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Synth Secrets
Synth Secrets: all 63 Parts on Sound On Sound site
Gordon Reid's Guide To Synthesis
How to find this classic multi-part 'synthesis explained' tutorial series on
the current Sound On Sound site.

Techniques Published May 1999

What's In A Sound?
Synth Secrets
In Part 1 of this (63-part) series exploring the world of subtractive
synthesis, Gordon Reid goes right back to basics. What are waveforms and
harmonics, where do they come from, and how does the theory relate to
what we actually hear?

Techniques Published May 1999

The Physics Of Percussion

Synth Secrets
In Part 1 we explained how the tones of most real instruments can be
reduced to patterns of harmonics, which can be generated using sine,
saw, square or pulse waveforms. This month, we consider the sonic raw
materials needed to imitate unpitched percussion.

Techniques Published June 1999

Modifiers & Controllers

Synth Secrets
We move on from discussing the harmonic components of sound to
explaining how they change over time, and some of the tools subtractive
synths give you to emulate this process.

Techniques Published July 1999

Of Filters & Phase Relationships

Synth Secrets
Having dealt last month with the concepts of envelopes, oscillators and Readers' Ads
LFOs, Gordon Reid moves on to the subject of filters, and the havoc they
wreak on the signals that pass through them. VIEW ALL CREATE FREE AD
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Techniques Published August 1999

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Further With Filters SOS NEWSLETTERS
Synth Secrets
Gordon Reid continues his series on the theory of subtractive synthesis by Latest Videos
delving deeper into the amazingly complex world of the analogue audio
filter.

Techniques Published September 1999

Of Responses & Resonance

Synth Secrets
As Parts 4 & 5 of Gordon Reid's series showed, even the simplest analogue
filters mess with your sound in complicated ways. In this Part, he
considers what happens when you make the design more sophisticated... Mastering Essentials Part 4 - Mastering EQ: Balance, Don’t
Match
Techniques Published October 1999
3 days 8 hours ago.

Envelopes, Gates & Triggers

Synth Secrets
You press a key on your synth. It plays a note. That's it, right? Wrong. We
explain the role of envelopes, gates, and triggers in this deceptively simple
process.

Techniques Published November 1999

More About Envelopes Mastering Essentials Part 3 - How loud should I master?
Synth Secrets 2 weeks 3 days ago.
Gordon Reid reveals some of the limitations of the 'classic' ADSR envelope
with reference to a practical synthesis example, and explains some of the
different types of envelopes found on 'classic' analogue synths, from AR
envelopes right up to highly flexible digitally controlled EGs.

Techniques Published December 1999

An Introduction To VCAs
Synth Secrets
Having laid bare the inner workings of oscillators, contour generators and Mastering Essentials Part 2
filters, Gordon Reid turns his attention to something which at first sight 1 month 1 week ago.
seems entirely self-evident. Can the humble voltage-controlled amplifier
really hold any Synth Secrets?

Techniques Published January 2000

Modulation
Synth Secrets
In this month's instalment of his series on the basics of subtractive
synthesis, Gordon Reid considers the magic ingredient that makes all the
other elements sound interesting...

Techniques Published February 2000

Amplitude Modulation
Synth Secrets
Last time, we examined the concept of modulation at low frequencies.
This month, we speed things up a bit. The result is not just faster versions
of the same modulation effects, but a new type of synthesis...

Techniques Published March 2000

An Introduction To Frequency Modulation

Synth Secrets
As explained last month, audio-frequency modulation of the amplitude of
a signal can be a powerful synthesis tool. The possibilities expand still
further when we consider what happens when you use one audio-
frequency signal to modulate the frequency of another...

Techniques Published April 2000

More On Frequency Modulation

Synth Secrets
Last month, we examined the frankly scary maths allowing you to predict
the audible effects of Frequency Modulation. This time, although the
maths gets even tougher, Gordon Reid relates the theory to the practical
implementation of FM synthesis on Yamaha's digital synths, as well as
modular and non-modular analogues.

Techniques Published May 2000

An Introduction To Additive Synthesis

Synth Secrets
Every pitched sound can be thought of as a collection of individual sine
waves at frequencies related to the fundamental. Gordon Reid introduces
a powerful method of synthesis that works by manipulating these
individual harmonics.

