Meet Scott-John Dougan the 50 year-old sound designer behind the successful, yet under-the-radar company Ultimate Patches where he sells downloads of presets for about a dozen popular synthesizers. Dougan started his company about five years ago, but it really became his sole focus in 2017. He has sold thousands of downloads, since that time and has received numerous accolades from his customers with a typical email stating simply: “Your presets are what the synths should have shipped with!!”
Scott-John runs his company out of the rustic state of Montana in the United States where he enjoys the slower pace and the wide open terrain. He began his synth programming journey when he purchased a Roland Alpha Juno at 17 years-old. But it wasn’t because he took lessons or learned to play the piano. There was just something about music that simply spoke to him, “music has an internal connection to me that I can’t really put into words.” As a voracious music lover who devoured all the music he could get his ears on, Dougan focused on Roland products because he saw their logo on his idol Nick Rhodes’ live performance rig (Duran Duran). Although the Alpha Juno lacked tactile knobs and sliders, Dougan had no problem “getting right into it” and became enthralled by the idea that he could “mold his own sounds.”
Scott-John Dougan
From there, Dougan purchased a Korg WaveStation, which was a big step for him, not only because he needed to secure a loan from a bank for the $3000 price tag, but because it allowed him to expand his programming prowess. Mastering the Korg’s programming methodology was certainly daunting and a massive undertaking. Many who purchased the WaveStation stuck to the presets, never venturing into the deep programming required to wring out unique sounds, but that didn’t deter Dougan. “I’m the kind of person who becomes obsessed and full engaged in an undertaking,” Dougan confides. “I don’t stop. Sometimes going hours on end without eating until my wife inquires if I’ve had anything to eat today. I turn on my gear and drift into another world. I pour myself into it. Nothing else exists. It’s actually an intense experience.” Some may read this and wonder if this type of focus could be unhealthy, but Scott-John Dougan feels differently. “It’s a unique gift,” he assures. “I’m super grateful.”
So how does Dougan decide what synths he should make patches for? It’s not complicated. He chooses to create patches for what synthesizers people are gravitating to, as well as which synths don’t have patches to showcase what the synth can really do. Case in point is the Roland JU-08. Roland simply chose to emulate about one third of the original Jupiter-8 patches and call it a day. A shame because potential customers, who were initially enamored with the concept of a pocket Jupiter-8, were turned off by the uninspiring presets and spent their money elsewhere. Dougan, based on his knowledge, expertise and diligence, took what Roland offered and created 300 patches that not only inspired, but got owners talking about his work. This breathed new life into the synth and you can read unsolicited customer reviews who proclaim that buying the Ultimate Patches bundle for the JP-08 is a must.
You would think that with the grassroots support and abundant acclaim that manufacturers would take notice, but Dougan has only received minor interest from European reps of Roland, Korg and IK Multimedia who can see the obvious marketing benefits of utilizing Dougan’s talents. Manufacturers tend to be pretty insular about preset design, employing in house programmers and farming out sound design to the same small circle. However, it will only be a matter of time before savvy producers and open-hearted keyboardists like Jordan Rudess start knocking on Dougan’s door to create exclusive signature sounds.
It takes Dougan about a month to create about 150 new presets for a synth. But before he can begin, he needs to go through a dating period. “I have to really fall in love with a synth before I can start designing patches,” he reveals. “I need to love every aspect of the synth, explore every nook and cranny, get deeply involved before I can create new exciting sounds that no one has heard before.”
So what’s next for Scott-John Dougan? He confirmed that he’s not only working on patches for several new synths, but he’s also going to expand his offerings to higher priced units, including Sequential. “Right now I’m deciding whether to embark on a set for the OB6 or the Prophet 6, but I definitely want to do something for a Dave Smith creation.”
With Scott-John Dougan’s talents and wealth of programming knowledge, we asked him what additional features he would like to see manufacturers come out with to take his programming to the next level. After some thought, he proposed moving beyond the standard ADSR envelop to create exciting new possibilities. “By adding four additional stages to the ADSR, such as a Flutter, in a middle stage, or a variety of Attack options, I would be able to create some otherworldly sounds that have never been heard before.” Dougan also feels that a lot more can be done by assigning specialty Hi-Pass filters that focus on the higher frequencies to create interesting harmonics.
Click the image above to download a free Ultimate Patches "Quantum A1" Korg Minilogue XD patch sheet and learn how to program your own unique sounds!
If you’re interested in learning more about Scott-John Dougan, downloading his patches or pleading with him to design presets for your synth of choice, venture over to UltimatePatches.com.
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