Synth Basics (Everything You Need to Know)

[@masteringcom]

Get the free synthesizer cheat sheet (along with ALL of our other mixing cheat sheets) for free here: www.musicianonamission.com/start-ytorg

[@johne1599]

Great video! Thanks! Unfortunately, none of your cheat sheet links work. If you have a new link, that would be great, otherwise, thanks for the great video!!

[@Alvsyn]

Your link is broken. Oof.

[@amorak223]

broken link

[@LarsVanNistelrooij]

it doesn't work anymore!! :(

[@embededfabrication4482]

vids showing how to create / mimic patches for popular music maybe?

[@The0Stroy]

LFO is basically like an extra hand that twist knobs for you.

[@zt3853]

*no innuendo intended*

[@nervousneighbour]

@@zt3853 Everything was fine until you brought it up. Now, I can't unsee it.

[@phonybologna1697]

I love it

[@Bolockaye206]

Like a compressor

[@The0Stroy]

@@Bolockaye206 Not quite because compressor can twist knobs. LFO do it in repetitive pattern, Compressor takes value from outside imput.

[@jc-fd7kj]

This is the first time Ive felt like I might actually be able to understand how to use a synth. Very clear and extremely helpful. thanks so much!

[@masteringcom]

Glad it helped!

[@rytaray]

Saaaame!!😊❤

[@tinikadavis2412]

I KNOW RIGHT LMAOOO

[@caseyspaos448]

OMG! Someone actually explaining this stuff to total newbies like me! Thanks, brother!

[@jeremya9675]

Perfect video. This is how you teach someone who is seeing this for the first time

[@PutlOfficial]

I don't comment very often, but this is an incredible video.. The review is so helpful and you describe it well. Thank you man

[@masteringcom]

Glad it was helpful!

[@perkysid]

You don't comment very often but when you do.. you get a like and a comment from the creator himself

[@PutlOfficial]

@@perkysid I guess this youtube is run by God

[@genegagnon7162]

this is my first ever comment and I second this 👌🏼

[@jamz9756]

@@PutlOfficial oooooh god bless him you comment in this video twice

[@isaacdynys6518]

This is the most engaging synth video I’ve ever watched

[@Sheepyhead]

Great video but there's no cheat sheet on the given link - just a form to insert first name and email address, kinda sus

[@godsmacker744]

Absolutely fantastic. Pedagogic, comprehensive, engaging and understandable. High quality content. Please consider making a second part to this, where you further explore the different aspects that make up the synthesizer.

[@c.j.arellano2347]

This is the synth tutorial I needed in my life. THANK YOU!

[@phiwolgast]

Great video! I think it's very important to note, even as a beginner, that *most* synths have more than 1 ADSR: one for amp (the one you mentioned) and one for filter, so really not all ADSR envelopes are for amplitude. Otherwise great!

[@pohjarummuttaja]

I've been a pianist all my life but since I've been playing in different bands I've been almost forced to try out some synths as well. But not knowing anything about them it has usually been just scrolling through the sound lists and trying to find a preset that I mostly like and use that. Now as I'm starting to use synths even more and more I began to think myself that maybe I should really start to learn some basics about them. I'm glad I found this video. What a perfect way to start my journey with synths. Thank you!

[@hockeytalk6084]

You present this information in a way such that I am able to clearly process it and really, REALLY let it marinate. This is awesome man. You just filled in so many dots for me in terms of things I’ve been avoiding trying to understand for too long. Excellent tutorial. I actually finally feel like I’m ready to dive into some of these synths and start designing my own sounds

[@Siralantoon]

Your explanation of the LFO was a thing of beauty. As a newbie synth owner in my 70th year I have had difficulty in creating a coherent visualisation of how things function and interact. The clarity of your description has been such a help. Thank You.

[@gerryk9]

the best tutorial for beginners that i have watched. and ive watched sooo many

[@FilipeSalgueiroo]

This would have been so valuable a couple of months ago when I was trying to figure all of this out eheh Great content!!