Techniques Published June 2000

An Introduction To ESPs & Vocoders

Synth Secrets
We turn our attention to the effects that can be achieved when subtractive
synthesis components are applied not to the output from oscillators, but
to real-world sounds — such as human speech.

Techniques Published July 2000

From Sample & Hold To Sample-rate Converters (1)

Synth Secrets
Gordon Reid introduces the synthesis modules that allow you to create
a number of commonly used 'random' effects, and their close relatives —
analogue sequencers.

Techniques Published August 2000

From Sample & Hold To Sample-rate Converters (2)

Synth Secrets
Sample & Hold modules, as explained last month, convert a continuously
varying signal into a stepped series of fixed pitches. And this, as we shall
see, is the basis of what we know as 'digital audio'...

Techniques Published September 2000

Priorities & Triggers

Synth Secrets
In these days of 64-note polyphony and 32-part multitimbrality, it's easy to
forget the importance of note-priority systems in analogue monosynths —
yet they can have a drastic effect on what you hear when you play or
trigger an old synth. Gordon Reid provides a refresher course.

Techniques Published October 2000

Duophony
Synth Secrets
Gordon Reid discovers that two's company, as he investigates how
manufacturers stretched the capabilities of analogue monosynths to offer
the magnificent total of two notes at a time...

Techniques Published November 2000

Introducing Polyphony
Synth Secrets
Having explored the way monophonic and duophonic analogue keyboards
work, Gordon Reid puts away his Minimoog and Odyssey and descends
into the complex world of polyphonic synths to a flourish of complex jazz
chords.

Techniques Published December 2000

From Polyphony To Digital Synths

Synth Secrets
This time, Gordon Reid explains how various analogue synth
manufacturers attempted to create workable polyphonic synths by
employing digital technology.

Techniques Published January 2001

From Springs, Plates & Buckets To Physical Modelling

Synth Secrets
Onboard effects may seem like a relatively recent synth innovation, but
even old modular synths offered analogue effects. Although they were
basic, the freely patchable nature of modular synths allowed them to be
used to create convincing acoustic instrument sounds — thus effectively
physical modelling. Gordon Reid explains how.

Techniques Published February 2001

Formant Synthesis
Synth Secrets
Ever heard a synth talk? If you have, it's due to formant synthesis. Gordon
Reid explores the theory of analogue formant synthesis, how it relates to
the human voice and modern digital synths like Yamaha's FS1R.

Techniques Published March 2001

Synthesizing Wind Instruments

Synth Secrets
Gordon Reid embarks on a journey to synthesize convincing woodwind
and brass. This month, he considers how these instruments make their
sounds in real life.

Techniques Published April 2001

Synthesizing Brass Instruments

Synth Secrets
Gordon Reid builds on the acoustic theory of wind and brass instruments
he introduced last month, and explains how to produce a convincing
analogue trumpet sound.

Techniques Published May 2001

Brass Synthesis On A Minimoog

Synth Secrets
Last month we looked at how analogue modules can reproduce the sound
of a real trumpet. All very well if you own a wall-sized modular system —
but what if your means are more limited? Gordon Reid adapts theory to
practice with a Minimoog.

Techniques Published June 2001

Roland SH101 & ARP Axxe Brass Synthesis

Synth Secrets
Gordon Reid concludes his attempts to adapt an idealised analogue brass
patch so that it can be programmed on real synths. This month, he looks
at the Roland SH101 and ARP Axxe.

Techniques Published July 2001

Synthesizing Plucked Strings

Synth Secrets
Having dealt exhaustively with the mechanics of brass instruments and
how to go about synthesizing them, we turn to instruments that use
plucked strings to generate their sound, taking the complexities of the
acoustic guitar as an example.

Techniques Published August 2001

The Theoretical Acoustic Guitar Patch

Synth Secrets
Having explained last month the reasons why analogue synthesis of guitar
sounds should be well-nigh impossible, Gordon Reid puts the theory to
the test...

Techniques Published September 2001

A Final Attempt To Synthesize Guitars

Synth Secrets
Having proved that subtractive synthesis of an acoustic guitar is
completely impractical, Gordon Reid tries his hand at the electric variety,
and deconstructs some past attempts to emulate the sound via analogue
means.

