The Experiment Vol. 2: 40 Free Serum Presets

The Experiment Vol. 2 by Vicious Antelope is a free soundbank containing 40 monophonic presets for the Xfer Records Serum synthesizer. Still available at €0 in 2026, the collection explores aggressive synth tones, dark cinematic textures, atmospheric movement and unusual electronic sound design.

The presets were created with Serum version 1.351 and are intended for that version or a more recent edition. Serum itself is not included, so producers need a compatible installation of the synthesizer before loading the bank.

What Is Included?

The Experiment Vol. 2 contains 40 synth patches created around Serum’s more unconventional filter options. Instead of concentrating on familiar EDM leads, supersaws or standard bass presets, the collection explores sounds with a stronger textural and atmospheric identity.

Every patch is monophonic, making the bank particularly useful for individual melodic lines, experimental basses, evolving effects and cinematic elements. Some presets have a bright and rhythmic character, while others move toward darker, more unstable or mechanical territory.

Four macros are assigned across the bank. These provide direct control over filter cutoff, delay, flanger and plate reverb settings. Producers can therefore reshape movement, brightness and spatial depth without opening every modulation page inside Serum.

Why These Sounds Remain Relevant

Modern electronic production often depends on texture as much as melody. Background movement, unusual transitions and evolving synth layers can give a track a clearer identity without adding another obvious lead or chord stack.

The Experiment Vol. 2 fits that workflow. Its sounds can support ambient music, cinematic scoring, experimental electronica, IDM, dark techno and science-fiction sound design. Some patches can also be resampled for industrial percussion, transition effects or distorted melodic hooks.

Because the sounds are monophonic, they naturally encourage focused melodic phrases and automation. They are less suitable for instant chord playing, but more useful when a production needs one distinctive element moving through the arrangement.

Best Uses

• Dark cinematic melodies and soundtrack tension
• Ambient layers and evolving electronic backgrounds
• Experimental leads and synthetic vocal-style tones
• Industrial and science-fiction sound design
• Resampled effects, transitions and rhythmic textures
• Techno, IDM and alternative electronic production

Production Tips

Begin by recording a simple monophonic phrase, then automate the four macros across several bars. Slow filter and reverb changes can turn a short preset into a developing cinematic layer.

For darker sounds, reduce the delay and plate reverb before adding external processing. This gives more control over the final space and prevents several effects from competing inside the preset.

Try resampling sustained notes and macro movements to audio. The recording can then be reversed, stretched, pitched or chopped into completely new effects and transitions.

When using the more aggressive patches, monitor Serum’s output level. Distortion, filtering and internal effects can create peaks quickly, and clipping is rarely improved by pretending not to see the meter.

How to Install the Presets

Download the archive from the official Vicious Antelope product page and extract its contents. Open Serum and use its menu to display the Serum preset folder.

Move the supplied preset folder into the appropriate presets directory, then return to Serum and rescan the folders if the new bank does not appear immediately.

Folder locations can vary according to the operating system and Serum version. Follow the instructions supplied with the download rather than using an unverified system path.

Compatibility and Requirements

• Required plugin: Xfer Records Serum
• Minimum version: Serum 1.351
• Plugin included: No
• Preset type: Monophonic synth patches
• Download condition: Free checkout on the official store

Licensing

Vicious Antelope permits its soundbanks to be used in commercial and non-commercial music productions. This includes streaming releases, client projects, film, television, video games, social media content and live performance.

The licence is non-exclusive and non-transferable. The original preset files may not be redistributed, shared, resold or repackaged as another soundbank or competing product.

Sequenced or rhythmically modulated presets should be treated as foundations for creating original musical material rather than complete melodies to be reused without modification.

Official Preset Walkthrough

The official Vicious Antelope walkthrough demonstrates the movement, tonal character and macro assignments of the included Serum patches.

Final Verdict

The Experiment Vol. 2 is a useful free Serum bank for producers who want something more unusual than another collection of festival leads and predictable plucks. Its 40 presets concentrate on atmosphere, movement and experimental filter design, while the macro assignments make the sounds easy to reshape.

The monophonic format makes the bank more specialized than a general-purpose collection, but that focus is also its strength. It may not write the chord progression, but it can certainly make the strange noise hiding behind it considerably more interesting.