Resources for learning synths.

DeadMoney

Hi, can anybody recommend any magazine's, books, web sites etc. where I can learn more about synthesizers, and how to use them. I'm a newbie and buying my first synth soon.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

google is a great one for that

Anima

Great help there :rolleyes:

Try the soundonsound synth secret articles. The'll take you through each part of a synth and how to synthesise particular types of sounds like a piano or a guitar string. http://www.soundonsound.com/search?url=%2Fsearch&Section=8&Subject=12

studiorat

http://www.synthedit.com/

jtsuited

studiorat wrote: »

http://www.synthedit.com/

hmmm, you know synthedit is a program right?

not much of a resource for learning synthesis basics. OP I'll pm you with something I seem to have pm'd everyone with lately!

studiorat

Application JT, we call them Applications now I believe.
Anyway, I'm just gonna come to this forum once a week and post a link to synth edit on the relevant learning about synths thread.
I thinks it's a really great way to learn about subtractive synthesis as well as other types.

There's some good tutorials there too.

jtsuited

studiorat wrote: »

Application JT, we call them Applications now I believe.
Anyway, I'm just gonna come to this forum once a week and post a link to synth edit on the relevant learning about synths thread.
I thinks it's a really great way to learn about subtractive synthesis as well as other types.

There's some good tutorials there too.

haha, was gonna write app but thought for some reason it wasn't appropriate.

Speaking of out of date terms, I'm off to fix my souncard, and unload a load of stuff from zipdisks.

condra

Scott Solidas articles in Computer Music are great.

Some synth manuals give great general primers in subtractive synthesis.
such as the K-Station manual (page 7 on):
http://www.novationmusic.com/support/files/kstation/102/K-Station_User_Guide_English.pdf

The SOS articles are a bit more advanced.

I think two of the most important technical concepts to grasp are SIGNAL FLOW, and MODULATION.

To programme good patches I think requires practice and experience, but also a good ear, some experimentaion, and to some degree, familiarity with different synthesizers, and why they sound different.

One of the key (excuse the pun) words to me is EXPRESSIVNESS.
- In other words, a synth patch that is dynamic and interesting because the timbre depends not only on what note is pressed, but other factors such as how hard it is pressed, how long it is held etc.

I would recommend starting out with a basic virtual analogue ("VA") software synthesizer, such as V-Station, Subtractor, Free Alpha or something similar, then moving on to something with a modulation matrix, before tackling FM and other forms of synthesis.

Best of luck.