never the same samples twice, which is why the figures differ by a tenth.

Before

Whole mix: level -17.2 dB, buzz band -35.1 dB

After

Whole mix: level -17.0 dB, buzz band -35.0 dB

The 34 pads with soft settings

Buzziest first. Each clip is two held chords of four notes at 70 bpm.

Oboes

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -27 dB, level -25.2 dB, half level after 0.04 s

After, when held

Buzz band -54 dB, level -25.2 dB, half level after 0.46 s

Boys choir

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -30 dB, level -28.2 dB, half level after 0.15 s

After, when held

Buzz band -50 dB, level -28.3 dB, half level after 0.55 s

Accordion

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -30 dB, level -18.7 dB, half level after 0.04 s

After, when held

Buzz band -53 dB, level -18.8 dB, half level after 0.75 s

Whisper voices

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -31 dB, level -30.3 dB, half level after 0.58 s

After, when held

Buzz band -51 dB, level -29.2 dB, half level after 0.78 s

Helicopter

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -32 dB, level -19.7 dB, half level after 0.03 s

After, when held

Buzz band -52 dB, level -19.2 dB, half level after 0.04 s

High pass riser

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -32 dB, level -22.0 dB, half level after 0.28 s

After, when held

Buzz band -49 dB, level -22.0 dB, half level after 0.14 s

Soft saxes

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -32 dB, level -18.4 dB, half level after 0.03 s

After, when held

Buzz band -67 dB, level -18.1 dB, half level after 0.26 s

Slow filter sweep

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -32 dB, level -22.8 dB, half level after 0.08 s

After, when held

Buzz band -52 dB, level -22.9 dB, half level after 0.05 s

Whistlers

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -32 dB, level -17.8 dB, half level after 0.05 s

After, when held

Buzz band -57 dB, level -17.3 dB, half level after 0.43 s

Warped vinyl

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -34 dB, level -20.3 dB, half level after 0.11 s

After, when held

Buzz band -67 dB, level -20.3 dB, half level after 0.29 s

Thin light

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -34 dB, level -20.3 dB, half level after 0.79 s

After, when held

Buzz band -56 dB, level -18.6 dB, half level after 0.97 s

Breath

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -34 dB, level -33.4 dB, half level after 0.43 s

After, when held

Buzz band -78 dB, level -34.4 dB, half level after 0.45 s

Analogue hug

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -34 dB, level -21.0 dB, half level after 0.10 s

After, when held

Buzz band -66 dB, level -20.8 dB, half level after 0.45 s

Wah pulse

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -35 dB, level -20.8 dB, half level after 0.03 s

After, when held

Buzz band -54 dB, level -21.1 dB, half level after 0.03 s

Fireside

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -35 dB, level -20.5 dB, half level after 0.05 s

After, when held

Buzz band -62 dB, level -20.4 dB, half level after 0.43 s

Crystal air

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -35 dB, level -21.6 dB, half level after 0.17 s

After, when held

Buzz band -70 dB, level -21.4 dB, half level after 0.29 s

Tide

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -36 dB, level -22.1 dB, half level after 0.45 s

After, when held

Buzz band -52 dB, level -22.4 dB, half level after 0.52 s

Pan flutes

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -36 dB, level -22.1 dB, half level after 0.03 s

After, when held

Buzz band -63 dB, level -23.2 dB, half level after 0.40 s

Worn cassette

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -36 dB, level -20.0 dB, half level after 0.03 s

After, when held

Buzz band -64 dB, level -19.3 dB, half level after 0.29 s

Ahh choir

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -37 dB, level -27.0 dB, half level after 0.38 s

After, when held

Buzz band -59 dB, level -26.4 dB, half level after 0.68 s

Prism

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -38 dB, level -28.0 dB, half level after 0.02 s

After, when held

Buzz band -59 dB, level -28.1 dB, half level after 0.03 s

Tine piano

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -39 dB, level -24.5 dB, half level after 0.02 s

After, when held

Buzz band -88 dB, level -32.7 dB, half level after 0.03 s

Slow honey

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -39 dB, level -21.0 dB, half level after 0.59 s

After, when held

Buzz band -67 dB, level -21.7 dB, half level after 1.20 s

Toy piano tape

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -39 dB, level -31.8 dB, half level after 0.01 s

After, when held

Buzz band -51 dB, level -31.7 dB, half level after 0.43 s

Low flutes

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -40 dB, level -19.8 dB, half level after 0.07 s

After, when held

Buzz band -62 dB, level -20.1 dB, half level after 0.43 s

Siren drift

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -40 dB, level -22.6 dB, half level after 0.23 s

After, when held

Buzz band -69 dB, level -22.7 dB, half level after 0.23 s

Frosted glass

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -41 dB, level -38.8 dB, half level after 0.03 s

After, when held

Buzz band -60 dB, level -39.0 dB, half level after 0.65 s

Velvet

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -43 dB, level -20.7 dB, half level after 0.62 s

After, when held

Buzz band -70 dB, level -21.1 dB, half level after 0.49 s

Reed piano

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -43 dB, level -21.1 dB, half level after 0.02 s

After, when held

Buzz band -59 dB, level -23.3 dB, half level after 0.03 s

Sleepy head

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -44 dB, level -20.1 dB, half level after 0.17 s

After, when held

Buzz band -82 dB, level -20.7 dB, half level after 0.32 s

Sunday morning

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -44 dB, level -21.8 dB, half level after 0.07 s

After, when held

Buzz band -57 dB, level -21.9 dB, half level after 0.49 s

Glass keys

Keeps its own strike or sweep: only the waves, the detune and the drive change.

Before

Buzz band -48 dB, level -36.9 dB, half level after 0.02 s

After, when held

Buzz band -77 dB, level -35.9 dB, half level after 0.02 s

Wool

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -48 dB, level -23.0 dB, half level after 0.27 s

After, when held

Buzz band -72 dB, level -23.0 dB, half level after 0.52 s

Recorders

Held kind: soft waves, the filter low and still, a slow start.

Before

Buzz band -49 dB, level -18.5 dB, half level after 0.02 s

After, when held

Buzz band -54 dB, level -18.2 dB, half level after 0.46 s

The 4 taken out of this style

The filter of each of these keeps only the band where the buzz is, so soft waves could not bring it under the line without making it a different sound.

Pad	Buzz band before	With soft settings
Cloud	-28.8 dB	-42.2 dB
Ice sheet	-31.9 dB	-43.8 dB
Pan pipes	-27.1 dB	-47.3 dB
Old radio	-22.3 dB	-48.9 dB

The 14 left as they are

Pad	Buzz band, held part	Why
Wine glass	-51.5 dB	held, under the line as it is
Dusty keys	-53.8 dB	dies away after the strike
Flute section	-56.5 dB	held, under the line as it is
Falling filter	-57.9 dB	held, under the line as it is
Bright piano	-62.4 dB	dies away after the strike
Ooh choir	-64.2 dB	held, under the line as it is
Low blanket	-65.1 dB	held, under the line as it is
Harpsichord	-69.6 dB	dies away after the strike
Dream piano	-72.2 dB	dies away after the strike
Celesta	-74.5 dB	dies away after the strike
Grand piano	-74.7 dB	dies away after the strike
Toy piano	-76.0 dB	dies away after the strike
Upright piano	-81.4 dB	dies away after the strike
Honky tonk	-86.3 dB	dies away after the strike