Techniques Published October 2001

Synthesizing Percussion
Synth Secrets
Synth Secrets turns its attention to the synthesis of percussion
instruments, beginning with pitched drums.

Techniques Published November 2001

Practical Percussion Synthesis: Timpani

Synth Secrets
Building on the theory of what makes up the sound of timpani, this
month's Synth Secrets reveals how to synthesize realistic kettle drums
using a Korg MS20 and a Yamaha DX7.

Techniques Published December 2001

Synthesizing Drums: The Bass Drum

Synth Secrets
Ever wanted to synthesize unpitched membranophones? No? Well, you
might if you knew that bass and snare drums are of this percussion type.
We show you how...

Techniques Published January 2002

Practical Bass Drum Synthesis

Synth Secrets
Moving from last month's theoretical bass drum synth patch to its
practical application on affordable analogue synths, we also take a look at
how the world's most famous drum machines produce this fundamental
rhythm sound.

Techniques Published February 2002

Synthesizing Drums: The Snare Drum

Synth Secrets
If you thought synthesizing realistic bass drums was complex, that's
nothing compared to snares. So how is it that the analogue snare sound is
so well known? And how do you go about creating it? We find out...

Techniques Published March 2002

Practical Snare Drum Synthesis

Synth Secrets
Last month, we revealed just how hideously complex the sound-producing
mechanism of the snare drum can be. Nevertheless, synthesizing the
sound is not as hard as it seems, as we find out with the aid of a Roland
SH101...

Techniques Published April 2002

Analysing Metallic Percussion

Synth Secrets
The task of synthesizing convincing metallic percussion defeated many
synth giants — you only need to listen to Kraftwerk's weedy cymbals on
'The Model' to be persuaded of that. So why is it so difficult? We find out...

Techniques Published May 2002

Synthesizing Realistic Cymbals

Synth Secrets
Having analysed the complex process by which a cymbal makes its sound,
it's time to synthesize our own...

Techniques Published June 2002

Practical Cymbal Synthesis

Synth Secrets
Synthesizing realistic cymbals is complex, but not impossible — after all,
over 20 years ago, Roland's TR808 drum machine featured synthesized
cymbals. We look at how they managed it, and attempt to create cymbals
on another affordable analogue synth.

Techniques Published July 2002

Synthesizing Bells
Synth Secrets
Having come up last month with a reasonably realistic cymbal patch, it's
time to take the principles of synthesizing metallic percussion one stage
further, and produce bell sounds. But there's more to this than you might
think...

Techniques Published August 2002

Synthesizing Cowbells & Claves

Synth Secrets
Having learned last month how to synthesize tuned bells, we turn this
time, in the last of this series on the subject of percussion, to untuned
bells — in the form of the humble cowbell — and claves.

Techniques Published September 2002

Synthesizing Pianos
Synth Secrets
Surely the only convincing synth pianos are sample-based ones? A sound
as rich and expressive as that of an acoustic piano is far too complex to be
rendered by subtractive synthesis... isn't it? Let's find out...

Techniques Published October 2002

Synthesizing Acoustic Pianos On The Roland JX10 [Part 1]

Synth Secrets
As explained last month, synthesizing the sound of an acoustic piano is
difficult, but it can be done reasonably realistically, as the 1986-vintage
Roland JX10 shows. We find out how Roland managed it...

Techniques Published November 2002

Synthesizing Acoustic Pianos On The Roland JX10 [Part 2]

Synth Secrets
How did they make that sound on a subtractive synth? We continue to
dissect the analogue 'Acoustic Piano' Performance from Roland's 1986-
vintage JX10.

Techniques Published December 2002

Synthesizing Acoustic Pianos On The Roland JX10 [Part 3]

Synth Secrets
When trying to copy a real piano with an analogue synth, if one patch
doesn't quite do it, two just might...

Techniques Published January 2003

Synthesizing Strings: String Machines

Synth Secrets
Analogue synths can't synthesize every sound, but the attempts made to
replicate the sound of orchestral strings were so successful that so-called
string machines became much-loved instruments in their own right. We
begin a voyage into the world of synthesized strings...

