Synth Student

Welcome to SynthStudent!

Here you’ll find tutorials on synthesis techniques using freeware synths. These tutorials are “absolute-beginner” friendly. They don’t assume any prerequisite knowledge, apart from the ability to load up software synths in your DAW. They’ll guide you through the world of software synthesisers, starting with the basics, and then moving on to more advanced concepts.

I’m also soon planning to write some “Make a sound” tutorials where we start with a sound and learn to program it using freeware synths.

Below are the links to the tutorial posts so far.

Synth basics

	1: Quick Introduction to Clearsynth Download and install Clearsynth. We’ll be using this synth for our first set of tutorials.
	2: Introduction to Subtractive Synthesis – Part 1 Introduction to the concept of subtractive synthesis.
	3: Introduction to Subtractive Synthesis – Part 2 Learn what oscillators and filters are.
	4: Anatomy of a synth Explore some of the controls of Clearsynth, based on the concepts discussed before.
	5: Filters Learn the concept of filters, and their role in subtractive synthesis.
	6: Filters in action – Part 1 Basic filtering using Cutoff frequency.
	7: Filters in action – Part 2 Learn to use Resonance and Key tracking.
	8: The second oscillator Learn to make sounds using both the built in oscillators together.
	9: See your sounds The benefits of being able to visualize the sounds you hear.
	10: s(M)exoscope Download and use this free visualization plugin to see your waveforms in realtime.
	11: Understanding envelopes Learn about the basics of volume envelopes.
	12: Controlling the volume envelope Learn how to change the volume envelope in Clearsynth
	13: From How and What to When and Why – Part 1 Learn why waveforms sound the way they do, and what sounds can be made with them.
	14: Oscillators FAQ Answers to a couple of common questions on oscillator usage.
	15: From How and What to When and Why – Part 2 get to know about what filters to use when.