[@freestyletherapy]

1. Oscillator - The Foundation - The part of the synth that makes the sound. Creates Waveforms. 2. Filters - Cut of frequencies 3.LFO - 4.ADSR (Amplitude Envelope)

[@literallyhax9554]

ive spent 20 minutes to hear what i already knew didn't regret

[@jennypapworth1426]

Such a great video, really appreciate how you've broken each part down and demonstrated how they work while still keeping the video clear and concise.

[@vibrantvibes326]

I wanted to tell you that your teaching style was excellent. I have watched countless videos trying to learn different things on youtube and your teaching was one of the best I've seen. You were straight to the point, without being too animated and you did a little review at the end, which solidified the knowledge for me. Thanks for making this video and you should look into teaching if you are not already a teacher. It might be your calling!

[@DJMikeron]

I now understand how a sound is built and what the 4 Blocks are. Now I can go ahead and build a sound because I understand the structure how it’s done. Great help and explained with simplicity. I really appreciate your work thank you. .

[@yesfredfredburger8008]

I watch a lot of educational youtube, and I play a lot of guitar, but I DO NOT watch a lot of music education content. This is by far the best music tutorial I've seen in video format

[@distvill-6812]

I brought my first synth a few days ago and I’m very excited. This was so helpful in helping me understand how making sounds work

[@masteringcom]

So glad we could help! Enjoy your new synth!

[@karlhudson7209]

what did you buy?

[@tarifanocturnajazz7564]

Your channel is very good and profesional, I've been playing and mixing from when Logic Pro X was called Supertrak in a commodore 64 rise to 128 through Atari Notator and so. You have the ability of telling all that is in each part of this big world called the acoustical . Mix, play, modulate, look at yourself and stop for a while ... and many things. Let me congratulate you. And is easy understand your langwich with in my case is not English but Spanish. I could make money just translating your videos that are wide and massive information. I'm Antonio Perales Mellado thank you

[@subi5701]

THIS GUY HAS LITERALLY EVERYTHING I WANT TO KNOW

[@lancearn7332]

Many thanks Drew. I have no musical or Synth experience, but some electrical knowledge and I have spent the last 2 months scouring the internet for tutorials on synth design and construction. This little tutorial of yours is exactly the right information I needed to get me started on understanding the simple basics of DIY synthesizer construction. If I ever get it finished I shall be sure to send you a pic, maybe even a vid of it (hopefully) working..

[@SaranjitDosanjh]

I bought a Meris Enzo synth guitar pedal to get some swells and arpeggios. The Enzo manual assumes you know how to use a synth, even though it's aimed at guitar players. So this is perfect, thanks musicianonamission!

[@SALEENS7GTR5]

Most people: Synth Basics (Everything You Need to Know) Harmor: I'm about to end this man's whole career

[@garyball6288]

Good comment

[@LanNguyen-iu3oe]

wow, thanks so much! this is such an amazing beginning tutorial. ive been into msuic for a while now, mainly just playing instruments but recently i've been curious about production. My first midi keyboard I ordered is coming in a couple days, so I'm super stoked to try out your tips here! Thanks again, Drew!

[@twiglet2214]

Drew me in and left with wisdom.Oscillator awareness,filter familiarity and in the know with an LFO which means i can cope with an envelope even though i may not have ADSR at the moment.

[@dvamateur]

