Designing expressive leads is one of the hardest but most rewarding parts of electronic music production.
In this Serum 2 tutorial, we’ll recreate a melodic techno–inspired synth lead in Xfer Serum 2, taking inspiration from artists like Ben Böhmer, Tale of Us, and RÜFÜS DU SOL.
This walkthrough shows you how to build the sound step by step — from oscillators to modulation, FX, and performance macros.
Key Sound Design Techniques Covered
Here are some of the techniques you’ll learn in the video:
• Free-running LFOs for motion – Create that stuttery, evolving texture that keeps your lead alive and moving.
• Envelope shaping – Smooth swells and natural releases that make the sound feel organic.
• Filter & noise layering – Add warmth and grit by combining saw-like wavetables with subtle noise.
• Creative FX chains – Use Serum 2’s Reverb, Bode Shifter, Multiband Compressor, and Utility to build depth and polish.
• Macros for performance – Control filter brightness, LFO rate, reverb amount, and more in real time for expressive playability.
This approach goes beyond a single sound. You’ll discover techniques that can be applied to many sounds — like shaping modulation over time, balancing stereo width, and keeping dynamics under control.
The result? Leads that sound alive, spacious, and powerful — perfect for soaring melodic hooks.
Try More Ready-to-Use Sounds
If you want more sounds like this without building everything from scratch, check out our new soundbank Places for Serum 2.
It includes 180 presets for Serum 2, designed specifically for melodic techno, house, and progressive. Each preset is fully customizable with macros so you can shape it to your track in seconds.
Did you try this patch? How did it fit in your productions?
Drop your feedback or sound requests in the YouTube comments — we’d love to hear what you want covered next.
You may also be interested in...PLACES FOR SERUM 2
► 180 presets for Serum 2
► For melodic house & techno, progressive…
► Bonus pack included
Check out the full content on the product page !
Quick FAQ
You only need Xfer Serum 2 to follow along with this tutorial. All sound design is created directly inside Serum — no third-party effects are required.
Most steps can be reproduced in Serum 1, but some effects — like the Bode Shifter and Utility module — are exclusive to Serum 2. The sound will still be close, but not identical.
This patch is inspired by melodic techno and house, in the style of artists like Ben Böhmer, Tale of Us, and RÜFÜS DU SOL. However, this preset is versatile enough for many other genres, including Cinematic, Ambient, Progressive, Trance, Psytrance, and more.
You can explore our full soundbank Places for Serum 2 which includes 180 melodic techno and house presets, all fully playable and customizable.
No problems. Just contact us through the contact form and one of the team will get back to you ASAP – usually the same day.