Synthesis / Sound Design Courses in Dublin?

hubiedubie · 08-10-2008 10:22am #1

Most of the courses in (Pulse, Sound Training Center) Dublin seem to be geared towards the sound engineering side of things. I'm producing mostly house music and I'm currently mostly using synth presets which is quite
limiting. I'd like to be able to think of a sound in my head and then create it. I'd also like some tips in arrangement and drum programming.
Are there any courses / trainers that would give me a good grounding in any of the
following:

1. Subtractive Synthesis
2. FM Synthesis
3. Creative Sampling
4. Drum Programming
5. Electronic Music Arrangement.

Thanks in advance for your help.

jtsuited · 08-10-2008 11:37am

hubiedubie wrote: »

Most of the courses in (Pulse, Sound Training Center) Dublin seem to be geared towards the sound engineering side of things. I'm producing mostly house music and I'm currently mostly using synth presets which is quite
limiting. I'd like to be able to think of a sound in my head and then create it. I'd also like some tips in arrangement and drum programming.
Are there any courses / trainers that would give me a good grounding in any of the
following:

1. Subtractive Synthesis
2. FM Synthesis
3. Creative Sampling
4. Drum Programming
5. Electronic Music Arrangement.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Don't think you'd need a course for that. Just some good literature and lots and lots of practice.

I'm also a house/techno producer and the best thing I've ever read for it was the lecture notes for the synthesis module of the undergraduate music technology course in Maynooth.

I'll have a look around for them later, and will pm you if I find them.

Using presets is so unrewarding and nearly all of them suck on softsynths so I sympathise with your plight.

ogy · 08-10-2008 1:19pm

would love a copy of those if you find them jt!

one of the few things that wasn't really covered on my course. usually covered in c sound but there was no c sound lecturer the year i was there

jtsuited · 08-10-2008 1:25pm

pm's sent

seannash · 08-10-2008 2:18pm

its tough to get your head around synthesis but it really is just a case of practice.im still ropey with it but i always try and spend time just making sounds.even if im not gonna use it in something im working on at that moment,but save them and give them appropriate names so if you need to pull them up you knolw what there gonna sound like before you even listen to them
also mess with the asdr settings,1 good sound can be turned into a few more sounds by messing with those alone.
if your starting also load up the default setting on your synth(where its just got 1 oscillator switched on,on a sine wave and has no effects)
this way youll be able to see and hear what does what,try not to start from a preset because you done know how that sound was made.

romarr · 08-10-2008 3:05pm

Hola Jt .. or others ...

would also deeply appreciate a copy of that ! I can achieve some great sounds but dont always understand how / why I got there ! thanks

re seanash ... tis a good plan to start with the default

Anima · 08-10-2008 9:17pm

Have to agree with Seannash, always start from default otherwise you'll never learn. Although I have heard from a few interviews of various artists that they modify presets to obtain the sound they want. Seems a bit lame to me but if it works I guess you can't argue.

Another thing I'd recommend is to pick one synth that you're comfortable with and just experiment as much as possible with it. I did this with Z3ta+ and while I'm no expert, I do have an idea about getting the sounds I want out of it.

Helix · 08-10-2008 9:34pm

id love a read of those notes too

id class myself as a decent enough programmer for what i need, but its always great to read more stuff on it, especially well written stuff

af_thefragile · 08-10-2008 11:24pm

Hey jt, sounds super tempting for me to jump on the bandwagon and get a hold of those notes too!!

I know the basics of sound synthesis but always found it tough to find the right sound that i wanted. So mad appreciation if ye could pm me those notes too!!

Thanks!!

jtsuited · 09-10-2008 10:39am

pm's sent. let me know how y'all get on with those.

if there's anyone else who wants them, pm me.

studiorat · 09-10-2008 5:14pm

You may as well set up a link there! Jt. Wouldn't mind a read through those either;)

You could splash out on this...

http://books.google.ie/books?id=nZ-TetwzVcIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:Curtis+inauthor:Roads&ei=jjvuSICpGYGCywT-5LSVCA&sig=ACfU3U3jlQ-LKj2vE5ymbHYTxx7vn7ZS1A#PPA23,M1

Furious-Red · 09-10-2008 7:44pm

you should try The Sound Training Centre. i know its a fee paying college but i think there is a course which is all about that kinda stuff.

jiltloop · 10-10-2008 8:50pm

hey jt wouldn't mind a look at those notes either if possible. i'd like to brush up on the theory side of things again. cheers!

hubiedubie · 15-10-2008 11:39pm

Thanks for the replies I've looked at the notes and they're helping alot. Anima I agree with you on picking one synth and sticking to it. I've way to many softsynths in my plugin folder. I've picked imposcar as my learning synth as it's fairly simple but you can still get some amazing sounds out of it.