Ultimate Sound Design: Mastering Sound Design from Udemy

Welcome to the Ultimate Sound Design

➜ Now a UDEMY *Best Seller*, and UDEMY *Hot and New*.

This course is "5-Star Certified" by the International Association of Online Music Educators and Institutions (IAOMEI). This course has been independently reviewed by a panel of experts and has received a stellar 5-star rating.100% Answer Rate. Every single question posted to this class is answered within 24 hours by the instructor.

This class is for anyone who has wondered what sound design is all about. Especially:

Producers: If you are making tracks that rely on presets, and you want to learn how to craft your own sounds, this is the course for you.
Aspiring Producers: If you are just getting started with music production, this course will be the swiss army knife that you will keep in your belt forever.
Musicians: If you have wanted to improve your compositions by understanding how the physics of sound and partials work, this class is for you.
Songwriters: Improve your compositions by understanding how to make unique and memorable sounds to use in your songs.

In this class, we start with the very basics of sound design and work all the way up to working with complicated plugins like Xfer Serum, Native Instruments FM8, and others. I'll walk you through every step of the process and explain the logic behind every decision I make.

The goal of this class is for you to learn how to make original, compelling, and memorable sounds for your music.

Software:This course is NOT specific to any DAW program.

I'll be using Ableton Live Suite 10 in this course as my main DAW, but if you are using any other program you will be able to follow along just fine. That includes Logic, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Reaper, Reason, Cubase, or any of the others. My method in this class is to teach concepts, so whatever I do, you will be able to do it in your own software.Genre:I'm best known for working with electronic music, but I've designed this course to be as inclusive as possible when it comes to genre. We will talk about sound design techniques for all genres, sounds, and styles. All genres are welcome here.

Topics Covered:

The Essential Tools of Sound Design
Physics of Sound
Timbre
Harmonics
Partials
Overtones
The Oscillator
Sine Waves
Square Waves
Triangle Waves
Sawtooth Waves
Waveshapers
Noise Generators
Subtractive Synthesis
Filters
EQ
Low Pass Filters
High Pass Filters
Bandpass Filters
Notch Filters
Signal Flow
Envelopes
ADSR
Building Thick or Thin Sounds
Building High or Low Sounds
Building Short or Long Sounds
Building Motion or Still Sounds
The LFO
FM Synthesis
The Native Instruments FM8 Plugin
Modulators
Ableton Live's Operator
Additive Synthesis
Wavetable Synthesis
Xfer Serum Plugin
Wavetables
Creating Wavetables
Physical Modeling Synthesis
Analog Instruments
Moog Mother 32
Plugins: Serum and many more.
Working with game audio and game sound design
Sound Design Recipies
Creating Bass Synths
Creating Drum Synths
Creating Lead Synths
Software: Using Cakewalk, Garageband, Ableton Love, FL Studio, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Reaper, or any other application.
Principals of sound engineering
The art of home recording
And much, much more.

If you are ready to start making professional sounding tracks, this is the class that will start you on that journey. Get started today.

Dr. Allen is a university music professor and is a top-rated Udemy instructor - with nearly 100 courses and over 300,000 students.

In 2017 Star Tribune Business featured him as a "Mover and a Shaker," and he is recognized by the Grammy Foundation for his music education classes.

I guarantee that this course is the most thorough sound design course available ANYWHERE on the market - or your money back (30-day money-back guarantee)

Closed captions have been added to all lessons in this course.

Praise for Courses by Jason Allen:

⇢ "It seems like every little detail is being covered in an extremely simple fashion. The learning process becomes relaxed and allows complex concepts to get absorbed easily. My only regret is not taking this course earlier." - M. Shah

⇢ "Great for everyone without any knowledge so far. I bought all three parts... It's the best investment in leveling up my skills so far.." - Z. Palce

⇢ "Excellent explanations. No more or less than what is needed." - A. Tóth

⇢ "VERY COOL. I've waited for years to see a good video course, now I don't have to wait anymore. Thank You. " - Jeffrey Koury

⇢ "I am learning LOTS. And I really like having the worksheets. " - A. Deichsel

⇢ "The basics explained very clearly - loads of really useful tips. " - J. Pook

⇢ "Jason is really quick and great with questions, always a great resource for an online class. " M. Smith

