What is the best way to learn sound design?

[Synthman2000]

void

[vurt]

oscilloscope and tuner are quite useful though.

[Fannon]

Yes, I don't understand why you shouldn't use visualization. It can really help to build your mental model of what's happening. Of course, you should also use your ears. But since you have both ears and eyes, why not use both?

[vurt]

Yes, I don't understand why you shouldn't use visualization. It can really help to build your mental model of what's happening. Of course, you should also use your ears. But since you have both ears and eyes, why not use both?

personally, i would stick to the oscilloscope and tuner, as they make sense to me in sound design. the other meters less so, for me.
if you find one of the others helps, then it's worth using it imo. as there is no best way to learn sound design, other than the way a particular individual gets it.
i have a friend, who annoys me, as he can hear a song once, and play it on guitar, pretty much perfect, plat it again, and he's perfect. can take me weeks to transcribe a verse
ive had hundred of hours lessons, he's totally self taught from listening to records and playing, since we were kids.

the point? we all learn in different ways at different speeds. take whichever route feels best

[bluesawsq]

Here is a good example, by Au5, on how spectrograms can help in sound design:
Synthesizing Cymbals With Serum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pPfKlXMA7M

You can also see pitch and filter frequency modulation shapes (ENVs and LFOs) easily in spectrograms, also in fast transients and inside a full mix. And you can get nice visual representation of effects, like reverbs, phasers and delays.

[Synthman2000]

Void

[urlwolf]

There was a 'learning synth' (I think it was made with flowstone; probably win only) that had the very basics(2ENV, 2LFOs, 2OSC) and a bunch of presets that recreate classical sounds from analogs (drums, classical instruments like clarinet etc). It was wonderful to learn, but I can't remember the name. It was free. Anyone remembers?

[igorius]

Hello there.

What is the best way to learn sound design?
Just started synthesis with Syntorial.
Are there any other tools to learn sound design?

Thanks!

What are your thoughts on Syntorial? Have you worked with it a bit already? Every time it's on sale I'm tempted to buy it, but I'm not sure if it's worth the money.

[igorius]

There was a 'learning synth' (I think it was made with flowstone; probably win only) that had the very basics(2ENV, 2LFOs, 2OSC) and a bunch of presets that recreate classical sounds from analogs (drums, classical instruments like clarinet etc). It was wonderful to learn, but I can't remember the name. It was free. Anyone remembers?

Surely not the one you mean, but Ableton has an online learning synth: https://learningsynths.ableton.com/en/playground
Plus a free online course to go with it:
https://learningsynths.ableton.com/en/get-started
Not just for Ableton Live users.

[igorius]

Hello there.

What is the best way to learn sound design?
Just started synthesis with Syntorial.
Are there any other tools to learn sound design?

Thanks!

I know this thread is a little old, but I just discovered a cool free piece of software, called Synteacher 2.1, and I felt I had to share this. It's donationware, so you can get it free or donate if you like.

You can use it as a standalone program or as a VST3 plugin.
Unlike Syntorial you don't have any challenges in which you recreate patches and get rated for how close it is to the original, but like Syntorial it guides you through the different aspects of sound design and synthesizers, it has a similar interface with a built-in synthesizer where sometimes you only see certain knobs, sometimes getting highlighted, and there are 130 lessons, each with explanations. Some explain general concepts, some show how to achieve certain sounds.
You can also use it as a synthesizer and save your own presets.

[Benedict]

To throw another idea in: Try to recreate your favorite presets from Synth A in Synth B.
This will not always be completely possible, but will force you to think about how you achieve the sound you want instead of just re-doing the same settings on the same synth.

This is indeed a great thing to do (with Compressors etc too) but not an easy place for a beginner, esp if they unwisely choose a 47-layer Serumisphere sound to be recreated in Synth 0.5 - not realizing that the architecture is not there LOL That just leads to frustration.

I would still rather see a student learn the basic forms first. Then once they can hear/feel them, duplicating results from one (similar enough) synth to another definitely is a powerful step to take. If not still very frustrating to start with.

[yojacoby]

I just acquired UVIs Falcon and saw a video Benn Jordan did where he imported a car horn into the sampler of Falcon and used granular synthesis to convert it into an ethereal pad, one that blew me away. Unfortunately he did it so fast in the video, I have no idea how he achieved it as Falcons UI is a bit intimidating.

[Benedict]

I just acquired UVIs Falcon and saw a video Benn Jordan did where he imported a car horn into the sampler of Falcon and used granular synthesis to convert it into an ethereal pad, one that blew me away. Unfortunately he did it so fast in the video, I have no idea how he achieved it as Falcons UI is a bit intimidating.

In my post just above yours, I said: "I would still rather see a student learn the basic forms first. Then once they can hear/feel them, duplicating results from one (similar enough) synth to another definitely is a powerful step to take."

This is an overview of Falcon I made. It is wonderful in some ways, clunky in others.
https://youtu.be/OUsP2RHtW7w?si=ijkyyHaq9ICuq9Rl
If you don't have your basics, it will probably floor you. I didn't find their granular super easy, but I don't love grain generally. Once I have made a sound I like in grain I could have done it faster elsewhere. Still, sometimes grain is unique.

This is the whole album that I made within about a month using nothing but Falcon wherever possible.
https://youtu.be/bp-2pj0Y_MY?si=vUK1Samm2JAOoAT2
I could do the same in any package whether DAW or Synth. I may not enjoy it as much if for example I am given Bandlab + Halion but I will get somewhere and even find my voice there pretty fast. Again this is possible because of understanding my basics that can transfer anywhere.

[Fannon]

To throw another idea in: Try to recreate your favorite presets from Synth A in Synth B.
This will not always be completely possible, but will force you to think about how you achieve the sound you want instead of just re-doing the same settings on the same synth.

This is indeed a great thing to do (with Compressors etc too) but not an easy place for a beginner, esp if they unwisely choose a 47-layer Serumisphere sound to be recreated in Synth 0.5 - not realizing that the architecture is not there LOL That just leads to frustration.

I would still rather see a student learn the basic forms first. Then once they can hear/feel them, duplicating results from one (similar enough) synth to another definitely is a powerful step to take. If not still very frustrating to start with.

Yes, fully agree with you. First, you need to learn (and be able to hear) the basics.

What I also found helpful is to try to learn multiple synths and at least 1-2 synths in the full (at least understand all the features it has). Then there's a greater chance that you understand the underlying principles, which helps you to understand which synth have the right feature set for the sounds you want.

[swilow11]

I'm kind of amazed at the resources available these days. When I started with DAWs in the late 90s, it was basically a matter of clicking buttons until something happened. I started with Rebirth, and while limited, definitely helped me understand the basic controls of a synth, but didn't really do much for when I first got Fruity Loops in around 2000 or so. Then graduated to Reason where the Subtractor and Malstrom were all I had for years. No tutorials and honestly spent so much time spinning my wheels. Kids these days have it so good