Synths & Sound Design

Editorial | Nov 13, 2017 by Jade Wii

Software is great but there are many reasons why some people still prefer - and will pay a hefty premium for - real hardware drum machines, particularly vintage ones. Here's why.

Tutorial | Nov 12, 2017 by Scott Riesterer

So you may have a basic idea of what a VCA is and what it does, but wouldn't it be great to be able to really get the most out of them? Here's Scott Riesterer with some lesser know uses for them.

Tutorial | Nov 06, 2017 by Gary Hiebner

Getting the kinds of effects used by top flight Hollywood composers like Hans Zimmer doesn't always have to be as hard as you might think. Here's how to replicate the Shepard Tone Effect.

Tutorial | Nov 05, 2017 by Hollin Jones

Whether you're a beginner or a relatively experienced synth user, it never hurts to renew and refresh your understanding of the fundamentals of how sound and synths work. Here's 2 short videos.

Tutorial | Nov 03, 2017 by Hollin Jones

This new course on Reason 10's Europa synth explains all you need to know about the powerful new instrument. Here, learn about the voicing options and how to create fat sounds.

Tutorial | Oct 16, 2017 by Gary Hiebner

Logic's ES2 is a powerful and adaptable synth. In this tutorial, Gary Hiebner shows you how to use it to make a cool sounding future bass supersaw chord patch.

Tutorial | Oct 03, 2017 by Hollin Jones

With this short hands-on guide to the Deepmind 12's modulation matrix section you'll see how to quickly create dynamic, fluid and interesting sounds without investing too much time and effort.

Tutorial | Oct 01, 2017 by Hollin Jones

Arturia's MatrixBrute may look daunting, but in this short video, Marc Doty shows you that the large button matrix can actually be much more straightforward to use than you might have thought.

Tutorial | Sep 20, 2017 by Matt Vanacoro

With IK's Synktronik out in the wild, users are beginning to tap into its huge potential for sound creation. Matt Vanacoro gives you his top tips for getting the most out of this powerful instrument.

Tutorial | Sep 17, 2017 by Liam Lacey

With DIY gear so readily available, building your own controllers can be fun, rewarding and really creative. Here, Liam Lacey shows you how to make your own 3D gesture-sensing USB MIDI controller.

Tutorial | Sep 12, 2017 by G.W. Childs IV

Ever wanted to get that signature vocoder effect as heard on tracks by legendary artists The KLF? Help is at hand - G.W.Childs is here to show you how to do it!

Tutorial | Sep 08, 2017 by Hollin Jones

Gadget doesn't have audio tracks, but there's a clever workaround for slicing and sequencing audio loops anyway, and it harks back to the days of MIDI triggered hardware. Here's how it works.

Tutorial | Sep 04, 2017 by Hollin Jones

Adding movement and effects to your pad sounds can really enhance a track by introducing more life and motion to the body of the music. Here's how to do it in any synth.

Tutorial | Jul 30, 2017 by Hollin Jones

The Buchla Easel is a modular synthesizer quite unlike any other. In this short video, Buchla expert Todd Barton shows you around and explains how it works.

Tutorial | Jul 14, 2017 by G.W. Childs IV

MicroTonic is a cool synth and unusual in that it is able to exchange sounds with the Pocket Operator PO-32. G.W Childs shows you how to use the software to make morphing drum patches.