basic programming tutorial

[NoLie6]

Does anyone now of a good introduction into synthesizer/sound programming?

I start to read the 'programming of analog synth' of h. scarr, but for me it starts on a very/too high level. I need the basics (like 'first we use only one OSC and look at the different ways/principles to alter that sound ...')

Of course the best would be an introduction of basis of the ti virus, but I assume that no one is keen on doing such a thing.

The information here is the best I have found in the net:
http://www.analog-synth.de/emu/workshop/modsyn.htm
but its hard to transfer this to my virus snow or the virus control settings.

[merlin]

Hi,


A couple of hints:


The basic signal flow of the virus is as follows:

oscillators->filters->fx

Along the way there are envelopes and lfo' s which may affect (modulate) any parameter of the mentioned components.

If you want to develop some feeling for it, start with a simple init patch and dive into the oscillators. First get some feeling for basic waves like square, saw, sine, etc. After that see what the 64 spectral waves sound like and experiment a lot.

After that I suggest heading on to the filters, then envelopes, then lfo's, then fx and finally dive into the oscillator wavetables.

A good bit of basic info can be found on the soundonsound website. Search for "synth secrets" and you'll find a good deal of basic concepts.


Another way of learning is by decomposing an existing patch. Search for a simple patch (for example a bass) and see how various parameters have been set. Remove the effects, remove the modulations and see what is left of the original....Reverse engineer the hell out of it and after that, try to recreate the patch yourself from an init patch...see how far you get and improve :)

Feel free to ask :)


M.

[Timo]

Best simple tutorial about subtractive synthesis I've come across was this:

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Underground/2288/2ansynth.htm

Seems a little like the one you have, but it may be slightly simpler.

The hardest bit is always starting out. Then things eventually start to click, a little at a time.

After understanding the basics of synthesis (such as the link above), the way I've learnt a lot is by loading up patches and then deconstructing them... Turning the effects off first, and then observing the rest of the settings of the patch, and keep tweaking each setting individually until I narrow things down and find why a sound does any such particular thing.

For example, one particular patch I came across on the Virus had a buzzy type distortion on it, but looking at the Distortion effect setting showed there was none applied. Next I checked out the FM setting (which can often create distortion in various ways) but that was zero'd out, too. It was only until I got to the LFOs that I realised their rate were running at full speed, and that they were subtly modulating the pitch of the oscillators, creating the buzzy distortion. Since I found what was causing that particular sound, it meant I could recognise the effect in other patches, and could also use that new technique myself when designing new patches.

[NoLie6]

Thank you guys!

It looks that the way of learning is to play arround a lot. If you are used to learn things first theoretically its a different approach. Its a bit bringing an own structure in a thing which first looks caotic:-)

> http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...8/2ansynth.htm (http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Underground/2288/2ansynth.htm)
BTW, I read it and found a couple of things that are now more clear to me. Thanks for posting.

[Mindfields]

this page has somenice links to videos/docs about programming


http://synth.freehostia.com/

[ISF75]

Great links guys..thanks...

[ninja6485]

the korg radias manual is pretty helpful. i'm sure it's in pdf form somewhere on the internet!

[kcinsu]

read this: http://www.xs4all.nl/~rhordijk/G2Pages/

take your time.

[sawtooth]

macpro video is usually pretty good, and they have a new tutorial for synth programing called "analog synthesis is a digital world":

http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/avfundamentals201

I've also used this book and it helped a lot at the beginning:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Tools-Synthesizer-Programming-Reference/dp/0879307730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263088717&sr=8-1

the nice thing about the viruscontrol is I program it in the order it's layed out. I do the osc on the osc page, then the filters, then the LFOs/mods, then effects... work that way and ask lots of questions on these boards... everyone loves to help.