Techniques Published February 2003

Synthesizing Strings: PWM & String Sounds

Synth Secrets
Pulse-width modulation is a vital tool in achieving lush-sounding
synthesized string pads — so what if your synth doesn't have it?
Fear not, for PWM can itself be synthesized. Here's how...

Techniques Published March 2003

Synthesizing Bowed Strings: The Violin Family

Synth Secrets
Following our success at synthesizing the sound of analogue string
machines, we hone our techniques with a view to recreating the sound of
the real thing...

Techniques Published April 2003

Practical Bowed-string Synthesis

Synth Secrets
Having looked at the mechanics of how a bowed string instrument
generates its sound last month, it's time to put these principles into
practice, using nothing more complex than a miniKorg 700 monophonic
synth...

Techniques Published May 2003

Practical Bowed-string Synthesis (continued)

Synth Secrets
After putting all our bowed-string synthesis theory into practice on a Korg
700 last month, we found that the result was only acceptable as a string
sound with a lot of wishful thinking. Can we improve on it?

Techniques Published June 2003

Articulation & Bowed-string Synthesis

Synth Secrets
The skilful articulation of a synthesized string patch can improve it no end,
even one created using very basic building blocks, as we saw at the end of
last month. But we can take this approach much further...

Techniques Published July 2003

Synthesizing Pan Pipes

Synth Secrets
The characteristic sound of flute-like instruments is complex — but
fortunately not so complex that it can't be emulated fairly successfully
with a synthesizer...

Techniques Published August 2003

Synthesizing Simple Flutes

Synth Secrets
The Monty Python team once famously claimed that being able to play the
flute was a simple matter of 'blowing here, and moving your hands up and
down here'. But there's a lot more to it than that...

Techniques Published September 2003

Practical Flute Synthesis

Synth Secrets
As we saw last month, there's much to synthesizing a convincing flute
sound — and yet basic analogue monosynths have offered reasonable
flute patches for 30 years. Surely the process can be simplified?

Techniques Published October 2003

Synthesizing Tonewheel Organs: Part 1

Synth Secrets
Long before Bob Moog built his first synth, there was the Hammond
tonewheel organ; effectively an additive synthesizer, albeit electro-
mechanical rather than electronic. So emulating a Hammond with an
analogue synth shouldn't be too hard, right? Well...

Techniques Published November 2003

Synthesizing Tonewheel Organs: Part 2

Synth Secrets
If you followed last month's advice, you'll know how to synthesize a basic
Hammond tone on a Roland Juno 6. But can the same technique be
applied to any other synth?

Techniques Published December 2003

Synthesizing Hammond Organ Effects

Synth Secrets
So, you can synthesize a Hammond's tonewheel generator -- but what
about its all-important effects? This month, we look at recreating the
Hammond's percussion, vibrato, overdrive, and reverb -- and find that it's
harder than you might think...

Techniques Published January 2004

Synthesizing The Rest Of The Hammond Organ: Part 1

Synth Secrets
As with so much surrounding the Hammond organ, there's much more to
the Leslie rotary speaker than meets the eye, and synthesizing its effects
involves considerably more than just adding vibrato, as we find out in this
installment.

Techniques Published February 2004

Synthesizing The Rest Of The Hammond Organ: Part 2

Synth Secrets
We conclude our analysis of the fabulously complex beast that is the Leslie
rotary speaker.

Techniques Published March 2004

From Analogue To Digital Effects

Synth Secrets
When synthesizing sounds, the effects you place after your synth's output
are often as important as the synth itself (just think of last month's Leslie).
As we near the end of Synth Secrets, we consider how a digital effects
processor works.

Techniques Published April 2004

Creative Synthesis With Delays

Synth Secrets
Effects can play just as important a role in sound creation as the elements
in a synth's signal path — provided you have access to their constituent
parts. We take a closer look at effects synthesis using simple delays.

Techniques Published May 2004

More Creative Synthesis With Delays

Synth Secrets
In the penultimate instalment of this long-running series, we delve deeper
into what can be achieved with just a few delays and some creative
routing...

Techniques Published June 2004

The Secret Of The Big Red Button

Synth Secrets
After more than five years, Synth Secrets reaches its conclusion (and
conclusions!). Will we ever look at synthesis in quite the same way again?

Techniques Published July 2004

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