I'd say just two components. Oscillators and envelopes. LFO is just another form of an oscillator, and even an envelope is a single cycle oscillator. Filters are optional. Filters relate to a specific form of synthesis, called subtractive synthesis. Additive synthesizers and FM synthesizers, don't really need filters. Although, if you look at the subtractive synthesis from the other way around, you might even treat it as additive, if you open the filter up from sine wave, instead of collapsing a waveform into sine wave, when closing the filter. It's all open to interpretations, but I think the main two components are oscillators and envelopes. Hammond organ could also be considered a form of synthesizer, an additive synthesizer, or subtractive, depending on if you pull out the drawbars (additive) versus pushing them in (subtractive). However, the envelope control in organs is so limited (in form of percussion switch), that we don't usually call organ a synthesizer. So, the envelope control is indeed one of the main features of a synthesizer. I'd suggest starting out with a simple form of a synthesizer, such as a Roland U-110. You can start with a synthesizer waveform card, and then use a simple AR (attack/release) envelope, and then layer multiple tones together to obtain rich sounds, this will give you some understanding of a basic additive synthesis. Same can be done with Yamaha DX7's algorithm No. 32. Once one understands basic additive synthesis, then he or she can move to oscillator intermodulations, like Frequency Modulation, Pulse Width Modulation, sync, Ring Modulation, wavetable scans, etc. After understanding all this, subtractive synthesis with a filter will be very easy to grasp. But not the other way around. If you start out with oscillator, LFO, filter, and ADSR, the student is unlikely to ever get into any other form of synthesis other than subtractive synthesis, because all other forms of synthesis will remain confusing to him or her. Case in point. Most adept subtractive synthesizer players could not grasp the concept of FM synthesis when Yamaha DX7 came out. So, they treated the DX7 as a preset organ. In other words, they missed out quite a bit on what a synthesizer can really do. Never mind the Casio VZ-1, which is even more advanced than the DX7. But they then came sampling, so most synthesis concepts became irrelevant again, until Clavia Nord Lead came out in 1995. Since then, it's been subtractive nausea until this day. :) Good luck with your studies. Learning synthesis is a very good excuse not to practice music, by the way.

[@riOdariot]

This is the type of explanation that only someone that has well understood the topic can actually give. Easy to understand. Thank you!!!

[@hanselxyb5825]

So in other words, most musicians have no idea what certain knobs and switches do. If they did, they would've explained them well.

[@riOdariot]

@@hanselxyb5825 Not even that, but rather the fact that most people memorise things or simply understand that by doing action A, they will have result B, but have no real understanding of what they are really doing or how it fits in the big picture.

[@hanselxyb5825]

@@riOdariot exactly. Ive observed the same in computer programming as well. Most dont have a good grasp of a particular topic.

[@martinak.8226]

Absolutely helpful! I’m a total beginner and THIS is the video I was desperately looking for! Great job, thanks!

[@DonnyNSN]

Thanks Rob. That was very informative. We've all got to start somewhere, and that's as good a place as any I've seen on the tube.

[@kaimai2203]

This really is a clear and intuitive tutorial, thanks for your effort

[@pablowentscobar]

This was awesome. I just picked up one of those Behringer VS pro mini with the joystick to blend the 4 oscillators. This vid cleared up some questions I had, Thanks.

[@bringerofdoom3750]

Good, clear, simple video. One of the better explanations I have heard.

[@steve6888]

this video is absolutely GOLDEN, as someone who's totally new to synths and is learning, this has helped a ton. Thank you so much!

[@TheDilligan]

Holy cow.. KZbin gave me two 2-minute, unskippable ads in a row in the middle of this video. I just refreshed and jumped back to where I was. That's kinda ridiculous. btw, Great Video. [edit.. it happened again]

[@boosterbeats3650]

Thanks so much for the amazing tutorial! You explained so well that i really got excited

[@SmokeChamp]

I had to get the synthesizer cheat sheet!!! I watched his 23 min video about taking your music to the next level and what it takes to make it there, and I admit there is so much about the basics that I don't know. Thanks to this video and all the different cheat sheets, I can learn.

[@gerryk9]

I finally understand LFOs. Thank you

[@royevans4581]

That was an excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@xutsider]

this is the best synth tutorial ive ever watched.. and its only a basic tutorial lol.. dont ever delete this video

[@stuartquate7500]

This is one of the best music tutorials on KZbin.

[@qm9797]

This is a superb tutorial. Love how clear the info gets in to my mind and also love the pronunciation of the audio terms.

[@UndolaMondrin]

thank you for doing such videos and sharing the knowledge in a very simple and easy to understand way.