Students who register for this course will receive ongoing exclusive content and discounts for all future classes in the series.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Fundamentals of sound design
Physics of sound
Manipulating overtones
Sound generators
Filters
Envelopes
Fm synthesis
The fm8 plugin
Additive synthesis
The operator synthesizer
Wavetable synthesis

Serum plugin
Physical modeling synthesis
Analog synthesis
Moog mother 32
Making leads with synthesis
Making drums with synthesis
Making bass with synthesis
And much, much more!
Show more
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Fundamentals of sound design
Physics of sound
Manipulating overtones
Sound generators
Filters
Envelopes
Fm synthesis
The fm8 plugin
Additive synthesis
The operator synthesizer
Wavetable synthesis
Serum plugin
Physical modeling synthesis
Analog synthesis
Moog mother 32
Making leads with synthesis
Making drums with synthesis
Making bass with synthesis
And much, much more!
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Introduction

My Approach to Sound Design

Tools You Will Need

Physics of Sound

Let's start with understanding the main principals behind sound design, so that we can then learn to craft sounds.

What is Timbre?

Harmonics and Partials

Overtones

Waveforms

For our first "essential tool," we need to learn sound generators. These are the things in a synthesizer that actually make the sound.

The Sound Generator in Synthesis

Oscillators

Waveforms: Sine Waves

Waveforms: Square Waves

Waveforms: Triangle Waves

Waveforms: Sawtooth Waves

Waveshapes Under the Spectrogram

Noise Generators

Other Sound Generators

Next, let's take a close look at our filters. These are the razor blade of synthesis, so it is important to get to know them well.

Subtractive Synthesis

The Filter and The EQ

Gain and Q

Filter Types: Low Pass Filters

Filter Types: High Pass Filters

Filter Types: Bandpass Filters

Filter Types: Notch Filters

If you are not an Ableton user, don't worry! We are going to use this instrument just to show the concepts of subtractive synthesis. You can apply these concepts to any plugin that you have.

Looking at Devices

The Sound Generators and Filters

Deeper into the Oscillator Section

Deeper into the Filter Section

Signal Flow

Why Two Amps?

The LFO

The Wub-Wubs

Quick Routing

Next, let's focus on envelopes. We use these to really give our sound some shape.

What are Envelopes?

The ADSR Format

More than Just Amplitude

Applying Envelopes

Other Ways Envelopes Can Look

Let's look at a few presets, and see if we can dissect them and learn what makes them work.

Preset: FatEric

Preset: Sadness Pad

Now that we have the essential tools down, here is a technique for starting a new sound that I like to use.

Waveforms: Thick or Thin?

Filters: High or Low?

Amplitude: Short or Long?

LFO: Motion or Stillness?

So far we have looked at Subtractive Synthesis - which is great, but not our only option. Let's look at some of the other types of synthesis next.

Applying the Essential Tools to Other Synthesis Types

The Other Synthesis Types

Let's dive in to FM Synthesis - one of the most popular and misunderstood types of synthesis.

What is FM Synthesis?

Musical Examples

What is the Same?

Let's take a look at the FM8 - a great plugin for FM synthesis from Native Instruments

Installing FM8

The Browser

Building our own Patches

Getting to a Default Patch

Adding a Modulator

Adding More Modulators and Experimenting

Next up, let's take a look at Additive Synthesis. A little easier to understand, but powerful nonetheless.

What is Additive Synthesis?

I'm going to use Ableton's Operator to go over additive synthesis, but again - you can use whatever you like!

Setting Up Operator

Simple Additive Patch Using the Oscillator Editor

The Overtone Series

Additive Synthesis with Oscillators

Applying Filters and Envelopes

Time to get weird! With wavetable synthesis we create the big wub-wub bass sounds that you are familiar with. Here we go!

What is Wavetable Synthesis?

Music Examples

Serum is one of the most popular synths on the market right now. Let's take a look at how it works.

Setting Up Serum

Serum Basic Layout

Wavetables

Serum's Warp Menu

Unison Settings

Other Controls

Creating Your Own Wavetables in Serum

Wait! Isn't that Just Sampling?

Up next: Physical modeling. The math-heavy synthesis. But don't worry - we can avoid lots of math if we want.

What is Physical Modeling?

Let's look at some physical modeling with Ableton Live's Electric instrument. With this we can emulate keyboards like a Wurlitzer or Rhodes.

