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Synthesis and Sound Design

The Complete Beginner's Guide

Steve Lydford

In this course, we look in quite some detail at all the common elements of sound design using synthesisers. Whether you are brand new to synthesis, or an experienced sound designer, beatmaker or producer, this course will help you to really understand how to construct exactly the sound you are looking for for your mix.

Read more

In this course, we look in quite some detail at all the common elements of sound design using synthesisers. Whether you are brand new to synthesis, or an experienced sound designer, beatmaker or producer, this course will help you to really understand how to construct exactly the sound you are looking for for your mix.

With more than six hours of video split across over fifty lectures, you will find detailed descriptions and demonstrations of:

  • Synthesiser architecture and how the different elements work together.

  • Why the various wave shapes generated by oscillators create a different sound, and how to use them in combination.

  • How to use ADSR envelopes to modulate the volume of your sound over time.

  • The different types of filters commonly used and how to apply them to create the perfect tone.

  • How to add movement and depth to your sounds.

  • How to add effects such as chorus, distortion, delay and reverb to make your sounds more interesting.

Once you have finished these comprehensive sections and gained a deep understanding of exactly how every individual element of a synthesizer affects the sounds we are creating, we will use this knowledge to build several new sounds from scratch, including:

  • Sub-bass

  • Plucked bass

  • Atmospheric and ethereal pads

  • Leads

  • Percussion, including hi-hats, kick drums, and snares

  • Piano-like keys

We'll be using the free Vital synth throughout the course so you can follow along, but towards the end we'll spend some time looking at other synthesisers and see how to apply what you've learned to quickly get to grips with ANY synth and know exactly how to use it to get the sounds you need for your compositions.

Thank you for taking a moment to check out my course. Click the enrol button above to join in and learn the art of sound design for music production using synthesis to create any sound you can imagine.

Enroll now

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Gain a deep understanding of the fundamental building blocks of synthesiser design.
  • Apply your new knowledge by creating unique sounding instruments such as leads, keys, pads, basses, plucks, drums and cymbals.
  • Use oscillators, envelopes, filters, lfos and effects to create the ideal sounds for your compositions.
  • Be able to choose the right wave shapes, filters, modulators and effects by understanding exactly how every part of the synthesiser will affect your sound.
  • Take the knowledge gained in this course and quickly be able to get the sound you want from any synthesiser.

Syllabus

Introduction
Getting the most from the course
Getting the Vital synth
Initial setup of Vital
Read more
How Synthesisers Work
Types of synthesiser
Synthesiser architecture

One of the challenges when learning anything is getting to grips with all the new terminology. To try to help you with this, the attached PDF file is a glossary of terms for this course.

Oscillators (VCOs)
Introduction to oscillators
The oscillator
Basic wave shapes
Exploring fundamentals and harmonics in wave shapes
Level and Pan
Oscillator tuning
Unison and phase
Using multiple oscillators
The noise generator
The Amplifier (VCA)
Volume and voices
Pitch bend, stereo spread and velocity tracking
Glide
Envelopes (ADSR)
Introduction to ADSR envelopes
Designing envelopes
Using envelopes
Filters (VCFs)
Introduction to filters
Filter types
Resonance
Drive, mix, key tracking and routing
Comb filters
Combining filters and envelopes
Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs)
Introduction to Low Frequency Oscillators
Using Low Frequency Oscillators
LFO shapes
LFO frequency
More uses for Low Frequency Oscillators
LFO modes
Smoothing, delay and stereo
Designing custom LFO shapes
Effects
Introduction to effects
Chorus
Compression
Delay
Distortion
EQ
Filter
Flanger and phaser
Reverb
Stacking effects
Wrapping Up
Sound Design
Sub Bass
Plucked Bass
Atmospheric Pad
80's Lead
Hi-Hat
Kick drum
Snare drum
Keys (Synthesised Piano)

The attached file contains the Vital preset files for the patches we have created. Download it into a suitable location and import it using the "Import Bank" menu item in the preset menu in Vital.

