synth programming - TranceAddict Forums

TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Production Studio
-- synth programming

Posted by sash on May-17-2003 07:11:

synth programming

when you're making a song, do you programme your own synth sounds, or do use presets? i know absolutely nothing about programming synths, when i fiddle with the knobs and stuff i end up with a crappy sound. so for now, i'll just use the presets.

Posted by TranceInMySoul on May-17-2003 16:47:

If you can't build your own sounds, just modify the existing ones. Chance are the presets won't fit quite right into your track straight away anyway.

Posted by Vortex_SA on May-17-2003 17:29:

i build almost all my sounds, only my percussions are samples.. mostly of live instruments, i also like recording my self playing the french horn and trumpet...

Posted by Lira on May-17-2003 18:00:

I like to do both When you programme a synth you might be able to find the sound you were looking for, rather than just a preset that sounds like it but not as much as you wanted it to.

How do you programme synths?

There's no formula: you need to know what each knob does, and the only way to do it is to experiment. In the beginning, get a preset and start to modify it. You'll find out how the oscillators work, what the lfo is there for, bla-bla-bla.

Posted by Etherium on May-18-2003 02:01:

Here's how to learn synthesis:

Take a preset you like.
Write down on a notepad EVERY parameter's value.
Now go to a blank patch and recreate it, starting with the most logical parameters (oscillators, semitone value, etc).

The most important part is you take note as to what each parameter does to the sound (For example, pulse width modulation, as you are approaching the value of the original preset take note of what it does to the sound at lower values than the preset value and at higher numbers, then set the value to the original preset value).

Doing this will teach more than any book or synthesist can teach you and if you keep doing it maybe you'll be designing presets for Clavia one day.....maybe.

Access also made a synthesis tutorial and it's of the hizzle...or nizzle...or...any -izzle.

Take time out to read "how effects work" at harmony central's website and play around with effects, especially chorus and phaser values as much as you can.

Good luck.

Posted by sash on May-18-2003 03:16:

that sounds like a good idea etherium

thanks for the tips, people.