Enabling pitch tracking on a noise oscillator makes it follow the played MIDI note for melodic noise effects

By default a noise oscillator produces broadband sound that does not change pitch with MIDI notes. Enabling pitch tracking (in Serum 2: right-click the noise oscillator pitch → enable pitch tracking) causes the noise to be tuned to the played note — its spectral center shifts with each key, creating a pitched-noise or atmospheric-bass effect that is harmonically related to the melody. This is useful for vinyl crackle effects that feel ‘in key,’ for filtered-noise bass elements that track the bassline, or for textural percussion sounds with melodic pitch information.

Examples

Serum 2 sound design session: noise oscillator with vinyl crackle sample, pitch tracking enabled → the noise texture moves with each note, creating a pitched atmospheric layer rather than static broadband noise.

Assessment

Set a noise oscillator in a wavetable synth to a filtered noise or sample. Enable pitch tracking. Play a scale and describe how the noise texture changes across notes. Disable tracking and compare.