Setup

The Model

The Mallet Section

The Fork Section

The Damper Section

The Pickup Section

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Starts with sound design's basic principles to help students learn synthesis with ease

Instructors are rated highly, putting students in good hands

Covers essential sound design tools and concepts, giving students much-needed ground support

Teaches filters and envelopes to give students' sounds shape and movement

Provides an in-depth look at FM synthesis, a widely used yet often mysterious technique

Addresses techniques for creating leads, drums, and bass in synthesis to acquaint students with some industry standards

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Ultimate Sound Design: Mastering Sound Design with these activities:

Review 'Sound Design' by Francis Rumsey

Show steps

Review the essential concepts and techniques of sound design to ensure a strong foundation for the course.

Show steps

Read Chapters 1-3 to understand the basics of sound and sound design.
Complete the exercises at the end of each chapter to test your understanding.

Develop a sound design concept

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Explore and articulate your creative vision for a sound design project.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Define the purpose and goals of the project.
Research and identify the sonic elements that align with the vision.
Create a mood board or playlist to convey the desired atmosphere.

Build a Synthesizer Patch

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Understanding how to build a synthesizer patch is a crucial skill for sound designers. Building a patch from scratch will help you learn the basics of synthesis.

Browse courses on Synthesis

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Choose a synthesizer and learn the basics of its interface.
Start with a simple patch and gradually add more components.
Experiment with different waveforms, filters, and effects.
Save your patch and share it with others.

Ten other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all 13 activities

Experiment with different synthesis techniques

Show steps

Enhance your understanding and mastery of various synthesis approaches.

Browse courses on Synthesis

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Explore different synthesis types in your preferred software.
Create patches with unique timbres and textures.
Experiment with modulation and effects to shape the sounds.

Follow Tutorials on Advanced Sound Design Techniques

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There are many great tutorials available online that can teach you advanced sound design techniques. Following these tutorials will help you expand your knowledge and skills.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Find a tutorial that covers a technique that you are interested in learning.
Follow the tutorial step-by-step.
Experiment with the technique and try to apply it to your own projects.

Create a sound library

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Build a collection of your own custom sounds to enhance your future sound design projects.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Record or find sounds from various sources.
Process and edit the sounds using your preferred tools.
Organize and categorize the sounds in a logical manner.
Name and tag the sounds for easy retrieval.

Participate in a sound design critique session

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Receive constructive feedback on your sound design work and learn from others.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Prepare a sound design project to share with the group.
Attend the critique session.
Present your work and receive feedback.
actively listen and provide feedback to other participants.

Follow tutorials on advanced sound design techniques

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Expand your knowledge and skills by exploring tutorials from industry experts.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Identify specific areas in sound design you want to improve.
Search for reputable tutorials online or on platforms like Udemy.
Follow the tutorials and apply the techniques in your own projects.

Attend a sound design workshop or masterclass

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Engage with experienced practitioners and learn advanced sound design techniques.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Research and identify upcoming sound design workshops or masterclasses.
Register and attend the event.
Actively participate and engage with the instructors and attendees.
Follow up with the organizers or instructors for additional resources or insights.

Collaborate on Sound Design Projects

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Collaborating with others can help you learn from different perspectives and improve your sound design skills.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Find a partner who is also interested in sound design.
Choose a project to work on together.
Divide the work and set deadlines.
Meet regularly to discuss your progress and give feedback.
Present your finished project to the class.

Compose a soundscape for a short film

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Apply your sound design skills to create an immersive and evocative soundscape.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Analyze the film and identify key scenes and moments.
Design and produce sound effects, ambiences, and music.
Mix and master the soundscape to enhance the narrative.

Design Sound Effects for a Video Game

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This project will give you the opportunity to apply your sound design skills to a real-world scenario. You will learn how to create sound effects that are both realistic and effective.

Browse courses on Sound Design

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Choose a video game to work on.
Identify the different types of sound effects that are needed.
Create a library of sound effects.
Integrate the sound effects into the game.
Test the game and make adjustments as needed.

Compose a Song Using Only Synthesizers

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This project will help you develop your songwriting and sound design skills at the same time. You will learn how to use synthesizers to create a wide range of sounds and textures.

Browse courses on Music Composition

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Choose a theme or concept for your song.
Create a chord progression and melody.
Design the sounds for your song using synthesizers.
Record and mix your song.

Career center

Learners who complete Ultimate Sound Design: Mastering Sound Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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Ultimate Sound Design

Mastering Sound Design

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Activities

Career center

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