Remaking the lead synth from the 1989 song "Tetris Theme" by Hirokazu Tanaka can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Tetris Theme" lead patch and play this iconic sound on most hardware or software subtractive synthesizers (Serum, Vital, Pigments, Prophet, Korg, Moog, etc). We've included the preset download directly for your convenience, but we strongly recommend you use our programming tutorial to recreate it yourself.
Original Audio
The iconic lead synthesizer sound from the “Tetris Theme” by Hirokazu Tanaka is a quintessential example of old-school synth design. This sound is prominently featured in the main theme of the game and is characterized by its bright, piercing quality. The synthesizer’s timbre is often described as having a sharp, almost metallic edge, which adds to the energetic and catchy nature of the melody. You can hear this lead synthesizer sound throughout the track, particularly during the initial introduction of the theme.
Original Performing Instrument
Unknown. The specific synthesizer used for the "Tetris Theme" by Hirokazu Tanaka is not documented in the provided sources. However, it is known that Hirokazu Tanaka used various synthesizers during his work at Nintendo, but the exact one for the Tetris theme is not specified[1][4].
Our Remake of The Lead Synth
This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the lead synth from the song "Tetris Theme" by Hirokazu Tanaka, giving you a reference point as you design your own synthesizer preset. Play it as often as you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of the sound.
Synth Patch Programming Recipe
Remake This Sound Yourself
Learn how to program this synth preset with Syntorial, all by ear. Download the demo and try unlimited famous sound challenges for free.
Getting Started
- Start by initializing your synthesizer to a plain saw with no filter, modulation or effects. For soft synths use the "init"/"default" preset or the the button to reset all parameters to their default factory values.
- No two synths are exactly alike, so treat the values below as approximate, and use your ear.
- Percentage values (e.g. 50%) represent the relative position of a knob or slider within its full range. The full range of each parameter may differ from synth to synth, so use your ear.
Voices
- Voice Mode: Poly
- Voice Count: 3
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 0 ms
- Decay: 850 ms
- Sustain: 0%
- Release: 20 ms
Oscillators
- Oscillator 1
- Waveform: Pulse
- Pulse Width: 100%
- Volume: 100%
- Noise Volume: 10%
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- The Tetris Theme by Hirokazu Tanaka (Hooktheory)
- The Ultimate Tetris Synth Cover (YouTube)
- Tetris Theme (Korobeiniki) – Sonya Belousova (YouTube)
Preset Downloads
Don't want to learn synth programming now? Use our synth preset as your starting point and tweak it from there. Register an account with Audible Genius and download the presets for free for the following synths:
- Primer, our free synthesizer VST
- Vital
