Recreating Faithless’ Iconic “Insomnia” Pizzicato Sound in Serum 2

Introduction: The Legendary Faithless "Insomnia" Sound

The haunting pizzicato from Faithless’ 1995 dance classic "Insomnia" remains one of electronic music’s most recognizable hooks. Originally created on the Roland JV-880 (OR JD800) synthesizer, this iconic sound defined an era of ’90s dance music. Today, we’ll recreate this legendary sound using Xfer Serum 2’s powerful wavetable capabilities.

What You’ll Need

• Xfer Serum 2 (latest version)
• Basic understanding of wavetable synthesis
• Optional: Roland Cloud’s JV-1080/880 expansion (for reference)
• 15-20 minutes

Step 1: Understanding the JV-880 Source Sound

The "Insomnia" pizzicato’s DNA comes from the Roland JD800 / Roland JV-880, a ’90s rack synth known for its expansive PCM-based sound library. Unlike analog or virtual analog synths, the JV-880 uses sampled waveforms, giving its presets a distinct organic texture that defined countless dance tracks from this era.

Creating the Wavetable in Serum 2

To nail the sound in Serum 2, we’ll need to capture the essence of the JV-880’s "Pizzicato" waveform:

1. Sample Acquisition: I sampled a clean JV-880 pizzicato note (no effects) at middle B
2. Wavetable Conversion: Imported this sample into Serum’s wavetable editor at note B
3. Wavetable Enhancement: Created a more dynamic wavetable by:
   
   • X-Fade Edges

Step 2: Sculpting the Perfect Pizzicato Pluck

The JV-880’s pizzicato is characterized by its bright, percussive attack and quick decay. Here’s how to replicate it precisely in Serum 2:

Oscillator Settings

• Oscillator B: Load your custom JV-880 wavetable
• Oscillator C; Load a copy of the first wavetable and pitch it an octave down
• Oscillator A: Any wavetable from Serum 2 to thicken everything up
• Unison: Set to 1 voice (the original is monophonic)
• Wavetable Position: Initially at frame 1 (100% transient preservation)

Envelope Configuration

• Envelope 2 (Amplitude):
  
  • Attack: 0ms (instant)
  • Decay: 321 ms (adjust to taste)
  • Sustain: 0%
  • Release: 290ms
• LFO3 (Wavetable Position scanning):
  
  • Rate 1.9Hz (scanning the wavetable position)

Filter Settings

• Not used as we want to prevent the high end from the wavetables

Pro Tip: Layer Serum’s noise oscillator (white noise, 10-15% volume) with a short decay envelope to replicate the authentic "string snap" heard in the original Faithless track.

Step 3: Compression & Saturation – The "90s Dance" Character

The "Insomnia" pizzicato has that classic ’90s squashed and in-your-face quality. Achieve this using Serum 2’s built-in effects:

Compression Settings

1. Compressor:
   
   • Ratio: 7:1
   • Attack: 1.4ms
   • Release: 393ms
   • Threshold: Adjust until you see 4-6dB of gain reduction (-6.8db in example)
   • Mix: 100%

Stereo Enhancement

2. Distortion:
   
   • Type: "Analog"
   • Drive: 10-15%
   • Mix: 80%
3. Hyper/Dimension:
   
   • Hyper: Rate 40%, Detune 25%, Mix 19%
   • Dimension: Size 50%, Mix 21%
4. Chorus & Delay: To taste

Step 4: The Reverb Magic – Creating That Haunting Atmosphere

The signature ethereal quality of Faithless’ "Insomnia" pizzicato comes from expertly applied reverb. This can be done in Serum or your DAW:

Reverb Configuration

• Type: Large hall or plate (Lexicon-style if available)
• Pre-Delay: 55ms
• Size: Mid (49%)
• Decay: 140
• High-Cut Filter: Set to 21 to filter our harshness
• Low-Cut Filter: Set to 38 to prevent low-end mud
• Mix: 25-30% (maintain pluck definition while adding atmosphere)

Post-Processing

• Post-Reverb Compression: Apply gentle bus compression (2:1 ratio) to glue the reverb to the pluck
• Side-Chain: For authentic Faithless rhythm, try side-chaining the reverb tail to a four-on-the-floor kick

Step 5: Final Polish – Professional Finishing Touches

EQ Adjustments

• Low-End: High-pass at 100Hz to remove unnecessary rumble
• Mid-Range: Small boost at 850Hz for body (+2dB)
• Presence: Controlled boost at 2-4kHz for cut-through (+3dB)
• Air: Gentle shelf boost above 10kHz for sparkle (+1.5dB)

Stereo Imaging

• Mid-Side EQ: Use mid-side processing to:
  
  • Keep frequencies below 500Hz centered (mono)
  • Widen the reverb tail in the 2-8kHz range
  • Add stereo expansion to frequencies above a 8kHz

Dynamic Movement

• Subtle Modulation: Add slight pitch modulation (±5 cents) via Serum’s LFO to oscillator pitch for organic movement
• Volume Automation: Consider subtle volume automation on the pattern for expressive performance

Why the Roland JV-880 Defined the Faithless Sound

The Roland JV-880’s PCM samples were staples of ’90s electronic music. Unlike synths that generate waveforms algorithmically, its sounds are rooted in recorded acoustic instruments—hence the pizzicato’s distinctive realism and character.

The JV-880 was particularly popular among dance producers of the mid-90s including Faithless, The Prodigy, and many others. By sampling and reprocessing its waveforms in Serum 2, we bridge vintage sample-based production with modern wavetable flexibility.

Comparison with the Original Faithless Track

When comparing our Serum 2 recreation with the original Faithless "Insomnia" track, pay attention to:

1. Transient Character: The sharp attack of the pizzicato
2. Decay Profile: The natural fall-off of the string sound
3. Reverb Tail: The atmospheric quality that gives the sound its haunting character
4. Stereo Image: How the sound sits in the mix spatially