In this video, synthesist Starsky Carr offers his take on the basics of subtractive synthesis for beginners.

If you aren’t sure where to get started when it comes to making your own synth sounds, this tutorial covers subtractive synthesis, which is at the heart of most modern and vintage synths.

“Over 99% of synthesizers use the same fundamental building blocks,” notes Carr, “and the secret to programming synths is that they’re all pretty much the same. Learn the basics and everything else falls into place.”

Topics covered:

0:00 Really? Any Synth?
5:21 1. Oscillators
9:24 2. Filters
11:29 3. Envelopes
13:48 Make an Acid Sound
14:31 Program a Funky Bass
15:21 Create a Sequence Bass
15:45 A ‘real’ electric bass (not a synth bass… well it is…)
16:21 Pianos and Keys
18:59 Rich Pads and Strings
21:44 Tricks with Resonance
23:01 4. Pumping Filters with the LFO
24:38 Juno DS Menu Diving – It’s all there
27:44 Performance Controls
28:22 what to do with 2 envelopes
30:19 You Got This.. More complex tones with 2 oscillators
39:40 Arpeggiators – Quick Look with Stranger Things
41:54 Was that OK?
43:24 Intro Track.. now you can do it 🙂