The secrets of synthesis

[Topknocka]

I just found this and thought some of you might find it useful. It's a couple of years worth of SoundOnSound articles explaining low level synthesis, all linked on one page. I've been programming synths for 10 years or more and this really opened my eyes. Tbh, some of it is a complete headfuck, but interesting nonetheless.

Apologies if it's been posted before but I did a search for the URL and didn't find it. Oh, and this is the first topic I've started so go easy

http://www.adp-gmbh.ch/csound/synth_secret.html

[Astrobear]

This actually goes pretty in depth into the physics needed to understand synthesis! This looks like a very good read for everyone using a synthesizer.

[jrisreal]

bookmarked

[amphibian]

I go by sound rather than any mathematical equation...

1. Turn knob
2. Sound good?
3. No -> Go to 1.
4. Yes -> Go to 5
5. Turn another knob

[Topknocka]

I go by sound rather than any mathematical equation...

1. Turn knob
2. Sound good?
3. No -> Go to 1.
4. Yes -> Go to 5
5. Turn another knob

Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure there's loads of good patches that have been created by accident but......if you want to program a kick and you've got Osc1 set to saw pitched an octave above zero, no matter which of the other 400 or so parameters you change, it's unlikely to sound much like a traditional kick.

[amphibian]

I go by sound rather than any mathematical equation...

1. Turn knob
2. Sound good?
3. No -> Go to 1.
4. Yes -> Go to 5
5. Turn another knob

Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure there's loads of good patches that have been created by accident but......if you want to program a kick and you've got Osc1 set to saw pitched an octave above zero, no matter which of the other 400 or so parameters you change, it's unlikely to sound much like a traditional kick.

Oh absolutely. I mean I definitely read.etc. in fact first 6 months of production saw me reading something for several hours/day. Now I have an understand of how a sound is made, but I usually get what I want through experimenting, not actually knowing how to get the end result, just general guidelines in my head.

[Topknocka]

I go by sound rather than any mathematical equation...

1. Turn knob
2. Sound good?
3. No -> Go to 1.
4. Yes -> Go to 5
5. Turn another knob

Nothing wrong with that. I'm sure there's loads of good patches that have been created by accident but......if you want to program a kick and you've got Osc1 set to saw pitched an octave above zero, no matter which of the other 400 or so parameters you change, it's unlikely to sound much like a traditional kick.

Oh absolutely. I mean I definitely read.etc. in fact first 6 months of production saw me reading something for several hours/day. Now I have an understand of how a sound is made, but I usually get what I want through experimenting, not actually knowing how to get the end result, just general guidelines in my head.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for fiddling with knobs (does that sound gay? ), I just like to know some of the science behind the sound if you know what I mean?
The feedback on your sig tunes speaks volumes. You obviously know your art.

[Astrobear]

I go by sound rather than any mathematical equation...

1. Turn knob
2. Sound good?
3. No -> Go to 1.
4. Yes -> Go to 5
5. Turn another knob

The problem with this is certain sounds that you have in your head require a certain number of parameters or "knobs" as you call them to be in a certain place at once. It is very hard to achieve this by just turning one knob until you find something you like. It is at least a more efficient method to know your synthesizer in and out for one thing but also know how to pick apart a certain style of sound in your head as to how the sound is being manipulated.

[amphibian]

agreed, but that only comes from experience. You can read all the material in the world and won't know shit until you sit in front of a synth for hundreds of hours

[futures_untold]

Good link

Thanks for posting!