Applying what you've learnt to other synthesizers
Synth 1: TAL-NoiseMaker
Synth 2: Logic Retro Synth
Synth 3: Cherry Audio Memorymode (Moog MemoryMoog)

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Teaches essential building blocks and concepts of sound design, which are foundational skills for electronic music producers
Develops understanding of the fundamental principles of synthesis, empowering learners to create unique and distinctive sounds
Explores advanced techniques like LFOs and effects to add depth and complexity to sonic creations, which are vital for sound design professionals
Focuses on practical application with guided sound design exercises, ensuring learners can immediately apply their knowledge
Covers a wide range of sound design applications, from sub-bass to atmospheric pads, addressing diverse needs of electronic musicians
Requires access to the Vital synthesizer, which may not be readily available to all learners, potentially limiting accessibility

Save this course

Save Synthesis and Sound Design: The Complete Beginner's Guide to your list so you can find it easily later:
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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 Synthesis and Sound Design: The Complete Beginner's Guide with these activities:
Read 'Sound Synthesis and Sampling' by Martin Russ
Expand your knowledge of sound synthesis and sampling with this comprehensive reference guide.
View Sound Synthesis and Sampling on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on synthesis techniques
  • Review the sections on sampling and sound design
  • Apply the concepts to your own synthesis projects
Find a mentor in the field of sound design
Connect with an experienced professional who can provide guidance and support in your development as a sound designer.
Browse courses on Career Development
Show steps
  • Identify potential mentors
  • Reach out and introduce yourself
  • Establish a mutually beneficial relationship
Compile a list of synthesizer resources
Gather and organize a collection of valuable resources to support your learning in sound design.
Browse courses on Music Production
Show steps
  • Identify relevant resources
  • Categorize and organize the resources
  • Share the compilation with other students
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Create a synthesizer patch
Experiment with the concepts learned in class by designing your own synthesizer patch from scratch.
Browse courses on Sound Design
Show steps
  • Choose a synthesizer software or hardware
  • Select the basic waveform
  • Adjust the envelope, filter, and LFO settings
  • Add effects
Practice creating specific sound effects
Develop your skills in sound design by practicing the creation of specific sound effects.
Browse courses on Sound Design
Show steps
  • Choose a target sound effect
  • Experiment with different synthesis techniques
  • Refine and iterate on your design
Follow tutorials on advanced synthesis techniques
Enhance your synthesis skills by learning advanced techniques from expert tutorials.
Browse courses on Music Production
Show steps
  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Find reputable tutorials
  • Follow the tutorials step-by-step
  • Apply the new techniques to your own projects
Contribute to open-source synthesizer projects
Immerse yourself in the world of open-source synthesizer development by contributing to community projects.
Browse courses on Software Engineering
Show steps
  • Find a suitable open-source project
  • Learn the project's codebase
  • Identify an area to contribute
  • Submit your contributions
Develop a sound library
Build a collection of unique and usable sounds by applying your knowledge of synthesis and sound design.
Browse courses on Music Production
Show steps
  • Determine the purpose and target audience
  • Design and create a variety of sounds
  • Organize and categorize the sounds
  • Export and share the sound library

Career center

Learners who complete Synthesis and Sound Design: The Complete Beginner's Guide will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

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Effort
6.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Steve Lydford
Language
English
Good to know
Teaches essential building blocks and concepts of sound design, which are foundational skills for electronic music producers
Develops understanding of the fundamental principles of synthesis, empowering learners to create unique and distinctive sounds
Explores advanced techniques like LFOs and effects to add depth and complexity to sonic creations, which are vital for sound design professionals
Focuses on practical application with guided sound design exercises, ensuring learners can immediately apply their knowledge
Covers a wide range of sound design applications, from sub-bass to atmospheric pads, addressing diverse needs of electronic musicians
Requires access to the Vital synthesizer, which may not be readily available to all learners, potentially limiting accessibility
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