[@echterrosenquarz9443]

SO GLAD I stumbled over this video!

[@MrBmic]

Great explanation of the oscillator. Simple and straight to the point. Thanks.

[@garyowston9140]

THIS IS SO SO GOOD. THANK YOU MATE! NOW I GET. IT.

[@afungangmusic]

I had a professor who always said, 'when you can explain something complex in a simple manner, and a novice understands it; you've been a master at that subject.' I'm not MOAM are master of music, but damn.. they're as close as you can get!!! 💜💜

[@phonybologna1697]

I've watched a ton of synth videos and this is the first one that explained the basics a clear and logical fashion. What it is nic!!

[@RichardFriendartist]

this was excellent. Today is the first day I am trying to learn this stuff (and not just turning on a VST and plucking around). This helps a lot!!

[@CJ-km5zz]

This is seriously one the best video ever. I genuinely can't believe how clear, concise and thought through it is. I thank you

[@Tokiofritz]

Brilliant tutorial. So many of them overcomplicate and waffle. Thanks man!

[@henrythebee8179]

This video is really really great he really tries to get us to under stand and he repeats things incase we didn’t hear the first time amazing job !

[@zazaballz09]

I learnt a lot from this video, thanks so much for explaining the basics of synths and not jumping into complex tutorials :D

[@Kabodnm]

PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST SYNTH VIDS....THANK GOD FOR U MAN

[@poisonedcheeseproductions]

coming from music engineering, i always thought the "frequency" term referred to the EQ in LFO, but this video helped me recognize it is directed toward the length between the crests of the wave itself (physics!)

[@Johncressey]

Fantastic Video! Will recommend to anyone who asks me about synthesis!! You are natural born teacher.

[@jumbyvt6839]

What I understood about the LFO is: a tool that lets you put on a filter to a specific characteristic of the sound/synth (pitch, volume, etc).

[@marcin_bruczkowski]

You are a fantastic educator. Can you please make such tutorials for everything I need to learn in life? :) A vast majority of tutorials for beginners on YT are not much more than features overview, too fast and assuming prior knowledge.

[@paulhazel]

Good introduction. My only criticism would be in terms of process, i.e. how you actually go about creating a sound. To me, yes, set your basic oscillator shape. BUT, then, the next step is obviously the envelope: more than anything else this determines the character of the sound. Then filters, then any twiddling with LFOs come last. As you say yourself several times in the video, the envelopes "are the most important thing."

[@itsadamtruitt]

this is the best tutorial on synth. You demystified it effortlessly. Thank you for this resource.

[@mubashirakbar7403]

Thank you Sir you make it easier for me to understand synthesizer.

[@ProfessorSaibertin]

The best synth explanation I have ever seen. Thank you!

[@masteringcom]

Glad it helped!

[@patrickblack4992]

This video is the best thing that happened to me today

[@derekhuntingtonmarti]

I thought this video was going to be too basic at first, but it actually taught me a lot.

[@hihiepshihi2964]

This is an amazing tutorial. You explained this so good for a noob like me. Thank you so much!

[@LearnerChess]

These are the best produced videos I've ever seen on KZbin, hands down. I've made some videos myself, and I know how time-consuming it is to make them this good (well, actually, I've never made any THIS good, but I've done okay). You guys have hit it out of the ball park!

[@masteringcom]

Thanks, Donald!

[@LearnerChess]

@@masteringcom I was just watching a documentary about Making of The Doors' LA Woman, and I came across a 2 1/2 minute section that really showed the power of Audio Engineering. I have my music in in 24 bit 48,000 Hz FLAC, which I think is the fundamental quality one needs to get the best listening experience. The link I'm providing is something I got off of KZbin (where I watched the documentary), so it's only in 248 mp3, which is higher than what I recorded it from, but you'll get the idea once you hear it. Two specifics are behind why I recorded it for you and uploaded it to Google Cloud: one is Jim's unmixed voice and the other is Robby's playing of the lead, which he did for the doc directly from his home speakers. It really gets across the POWER that using a DAW offers. drive.google.com/file/d/1PA-M3mZTXIe2XENSJAhQ5asa5Di_df0H/view?usp=sharing

[@Flashback_Jack]

Love you man. Doing the lawd's work here for us synth noobs.

