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Synthesis / Sound Design

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    Practical Bowed-string Synthesis (continued)

    Synth Secrets

    After putting all our bowed-string synthesis theory into practice on a Korg 700 last month, we found that the result was only acceptable as a string sound with a lot of wishful thinking. Can we improve on it?

    Techniques Jun 2003
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    Synthesizing Strings: PWM & String Sounds

    Synth Secrets

    Pulse-width modulation is a vital tool in achieving lush-sounding synthesized string pads — so what if your synth doesn't have it? Fear not, for PWM can itself be synthesized. Here's how...

    Techniques Mar 2003
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    Practical Cymbal Synthesis

    Synth Secrets

    Synthesizing realistic cymbals is complex, but not impossible — after all, over 20 years ago, Roland's TR808 drum machine featured synthesized cymbals. We look at how they managed it, and attempt to create cymbals on another affordable analogue synth.

    Techniques Jul 2002
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    Bass Drum artwork header image.

    Synthesizing Drums: The Bass Drum

    Synth Secrets

    Ever wanted to synthesize unpitched membranophones? No? Well, you might if you knew that bass and snare drums are of this percussion type. We show you how...

    Techniques Jan 2002
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    Figures 1,2 and 3

    Practical Percussion Synthesis: Timpani

    Synth Secrets

    Building on the theory of what makes up the sound of timpani, this month's Synth Secrets reveals how to synthesize realistic kettle drums using a Korg MS20 and a Yamaha DX7.

    Techniques Dec 2001
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    Of Responses & Resonance

    Synth Secrets

    As Parts 4 & 5 of Gordon Reid's series showed, even the simplest analogue filters mess with your sound in complicated ways. In this Part, he considers what happens when you make the design more sophisticated...

    Techniques Oct 1999
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    Figure 1.

    Modifiers & Controllers

    Synth Secrets

    We move on from discussing the harmonic components of sound to explaining how they change over time, and some of the tools subtractive synths give you to emulate this process.

    Techniques Jul 1999
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    Synth School: Part 9

    The Imitation Of Analogue

    Physical Modelling and Virtual Synthesis have been buzzwords for several years now, especially when it comes to imitating analogue synthesis. But what are their advantages and disadvantages, and how do they work? Paul Wiffen explains.

    Techniques Jul 1998
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    Synth School: Part 5

    The Origins Of Sample & Synthesis (S&S)

    At the January NAMM show in 1987, Roland launched their D50, which mixed synthesis and sampled sounds in one package, a compbination which has remained popular to the current day. Paul Wiffen examines how S&S evolved into the most widespread form of sound generation on the market.

    Techniques Dec 1997
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    Creating Analogue Sounds On Digital Synths: Part 2

    Recreating Analogue Strings

    Nick Magnus continues his quest to emulate analogue sounds on digital instruments. This month, he shows you how to recreate analogue strings.

    Techniques Feb 1994
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