The Weeknd "Open Hearts" Breakdown

The Weeknd’s album Hurry Up Tomorrow, released on January 31, 2025, serves as the final chapter in a trilogy that started with After Hours (2020) and continued with Dawn FM (2022), the album explores themes of redemption, time, and self-reflection, showcasing his artistic and personal growth.

One of its standout tracks, Open Hearts, blends synth-pop and R&B influences, creating a rich, atmospheric sound. Co-produced by The Weeknd, Max Martin, and Oscar Holter, the song was first introduced as an immersive experience in collaboration with Apple Vision Pro.

In this tutorial, we’ll break down the intricate sound design of Open Hearts and walk you through recreating each element using Xfer Serum. From lush synth pads to deep basslines and shimmering leads, we’ll uncover the techniques that shape the track’s signature sound.

By the end, you’ll have the skills to recreate Open Hearts in Serum and apply these techniques to your own productions.

- This article was possible because all of the presets from this breakdown came from our Dark Synthwave pack and it has have 20% off with the code: DS01

This track opens with a rich, distorted bass that instantly sets the mood. To recreate it, start with Oscillator A using the Basic Mg wavetable and pitch it down an octave. For Oscillator B, select the IHasCanKick wavetable and lower it by an octave as well. In the Sub Oscillator, choose a saw wave and drop it two octaves.

Next, set LFO 1 to a quarter-note rate and assign it to modulate the amp levels in the matrix tab. Now, for the key touch: go to the FX tab, add an EQ, and boost everything above 2kHz by around 7dB using a high shelf.

Every now and then, a punchy slap bass cuts through, adding groove and energy to the track. To recreate it, we’re using Serum as a sampler. First, we record a C note on our Fender Jaguar Bass and load it into Serum’s noise oscillator. Enabling one-shot mode and pitch tracking ensures the sample stays in tune with any MIDI note we play.

To add warmth and depth, we layer in a Sweep 20 wavetable on Oscillator A and a sine wave on Oscillator B. These extra layers help thicken the sound, making the bass fuller and more dynamic.

At the beginning of the track, alongside the bass, these pads follow along. To create them, we used a PWM_Mdc waveform in Oscillator A and a SawRounded waveform in Oscillator B. The sound starts with a low-pass filter cutting everything below 1kHz. As the song progresses from the verse to the chorus, the filter gradually opens up to around 3kHz—this effect is achieved through automation. Additionally, LFO 1 is set to a quarter-note sidechain, modulating the amp for a rhythmic pulsing effect.

As we enter the bridge of the song, this arpeggiated sound emerges. To recreate it, we use a Jno wavetable in Oscillator A and a PWM MG wavetable in Oscillator B. The key to shaping the tone is Envelope 1, which modulates the filter's cutoff, while the filter's resonance is set to around 40%.

For the most crucial part of the sound design, head to the FX tab and add a half-note ping-pong delay along with a generous amount of reverb to create depth and movement.

Recreating this synth sound was a challenge. To achieve the perfect tone, we had to get creative with layering, carefully blending multiple elements to capture the depth and richness of the original.

For the first layer of the synth sound, we focused on capturing warmth and body. We started with a SQR_SAW_Wrd in Oscillator A, set to 9 voices to create a wider, fuller tone, and a Basic Mini in Oscillator B, also with 9 voices, for added depth. To achieve that brassy character, we used Envelope 2 to modulate the filter's cutoff, setting the attack to 80ms for a smooth, dynamic opening.

For the second layer, we aimed to add air and brightness to the patch. To achieve this, we used a Basic Mg in Oscillator A and an IHasCanKick in Oscillator B, both set to 3 voices for a wide yet controlled texture. The filter cutoff is modulated by Envelope 1, with the attack set to 80ms, just like in the first layer.

For the final touch, apply an LFO to modulate the fine-tuning of both oscillators, introducing subtle pitch drifting for a more organic, vintage feel.

This section comes right after the chorus, serving as the track's climax, and these piano stabs sound absolutely incredible. To recreate them, start with an FMFM wavetable in Oscillator A and an Harmonic Subtle wavetable in Oscillator B, with its wavetable position knob turned all the way to the right. To add warmth and body, use a sine wave in the sub-oscillator.

Next, modulate the filter cutoff with Envelope 1 for dynamic shaping. Finally, in the Matrix tab, set up an LFO with a quarter-note delay to sidechain the amp, giving the stabs a rhythmic, pulsing feel.