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Basic VST to learn synthesis basics.
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danieLs@n
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
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152
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 17:01:14
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Hi Everybody.
I just decided to start this loung journey that is music production. You might think "oh no, another one no...". Well I will try to do my best to produce the best music I can.
I have spent the last year reading this forum, taking notes of all the interesting things that are suggested\recomended here. As I want to do things properly i'd like to learn about the synthesis basics.
1st question, can you recommend me a simple VST (freeware or not) that will allow me to learn\experiment with those synthesis basics.
2nd question, is there any link where i can read about the basics of synthesis?
I have the feeling that having this basic knowledgement will help me a lot on taking the juice of those incredible VST out there.
Thanks for your help and time.
  0´s and 1´s |
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eole
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
151
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 17:10
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you can start with reason4 who is a very nice prog to learn many things.
just start to read the full help who explains all the synthesis basics (and more!).
A noise annoys an oyster but a noisy noise annoys an oyster most. |
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A.Rosengren
Solid Snake
Started Topics :
266
Posts :
4139
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 18:01
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There is 100´s of e-books in the ether, just google and you will find. Then read all the "mother of" threads!
good luck
A
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Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
170
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3642
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 18:13
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eole
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
151
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 19:39
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there's also the Miller Puckette's book,
"The Theory and Technique of Electronic Music" :
http://www-crca.ucsd.edu/~msp/techniques.htm
very serious, free and online book, with all examples in pure data (who is a freeware max/msp like - Puckette invented the twice)
A noise annoys an oyster but a noisy noise annoys an oyster most. |
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-aeon-
Aeon
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
546
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 20:41
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welcome to the wonderful world of production... say goodbye to free time and spare money! 
learning about synthesis is really rewarding and enjoyable... and many of the principles you learn will translate to other areas of audio.
it's definitely worth picking a nice straightforward synth and getting to know it. ASynth is a free, simple and easily laid out synth in the 'virtual analogue' style:
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/1065.html
once you feel comfortable with the basics, if you want to get really into synthesis then the best resource i know is Sound on Sound magazine's 'Synth Secrets' series. they're all available here (scroll down for the earliest part):
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm
these articles are an incredibly in-depth, part historical, part technical guide to the theory and practice of synthesis. i can't recommend them highly enough!
another great learning resource is a proper modular synthesiser (which has separate filters, oscillators, noise sources etc. which you can stitch together to make your own sounds). KarmaFX do a wonderful software modular:
http://karmafx.net/
it has a free 30 day trial, sounds fantastic, and is a great way of laying out examples in books about synthesis.
good luck and enjoy! |
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danieLs@n
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
152
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 21:34
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Thanks for all the suggestions.
I just feel that it's vital to understand what's going on on the sound when you tweak a knob and it affects it. I really prefer to start learning that than knowing how to use any DAW. (i know the basics on that in order to be able to insert the vst and learn what I am really interested on now, sound synthesis).
I have been reading the mother of threads and I came to the conclusion that lots of the raised questions just arise because you don't know what's going on behind those knobs, i just want to avoid that.
That soundonsound link it what I was really looking for (but any further input is appreciated of course).
Thanks for helping this ignorant Spanish.
0´s and 1´s |
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Nov 21, 2008 23:24
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http://www.kvraudio.com/get/214.html
Or if you're willing to do a little research, you can learn so much using Reaktor..
You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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Upavas
Upavas
Started Topics :
150
Posts :
3315
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 02:40
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Native Instruments' Reaktor is indeed a great tool. Not only can you learn what a knob does, but how a softsynth is built, meaning you can
a. build your own synthesizers
and
b. get a thorough understanding of the signal flow that makes up a synth.
With that knowledge you will be able to use pretty much any button on any synth and know what it does!
I very much recommend it.
Good luck to you and welcome to the world of sound!
Upavas - Here And Now (Sangoma Rec.) new EP out Oct.29th, get it here:
http://timecode.bandcamp.com
http://upavas.com
http://soundcloud.com/upavas-1/ |
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 04:43
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^+1
Reaktor totally changed my view on sound design. More than you could ask for as far as tweak capability, and as flexible as it gets. I didn't know that much about it for a long time and almost intentionally stayed away from it because it seemed so complex, and the whole time I was using other synths thinking like "I wish i could route this LFO here and use a different filter". 
You believe in the users?
Yeah, sure. If I don't have a user, then who wrote me? |
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Seamoon
Seamoon
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
314
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 18:43
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i wouldn't advice reaktor for learning synths.
Sure the possibilities are incredible but for beginning it's a absolute overflow, keep it simple and start with something simple.
I would also suggest synth1 or disco dsp discovery (almost the same)
http://soundcloud.com/seamoon |
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Kasmakaja
Bombax
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
150
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 18:47
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Upavas
Upavas
Started Topics :
150
Posts :
3315
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 19:42
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Quote:
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On 2008-11-22 18:43, Seamoon wrote:
i wouldn't advice reaktor for learning synths.
Sure the possibilities are incredible but for beginning it's a absolute overflow, keep it simple and start with something simple.
I would also suggest synth1 or disco dsp discovery (almost the same)
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Sounds like someone who has skipped the theory. It is all about the bang my friend, not the bang for the buck but the loadbang!
Reaktor is like a simplified idea of Max msp, and I can only say again, theory is equally important. Reaktor enables you to learn from the ground up. Yes, you may not begin by tweaking knobs, but once you really go into it, you get the whole schematic of things. And that enables you to really understand what knob does what...
you could of course also start with an eq, and make it into an oscillator by simply applying a bandpass (narrow) 5 times or so at the same frequency, but that is kinda limited as far as buttons are concerned...
Upavas - Here And Now (Sangoma Rec.) new EP out Oct.29th, get it here:
http://timecode.bandcamp.com
http://upavas.com
http://soundcloud.com/upavas-1/ |
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Medea
Aedem/Medea
Started Topics :
127
Posts :
1132
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 20:32
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
Posts :
8087
Posted : Nov 22, 2008 20:54
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