Udemy Sound Synthesis Tutorial

An Introduction to Synthesis Methods and Techniques

What you will learn?

• Develop and/or solidify a deep understanding of basic sound parameters and interaction concepts.
• Develop the ability to manipulate and adjust existing presets to suit your own sonic needs.
• Develop the ability to manipulate and adjust existing presets to suit your own sonic needs.
• Develop an understanding of the basic parameters used in both software and hardware synthesizers.
• Develop the ability to create sounds from scratch.

Requirements

• A basic understanding of Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). I will be using mainly Logic Pro, but will also explore a few instruments in Ableton Live and Pro Tools. You don’t necessary need to have any of these programs as the concepts discussed transcend any particular platform or DAW. But it would helpful to follow along, especially with the Logic Instruments.
• A basic understanding of MIDI controllers and MIDI messages (I’ll give a brief recap of MIDI in this video.
• A set of open ears ready to explore, discover, and create new sounds!

Description

This course provides a strong foundation in the fundamentals of sound synthesis including a discussion of the basic parameters found in software and hardware synthesizers, various commonly used synthesis methods, and techniques for creating unique sounds with virtual instruments found in Logic Pro, Ableton Live and Avid Pro Tools.

Specific topics include oscillator and waveform types, sound generation, and modulation sources and parameters such as LFO’s (low frequency modulators), envelopes, and step sequencers. Various filter types will be explored as a means of shaping synthesized sounds to create unique textures and timbres.

The course will explore a variety of synthesis methods including subtractive synthesis, component or physical modeling synthesis, FM (Frequency Modulation) Synthesis, wavetable synthesis, and software synthesis that emulates analog hardware synthesizers.

The basics elements of sound including frequency, amplitude, and phase will be discussed using custom software to visualize waveforms, syncing, and the harmonic content of sound. The software used is offered as downloadable freeware (Mac only) with the course, although the apps are not supported and not necessary to learn the material.

The course includes:

• 24 Video Tutorials
• 120 presets for the instruments covered
• 3 Custom Software Applications (freeware - Mac only)
• Logic Session using the Instruments covered

This course is perfect for a beginner just starting to learn the basics of sound synthesis and audio production or a seasoned musician or producer that wants to solidify and expand their skillset.

NOTE: This course was originally licensed by The Pro Audio Files and is now available on Udemy at a discounted rate.