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…
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.
A Mono/Poly Game - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 9
LearningIn the previous articles we saw what makes up a synthesizer's basic sound chain: Oscillators, followed by filters and an amplifier, plus envelopes to control them. We also saw that an oscillator can…
Send It in an Envelope - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 8
LearningWe have started to study the way in which you can create a sound with the aid of a hardware or virtual synthesizer. But, how does sound ─ which is up to now a combination of voltages or binary data p…
Filter It Out! - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 7
LearningToday we'll deal with another element that is essential to sound synthesis: Filters. They are widely used in subtractive synthesis, which is the most widespread form of synthesis, making filters pret…
Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Pa… - Swing It!
LearningToday we'll begin our exploration of the different elements that constitute a synthesizer. "It's about time!," I hear some of you say... And it's true, but it's important to have a theoretical backgr…
Make Some Noise! - Sound synthesis, sound design and audio processing - Part 5
LearningIn the previous article, we explored sounds based on waveforms with more or less harmonics, but they all had one thing in common: They were periodic. As we saw, if you refer to periodic cycle, you re…
