Building a Synthesizer, part 1: Oscillators

Part 1 of a series of videos that explore designing a software synthesizer using the Max visual programming language. In this first video, we look at creating oscillators for our synthesizer.
This video was originally created for MUSS2620: Music Technology Skills & Techniques at the University of Leeds.

[@SteveCrozier]

I'm a musician and a software developer, and/but this is the first time that I totally grokked the basics of waveform synthesis. Thank you so much!

[@MGCaverly]

Thank you very much indeed. Oliver Thurley, this is a fantastic presentation. I play electric guitar (mostly) but have integrated with a Logic Pro based DAW for about 10 years now. I am barely proficient with the system and am not that keen on the Login plugins. I've messed around with 3rd party AUs (notably Surge XT, Vital, and Reaktor). I have only had max for a few days now and have been so blown away by the depth and scope of it that I have barely been able to touch it. Your teaching style is very easy to understand, delivered at a relaxed pace with the 'right' level of attention to detail, so thanks, Oliver, When I heard you questioning "What is a synthesiser?". That was great and got me thinking, ruminating and thought I would present you with a (dictionary) definition: • combine (a number of things) into a coherent whole Michael G Caverly

[@vogel6554]

This helped me through the obligatory Max 8 assignments in school

[@ktmstrn3602]

this is the best video out there. Great job @oliver.

[@derekholland3328]

thank you for taking it to basics!..great vid..cheers.

[@oliverthurleymusic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Poldoore]

Very informative video, thank you!

[@oliverthurleymusic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@zeke_b]

Oliver, thank you for making this video. I have just started trying to learn Max/MSP and there is so much to take in at the beginning. One of my main goals is to make my own synthesizers and this video was a fantastic tutorial. Going to go through the rest of the lessons, but wanted to express my thanks to you.

[@weijian4621]

This explanation is so professional!!!

[@RelhamG]

Thanks for this one! I'm just getting started with MAX and it was fun way to learn some basics.

[@oliverthurleymusic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hoodwinkedDaDon]

Holy shit what a useful channel. Love your knowledge and how well you transfer it, very fun to work through

[@dannyblossproduction52]

Much thanks bro, you are more than a teacher

[@hytyttiva]

Love your videos Oliver! Very well explained. I want to build a 8 voice FM synth with 4 operators and dedicated ADSR, a pitch envelope and LFO. I think I can do it thanks to your videos. I hope you diving in the FM hole.. That is my favourite synthesis. :)

[@Santisanad]

My cat bit me when the four sound waves began to sound hahaha

[@skyscape2087]

Thank you so much! :)

[@angelomazzone9009]

Great video Oliver - question: how could we setup fine tuning for the oscillator?

[@oliverthurleymusic]

Interesting... well there's a lot of different ways you could try. Maybe simplest would be adding a small amount to the frequency using a simple [+ ] object after your main (coarse) pitch control. However, this won't track evenly across your frequency range. To do that, you'd probably want to get a reading in cents (1200 cents per octave), and then make your adjustment in cents... say +/- 50 cents... but I'll leave you to explore the different ways of doing that. Good luck!

[@hexagonsun]

very good tutorial

[@gryphonsegg]

when its all finished, how do you epost it out with a user interface ready to use in a music software package?

[@AdarshChandruofficial]

Is this how vst's are made ? Can this program be used to design and made as a plugin ? I'm new here just gathering some information. Thank you.

[@Mregoldsbo]

.exe only

[@Mregoldsbo]

You can use max as a plugin with ableton. Its called max for live.

[@HeavyMetalPowerBottom]

You're great 🦔

[@tristen_grant]

Thanks! 😀

[@Mregoldsbo]

Well done

[@tjlorens]

This is insane, saw lots various versions of emulators including internal ones provided by DAWs, Max seems to be the most user-friendly. Is there way to export the resulted sound to .wav file at particular volume/velocity/frequency? Thanks!

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

love your work''

[@sasisas786]

can build with max arranger like Korg pa 600 or Yamaha?

[@ludwigjacob2300]

brutal¡¡¡

[@oliverthurleymusic]

\m/

[@dudelsaladt]

❤️🥰❤️

[@dannyblossproduction52]

can anyone share the link where i can download Max,i will be thankfull

[@tristen_grant]

1 year later. Were you able to figure out how to Google the word Max/MSP?

[@locarness]

Man, how did you convert the object "gain" in a slider?

[@oliverthurleymusic]

Not sure which bit you mean, but I generally use the [live.gain~] object for my gain sliders?

[@Lautechh]

nice video

[@prajwal_bagewadi]

wow

[@SC-md2yk]

what does the t b i bit at the end mean?

[@oliverthurleymusic]

it means, when the object receives something, it will [T]rigger a [B]ang and the input [I]nteger from the outlets. You can add other arguments to output more bangs or numbers or whatever...

[@granttyler7746]

how can I use 5 oscillators at once?

[@tristen_grant]

Make 5 oscillator object and use them all at once.

[@SteveCrozier]

What is the little button/trigger thing you added around 36:00?

[@MattGrouseMusic]

Bob Rossilators