How to Make a Supersaw in Vital: Step by Step

The supersaw is the sound behind thousands of trance anthems, EDM drops, and pop choruses. It's massive, wide, and instantly recognisable. And you can build one in Vital that sounds absolutely professional — for free. Here's exactly how.

What Is a Supersaw?

A supersaw is multiple sawtooth waveforms stacked on top of each other, each slightly detuned from the others. This detuning creates a thick, shimmering, chorus-like effect that sounds massive in stereo. The more voices you stack and the more you detune them, the wider and bigger the sound becomes.

The original supersaw came from the Roland JP-8000 in 1996 and defined the sound of trance music. Since then, it's become one of the most used sounds across all electronic genres — from Avicii's pop-EDM anthems to modern future bass and even pop production.

Vital handles supersaws beautifully because it gives you three oscillators with up to 16 unison voices each, plus detailed control over detune spread, stereo width, and waveform selection. Let's build one.

 

Step 1: Set Up Oscillator 1

Open Vital and start with the default initialised patch (File → Init Preset). Make sure Oscillator 1 is turned on and loaded with a basic sawtooth wavetable. The default "Init" wavetable is usually a saw — if not, click on the wavetable display and browse to a basic saw.

Now the magic: increase the unison voices to 7. You should immediately hear the sound get thicker. Set the detune to around 30–40%. This spreads the pitch of each voice apart, creating that characteristic shimmer.

Increase the stereo spread to around 80–100%. This pushes the unison voices outward in the stereo field, making the sound feel wide and enveloping.

Play a chord — you should already hear something recognisably "supersaw." But we're just getting started.

 

Step 2: Add Oscillator 2 for Extra Thickness

Turn on Oscillator 2 and load the same sawtooth wavetable. Set its unison voices to 7 as well, but detune it slightly differently — try 35%. This prevents the two oscillators from perfectly overlapping, which adds depth.

Tune Oscillator 2 up by +12 semitones (one octave up). This adds brightness and presence to the supersaw without making the low end muddy. Alternatively, try +7 semitones (a fifth up) for a more harmonically rich, fuller sound — though this works best when playing single notes rather than full chords.

Set Oscillator 2's level slightly lower than Oscillator 1 — around 70–80%. The main saw should be dominant, with the second adding support and sparkle.

Step 3: Shape with a Filter

Turn on Filter 1 and set it to a low-pass filter (the default). Route both oscillators through it. Bring the cutoff down to around 60–70% — this warms up the sound by taming the harsh high frequencies.

Add a touch of resonance — around 15–20%. This adds a subtle peak at the cutoff frequency that gives the filter sweep more character.

Now here's what brings the supersaw to life: modulate the filter cutoff with Envelope 2. Drag Envelope 2 onto the filter cutoff parameter. Set Envelope 2 with a medium attack (around 200–400ms), a medium decay (500ms–1s), a moderate sustain (around 50–60%), and a medium release (500ms).

Play a chord — you should hear the filter open up as the note starts, then settle back. This creates movement and expression that static sounds lack. Adjust the envelope amount and shape until it feels right for your track.

Step 4: Set the Amplitude Envelope

Envelope 1 (the amplitude envelope) controls how the overall volume behaves. For a classic supersaw pad/lead, set a fast but not instant attack (20–50ms — this avoids clicks while keeping the sound punchy), a zero decay, full sustain (100%), and a medium release (300–500ms so the sound doesn't cut off abruptly when you release the key).

For a pluckier supersaw (useful for arpeggios and stabs), shorten the sustain and decay significantly — fast attack, short decay (200ms), low sustain (20%), short release. This creates a sharp, percussive supersaw hit.

Step 5: Add Effects

The built-in effects in Vital are excellent and can take your supersaw from good to stunning.

Reverb: Turn it on, set a medium-to-long tail (1.5–3 seconds), and mix it at around 25–35%. This adds depth and space. For trance-style supersaws, a bigger reverb works well. For pop or future bass, keep it tighter.

Chorus: A subtle chorus adds extra width and movement. Keep the mix low — 15–25% — just enough to enhance the shimmer without making things washy.

Compressor: A gentle compressor can tame the peaks and make the supersaw feel more consistent and powerful. Light settings — just enough to glue the sound together.

EQ: Roll off everything below about 100Hz with a high-pass filter. Supersaws don't need sub-bass — that's your bass instrument's job. This keeps the low end clean and prevents muddiness when the supersaw plays alongside other elements.

Step 6: Add Movement with LFO Modulation

A static supersaw sounds good. A moving supersaw sounds professional. Assign LFO 1 to modulate the wavetable position on Oscillator 1. Set the LFO to a slow rate (around 0.5–1Hz) with a sine or triangle shape, and keep the modulation amount subtle — just enough to hear the harmonic content shifting gently over time.

You can also assign a slow LFO to the filter cutoff for additional movement, or to the stereo spread for a gently pulsing width effect.

These subtle modulations are what separate amateur presets from professional ones. They create the impression of a living, breathing sound rather than a static wall of noise.

Step 7: Save Your Preset

Once you're happy with your supersaw, save it immediately — File → Save Preset. Name it something descriptive like "BTP Supersaw Lead" or "Wide Trance Saw." Building a personal preset library is one of the most valuable things you can do as a producer.

Then experiment: try different wavetables instead of a pure saw. Try adding a third oscillator with a square wave for extra body. Try different filter types. Every variation teaches you something new about synthesis and gives you another unique sound in your library.

All the best — the Born To Produce Team ✌️

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