[@shannonia81]

Your explanation of an LFO was so helpful!

[@nutelu3462]

I have been trying to understand ADSR for a while now, but you explained it very well and I understood it immediately. Huge Thanks!

[@ilovenycsomuch]

I really appreciate basic videos like these

[@andreasoberg2021]

Awesome. Just got a Waldorf Quantum and has looots to learn

[@thinkandrepent3175]

Best Synth teacher right here

[@lotus8203]

Seriously thank you SO much! I know basically nothing about music, but I keep wanting to learn how to make synth music. I really appreciate you!!!!

[@gerryk9]

In the oscilloscopes on those virtual synths it would be nice if the wave changed to illustrate the change in rate and depth. That visual would really help dummies like me

[@ryanlu9004]

Wow. Drew you are fantastic. Words cannot express how helpful this video is... Love it. This vid deserves at least 10 times more view...

[@Alex-no3co]

This is the best beginner synth tutorial I have watched. Thank you!

[@chillmanhillman2946]

I would go as far as to say this is the most informative video on synthesis on KZbin for beginners on the subject. This all just seemed to click the way you explained it. Thats a skill in itself! More like this PLEASE !!! bless

[@madhadda_rotla]

This is the best breakdown for a synth that I've ever seen. Automatic subscribe. Thanks!

[@shaunsummerfield7798]

Excellent tutorial, one of the best I've seen - goes a long way toward clearing up the confusion. Thankyou fine sir. Much appreciated.

[@andrea-t-pagano]

being left with more questions than answers means being interested in smth; thanks for video

[@asahelleberg1925]

Hi there! Excellent school for me, thank you. Just wrapped up my brand new Medusa from Polyend. Making music will be different and so much more creative from now on. So much more playful. And if it wasn’t for this easy to learn video, we never know when new traps would pop out.

[@masteringcom]

Awesome! Glad we could help!

[@donflippin1086]

Thanks! At least I got more confident in their use, and now I'm able to create some nice sounding synths! Will definetily continue my journey to synthesizing.

[@CarlosSanchezcsbphoto]

Excellent video. It has helped me a lot to solve doubts. Thank you!

[@Frank.Zimmermann]

Hey Drew! Very well explained. 👍 Thank you so much, and of course thanks for the cheat sheet! Greetings from Berlin!

[@MrLevi5010]

This is one of those rare tutorials where the presenter actually does what they say they're going to do...top draw tutorial MoM

[@Farkeman]

That was very useful thanks! Made it easier to understand my Korg Minilogue XD which apparently only has low pass filter but thats fine :)

[@purplehazeto]

Thank you for all the info! and for all the PDFs! much appreciated! :)

[@amusicalexplorer]

Thank you (or you guys) so much for this video! I am a bit of a newb to synths, and this made everything so much clearer!

[@Dargolan]

Very VERY good. Thank you🙏

[@notbobbypropes]

SUPER informative and fantastic video. This is EXACTLY what I needed to get started. Thank you, kind stranger.

[@TDiamond777]

amazing video, exactly what i was looking for! Thank you bro!

[@Jon-py7vw]

A lot of good info here. I’ve played around with some analog machines that look like the pilot dash controls on a plane and they’re always very intimidating to me lol. THANKS!

[@mattwaters6987]

Looking forward to receiving the cheat sheets. Great video. New sub too. 😊

[@cael_i]

Thank you for a great, explanatory, video! I actually took notes during this video. Heading off to my Bass station II to try these principles out!

[@christian1526]

It's better to learn word for word using CC. If you don't understand the terms, google them. "Make honing in on the tone you want easier" for asians it means, the process of honing in on the tone you want will be easier.

[@Hyper_Dreamer]

The clearest video for beginners I have seen, cool. And thx for the great cheat sheets!