Remaking the bells synth from the 1995 song "I Got 5 On It" by Luniz can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "I Got 5 On It" bells 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
Luniz’s 1995 mobb music anthem *”I Got 5 On It”* features a distinctive FM synthesizer bell sound that provides a twinkling, high-pitched rhythmic foundation. These percussive bell tones, likely generated using an FM synthesizer like the Yamaha DX7, are characterized by their metallic timbre. The bells appear prominently at the track’s opening and continue to punctuate the rhythm throughout, particularly during instrumental breaks and transitions between verses.
Original Performing Instrument
Unknown
Our Remake of The Bells Synth
This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the bells synth from the song "I Got 5 On It" by Luniz, 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: Mono
Amp Envelope
- Attack: 0 ms
- Sustain: 100%
- Release: 750 ms
Oscillators
- FM Amount: 15%
- Carrier
- Waveform: Sine
- Volume: 100%
- Modulator
- Waveform: Triangle
- Pitch: +34 Semitones
- Volume: 0%
Filter
- Type: High Pass
- Cutoff: 70%
LFO
- Destination: Pitch
- Waveform: Triangle
- Amount: 42 Cents
- Rate: 1/16 Note
Chorus
- Mix: 50% Wet
- Rate: Slow
Reverb
- Mix: 20% Wet
- Size: Medium
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- I Got 5 on It (Wikipedia)
- Remaking The Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It” (Deconstructing Hip Hop YouTube)
- I Got 5 on It by Luniz feat. Mike Marshall (WhoSampled)
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
