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Learning Synths

learningsynths.ableton.com

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Re: Learning Synths

#31

Post by davzie »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #17

Question: All of "learn synths" tutorials I've managed to dig up are really "sound creation" tutorials. I have not found a good tutorial or paid online class on how to _play_ synths. Is taking a traditional piano course the best way to do so? Observationally, the play style seems quite different, even if some basics are the same. Most practically, I see synths typically played with right hand, left hand is on the mod…

Literally practice :) Each sound you choose on a workstation or synth tends to bring out a playing style that reflects your own musical listening habits and learnings.

When I play a string patch in my band it tends to have slight flourishes to what are otherwise stabby block chords. When I play piano, it's kept light, jazzy and loungy, when I play synths I heavily use the pitch bend wheel and use the sustain pedal heavily (very old example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZBdjJiMkko)

Ultimately you just have to listen to examples of what you like and try your best to replicate what they're doing in those songs. This will improve your technique and skills to the point you can use a blend of your learnings to create your own style and feel :) Good luck!

Re: Learning Synths

#32

Post by fermentation »

bbx wrote: post #5

The best resource I've ever seen for learning synthesis is Syntorial: https://www.syntorial.com/ It teaches you step by step all the aspects of a synth engine: oscillators, wave shapes, amplitude, filters, modulation, unison, FM… But most of all it trains your ear, which allows you to replicate the sound in your head and build it from scratch.

That looks really great, but a little pricey. Any recs for someone who isn’t sure if they want to invest the cash into learning synthesis?

Re: Learning Synths

#33

Post by dfxm12 »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #17

Question: All of "learn synths" tutorials I've managed to dig up are really "sound creation" tutorials. I have not found a good tutorial or paid online class on how to _play_ synths. Is taking a traditional piano course the best way to do so? Observationally, the play style seems quite different, even if some basics are the same. Most practically, I see synths typically played with right hand, left hand is on the mod…

I have not found a good tutorial or paid online class on how to _play_ synths

Synths take many forms. If you want to play a synth with a keyboard, then learning piano would give you the concepts and techniques. Not all synths have a keyboard though...

Re: Learning Synths

#34

Post by joewrong »

fermentation wrote: post #32
bbx wrote: post #5

The best resource I've ever seen for learning synthesis is Syntorial: https://www.syntorial.com/ It teaches you step by step all the aspects of a synth engine: oscillators, wave shapes, amplitude, filters, modulation, unison, FM… But most of all it trains your ear, which allows you to replicate the sound in your head and build it from scratch.

That looks really great, but a little pricey. Any recs for someone who isn’t sure if they want to invest the cash into learning synthesis?

They have a reasonable trial on their site. I'd recommend taking it for a spin.

Re: Learning Synths

#35

Post by H1Supreme »

jdietrich wrote: post #3

If you have an interest in synths, you owe it to yourself to read Synth Secrets by Gordon Reid. Published in 63 parts in Sound on Sound magazine, it remains the definitive tutorial on synth programming. https://www.soundonsound.com/search/articles/%22Synth%20Secr...

These are pretty technical articles, but absolutely amazing in terms of content. I remember reading them nearly 20 years ago when I first got into using synths.

Re: Learning Synths

#36

Post by CuriouslyC »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #17

Question: All of "learn synths" tutorials I've managed to dig up are really "sound creation" tutorials. I have not found a good tutorial or paid online class on how to _play_ synths. Is taking a traditional piano course the best way to do so? Observationally, the play style seems quite different, even if some basics are the same. Most practically, I see synths typically played with right hand, left hand is on the mod…

Learning piano is fairly valuable in terms of understanding/writing music, but not critical.

If you're interested in making music with synths, you could probably get away with a pad controller. You lose some keys, but you usually get a lot of control buttons. A 16 button pad controller can do a lot when configured with 4 banks of sounds, with root/3/5/7 of each. Most controllers have octave up/down buttons, so 4 pitches of a given sound is actually very versatile.

Re: Learning Synths

#37

Post by Aromasin »

louthy wrote: post #25
Aromasin wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or go a step further and build them yourself. You get to keep the house, but you won't be able to make much use of it because every available space is taken up with a random assortment of wires, op-amps, resistors and capacitors. DIY synth making will take up every bit of spare time you think you have left, and then some. Your hands will become a puzzle of soldering iron scars, and you'll slowly lose your hearing fro…

> Or go a step further and build them yourself. Absolutely! There's a group on FB called 'Eurorack DIY' if anyone's interested in this. Thonk [1] is also the store for you. Lots of DIY kits (before you inevitably embark on the path of building your own modules from scratch!) [1] https://www.thonk.co.uk/

There's a guy on YouTube that got me into it which I highly recommend, called 'LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER'. He made a synth organ out of old Furbies toys. From that point I was sold.

Also, as much as I love the Thonk products, don't get put off by the price tags of some of their kits if you're intimidated! Some of my favourite synths have been made from penny parts I got from Alibaba, that totalled about £15 to make. They have a habit of sometimes spontaneously exploding, but that's all part of the fun.

Re: Learning Synths

#38

Post by atoav »

jesuslop wrote: post #7

Not directly related, but do you know of recent achievements with a wow factor in the physical modelling synthesis field [1]? Just as some offline rendered 3d scenes are amazing, It'd be nice to have a pure virtual instrument with its string and resonance chamber model, inter-string effects, plucking mechanism, and so on. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_modelling_synthesis

Check out Kaivo (Vst), Prism (for Reaktor) and Chromaphone 2 (Vst). They are not the freshest of the fresh, but certainly interesting.

Re: Learning Synths

#39

Post by CuriouslyC »

TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #14
jesuslop wrote: post #7

Not directly related, but do you know of recent achievements with a wow factor in the physical modelling synthesis field [1]? Just as some offline rendered 3d scenes are amazing, It'd be nice to have a pure virtual instrument with its string and resonance chamber model, inter-string effects, plucking mechanism, and so on. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_modelling_synthesis

Physical modelling peaked in 1993 with the Yamaha VL1 - which was an amazing synth that crashed right into the uncanny valley between sampling and real instruments. PM is a complete nightmare to program - even harder than FM. Which was why the VL1 was a preset-only machine. The full programmimng system was never made public. There are some modern remakes in the box, especially from TAS, but IMO they don't sound as im…

While I agree with you in the context of making synth sounds, I just wanted to note that physical modelling is amazing for real instruments if done right. For example, take MODO bass - none of the sample based solutions come close.

Re: Learning Synths

#40

Post by FigBug »

Just don't get into writing synths or effects if you want to make any money. Kind of like making games, it's flooded with people who do it for the love and willing to do it for salaries far less than other fields. The stereotypical musician has no money. There are currently over 3000 synths listed on KVR. It's tough to do something unique and stand out.
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