Physical Modeling Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 23
LearningAfter having explored synthesis methods that have opened the doors to the most extravagant worlds of sound, today I invite you to tread a more conventional path: The artificial reproduction of well-k…
The Frequency Spectrum in FM Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 22
LearningIn the previous article you learned that FM synthesis allows the creation of harmonically rich sounds. Today we'll see what that means in terms of frequency spectrum....
Frequency Modulation or FM Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 21
LearningIn the fifteenth article of this series, I briefly mentioned FM while introducing the different forms of synthesis. Now, the time has finally come to discuss it, but before we do that I must first ta…
The Different Forms of Granular Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 20
LearningIn the previous article we introduced the concept of granular synthesis. Today we'll take a look at the different applications for it.
An introduction to Granular Synthesis - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 19
LearningIn the two previous articles we looked at the principle behind sample-based synthesis. Among other things, this allowed us to establish that, thanks to digital technology, the frontiers between the d…
Sampling: Wavetables - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 18
LearningIn the previous article, we took a first look at sampling, from the point of view of Pulse Code Modulation (PCM). In this installment we'll study wavetables and sample banks.
Sample-Based Synthesis ─ Bit by Bit - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 17
LearningSome people might think it's weird to see sampling considered as a type of synthesis. Indeed, throughout this series of articles, I've been telling you all the time about the creation of sounds "from…
Additive Synthesis ─ Give me more! - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 16
LearningIn the previous article we saw what subtractive synthesis, the most widespread method of synthetic sound creation, is all about and we saw that it's based on the sound production and manipulation mod…
Review of the Ploytec Pi L Squared Leukos Synth - Little Bad Boy
Written testThe Ploytec Pi L Squared Leukos (PL2 Leukos) is a hardware synthesizer module that fits in the palm of your hand, and can plug into your computer and respond to your DAW. Its analog pulse wave oscill…
Subtractive Synthesis: Straight to the point - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 15
LearningDear friends, now that we've become acquainted with the main components used, it's about time we get familiar with the main forms of sound synthesis. Oh, yes, there are several!
More Basic Synth Effects - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 14
LearningIn this article we'll take it from where we left off last week and continue exploring the main effects you can find on a synth.
Synth Effects - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 13
LearningThe previous two installments delved into the magical world of MIDI, including its modes, messages, and parameters. Now, in this and the following articles we'll take a look at the effects types that…
Understanding MIDI Modes and Messages - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 12
LearningAfter having discovered the MIDI standard in our last installment, let's now have a more detailed look into it.
Introduction to the MIDI standard - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 11
LearningIn the previous article, we saw how the evolution of polyphony required ─ and, hence, lead to ─ the introduction of computing in the design of sound synthesis devices. We also saw that the arrival of…
Polyphony, Paraphony and Multitimbrality - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 10
LearningIn the previous article we saw how a voice is defined in sound synthesis and how it can gather several oscillators without that necessarily meaning that the synthesizer in question is polyphonic.