Synthesizing

[LutariFan]

I'm tired of using presets, but I really have no idea what I'm doing when I try to turn those knobs around. I know how synths work, but I just dont know what knobs to turn to make it sound right.

I'd love to know everything about synthesizing, but I understand you can't fit that into a forum post, so here is the sounds I am most eager to make:

This I don't know what it's called, but a sound similar to the lead at 1:48 here:


ALSO:

Some kind of calm pluck, for use in soothing or calm songs.

And last, a warm pad, also for calm songs.

[Stars In Autumn]

1:48 Super saws. 3 or more saw wave forms with some detuning on them. Instant attack. There's some Low pass filter automation going on and tapestop in there too. You need to add a chorus effect to it too to get it to sound as wide as it does.

[bartekko]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may99/a ... nthsec.htm read ALL the things

and this is a generic octaved supersaw

[the4thImpulse]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may99/articles/synthsec.htm read ALL the things

And when it starts to get complicated read it all again, because that will teach you just about everything you need to know about how a synth works.


Another way to learn is to open up your synth of choice, read the manual, and play the thing for a few hours straight just experimenting with sound. Keep doing it and soon you will figure it out all the little tricks to the sounds you want.

[DJ TATCM]

For the calm pluck, you'll probably want immediate attack, and no decay. Run the wave form (use a roundish one) through a low pass filter, tweaking it to the lower frequencies, give it some chorus, reverb, delay, and I think you'll have an arbitrary instrument.

[Navron]

I know how synths work, but I just dont know what knobs to turn to make it sound right.

Sooo...you don't know how synths work.

1. Read the manual.
2. Watch tutorials.
3. Set time aside to just play around with the synth. Turn random knobs, listen to how it affects the sound.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you fully learn the synth.

[LutariFan]

I know how synths work, but I just dont know what knobs to turn to make it sound right.

Sooo...you don't know how synths work.

1. Read the manual.
2. Watch tutorials.
3. Set time aside to just play around with the synth. Turn random knobs, listen to how it affects the sound.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you fully learn the synth.

Ah. I think I said that wrong. I ment that I know the basics.

Or, well, the only things I know is that the sound is generated by the oscillator, goes through the filter, and I know how the ASDR works. That's it, basically.

And I think I made a good supersaw now.