KVR Audio

echoseason · Post by **echoseason** » Thu Aug 25, 2022 12:14 am

There are some good suggestions noted above, I'd also very much recommend the following two synths by TAL software: NoiseMaker and U-No-LX. They are subtractive, with all of the typical parameters you'll see in every other synth, especially ones more complicated, and through using them you'll gain a firm understanding of the basics. Plus they sound good. NoiseMaker is free, so it's a great place to start. U-No-LX is a Juno emulation, so its versatile, and you'll find a find place for it with any kind of genre you pursue. It's inexpensive relative to some of the bigger synths out there, which is an added bonus.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Fri Aug 26, 2022 3:08 pm

Download u-he Zebra and explore it in demo mode (RePro would be a good one too). Check out the presets by Howard Scarr. Howard is a master at sound design. His presets are simple and effective. IMO, there is no better sound designer to learn from for the basics of making sounds.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Fri Aug 26, 2022 3:11 pm

echoseason wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 12:14 am There are some good suggestions noted above, I'd also very much recommend the following two synths by TAL software: NoiseMaker and U-No-LX. They are subtractive, with all of the typical parameters you'll see in every other synth, especially ones more complicated, and through using them you'll gain a firm understanding of the basics. Plus they sound good. NoiseMaker is free, so it's a great place to start.

I agree that Noisemaker is a good choice for starting out. Might be a bit limiting because of the 6 voice limit at some point though.

rj0 · Post by **rj0** » Tue Sep 06, 2022 3:27 am

I'll throw in a lesser known one, WA Productions Babylon. Very, very straight-forward (mainly one page, just about everything is right in front of you), hundreds of functionally named presets (boring yes, but useful for learning), and yet a lot of interesting sounds can be gotten out of it (esp. using FM, AM, RM, unison, sync, lots of waveforms, decent effects section, etc.). Oh, and cheap.

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Tue Sep 06, 2022 4:23 am

I’m going to zig, instead of zag. I feel the best way to learn synthesis is to start from scratch, and by that I mean with a modular. VCV Rack stand-a-lone is free and has all the basic building blocks, plus some super interesting building blocks that can take you further. Watch a getting started tutorial and take it from there.

martiu · Post by **martiu** » Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:12 am

Noisemaker and Zebralette

stromkraft · Post by **stromkraft** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 4:50 pm

chk071 wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 10:53 pm
Cluttie wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 10:41 pm For me, it's not that I don't understand how to create a sound, especially using a tutorial. Where I struggle is hearing a sound, and knowing how to create it. That's why I think having something with less moving parts might be handy, because then there's less guessing.
On the other hand... it limits the possibilities you have to recreate a sound.

That's a feature! If you cannot make great sounds with simpler instruments a more complex one may not be the solution.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:08 pm

Some sounds are not possible with very limited synths. Actually, a lot of them aren't possible.

Biome_Digital · Post by **Biome_Digital** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:02 pm

If you look at Pigments it has a "tutorial mode". It can show you important features "PER PRESET!", this is a great features to people new to sound design. However, I do think a simple monosynth is a good place to start.

martiu · Post by **martiu** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:38 pm

get granular synth and free samples from internet, instant results guarantied

Etienne1973 · Post by **Etienne1973** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:18 pm

Perhaps you need a good basic synth sound design 101 course/book/tutorial serie first to really master the foundations. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure you know many things already. But there are grey areas, right? I've gone that route.

Welsh's Synthesizer Cookbook helped me a lot.
Link: https://www.synthesizer-cookbook.com

Erisian · Post by **Erisian** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:39 pm

Charlatan is the simplest I know of: http://www.blaukraut.info/

stromkraft · Post by **stromkraft** » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:27 am

chk071 wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:08 pm Some sounds are not possible with very limited synths. Actually, a lot of them aren't possible.

So what? If you're talented you can make great sounds with some of those "very limited synths". If you're untalented you won't be making great sounds with any synth, unless someone else made them and you masterfully copied them. Talent for sound development can be grown and is pretty much a choice. One has to ask oneself: am I going to be prevented to make the sounds I want or am I going to put in the work to learn my tools?

Yes, some instruments are better than others, but unless you know how to make sounds that won't help you much. At least if you think presets from others are not your choice.

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:03 am

There is a synth that was made specifically for people to learn on, BASIC by Audio Damage. It is a very straightforward synth with a beautiful GUI and, best of all, it's free. You can grab it here -

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1550/ ... 1644612333

There's even a review of it here -

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/tech ... sic-609705

roman.i · Post by **roman.i** » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:08 pm

second tal noisemaker

Which soft synths have good/simple presets to learn sound design from?