Sound Design & Synthesis
Subtractive, FM, wavetable and granular synthesis, and building sounds from scratch.
14:42Synthesis fundamentalsSound design and synth fundamentals
A complete, well-paced introduction to how synths make sound.
5:26Synthesis fundamentalsIntro to synthesis, part 1: oscillators
A short, friendly first step into synthesis.
9:41Synthesis fundamentalsSynth basics: amplitude, oscillators and timbre
A clear classroom explanation of what a synth is doing.
10:48Effects & creative processingTen creative ways to use LFOs
Ten LFO ideas you can try on any synth today.
15:02Synthesis fundamentalsEvery type of synthesizer explained
A clear map of synthesis types, so you know which to reach for.
30:14Synthesis fundamentalsVital synth: a full tutorial
Learn wavetable synthesis on a free instrument.
3:55Synthesis fundamentalsFM synthesis in under four minutes
The fastest clear explanation of FM around.
24:18Drum & percussion designPunchy drums with Operator
Drum synthesis with a stock Ableton instrument.
17:23Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsDesigning bass sounds in Serum: 808, pluck, growl and sub
Four building-block bass sounds, each explained from the oscillator up, so you understand the patch rather than just copying it.
2:50Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsA fat sub bass in Ableton's Wavetable
Three minutes to a usable sub.
13:49Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsThree essential envelope recipes
Small, reusable building blocks for sound design.
13:23Drum & percussion designLow techno drums in Ableton
A focused techno drum recipe.
30:00Drum & percussion designSynthesising cymbals in Serum
One of the hardest drum sounds to synthesise, explained.
56:12Synthesis fundamentalsSynthesis basics: the building blocks of sound
A clear first lesson that people point beginners to before any specific synth.
20:46Synthesis fundamentalsAdvanced sound design and synthesis
The next step after synth basics.
13:17Effects & creative processingAndrew Huang's 12 sound design tricks
A grab bag of quick, creative techniques for reshaping sounds, useful when a patch feels stuck. Sponsored by Arturia.
49:52Synthesis fundamentalsSound design with Operator
Gets real sounds out of a stock synth.
15:04Drum & percussion designVirtual Riot builds a snare in Serum
Watch a top sound designer's process step by step.
9:16Drum & percussion designA starting point for drum sound design
A good first map of drum design.
9:23Drum & percussion designDrum production in Ableton, part 1
A clear, structured start to drum design.
30:50Synthesis fundamentalsIntroduction to synthesizers
A friendly first lesson for people intimidated by synths.
2:38:05Synthesis fundamentalsA complete sound design course
Builds synthesis from first principles, in one place.
8:28Synthesis fundamentalsHow to use a synth: the oscillator section
Starts at the very first stage of the signal path.
28:34Drum & percussion designWhat makes a perfect kick drum
Explains kick design properly.
6:33Drum & percussion designMaking any kick on an ARP 2600
Kick synthesis on real analogue hardware.
25:09Drum & percussion designDrum synthesis basics
A full drum kit, synthesised.
44:06Synthesis fundamentalsEmulating analogue synths
A synth expert's practical approach.
18:59Drum & percussion designRobert Henke on TR-808 drums in Operator
Taught by one of Ableton's creators.
6:59Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsTrap horns recipe
A fast genre sound.
22:06Drum & percussion designSynthesising an FM snare
A fresh way to build snares.
15:24Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsMaking huge subs
Inventive bass ideas from a respected teacher.
9:42Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsThree tips for sub bass
Quick and practical.
9:53Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsVirtual Riot designs basses in Serum
Learn from one of the best bass designers.
9:38Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsKaytranada-style chords in Serum
A popular sound, broken down.
9:59Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsTen synth layering ideas
Layering ideas you can try today.
16:58Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsBass sound design in Vital
Four core bass types on a free synth.
18:43Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsTechno rumble, fully explained
Covers the ideas behind every rumble technique.
20:06Synthesis fundamentalsHow to learn any synthesizer
A method that carries over to every synth you'll own.
4:12Synthesis fundamentalsBytebeat: music from very short programs
A short, strange look at sound made from code.
22:00Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsR&B synth pads like Kaytranada
Recreates a much-loved sound.
18:28Synthesis fundamentalsFive easy sound design tips in Bitwig
Fun ideas for Bitwig's modulation system.
6:00Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsDisclosure's bass sound
A genre-defining sound, explained.
17:32Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsRolling techno basslines
A core techno sound, explained.
32:43Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsCinematic synthesis in the Zimmer style
A peek at film-score sound design.
11:44Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsWriting 808s at three levels, from root notes to slides and reverses
Shows 808 writing as a musical part, not just a sound, with techniques that build on each other.
6:40Drum & percussion designVirtual Riot's drum design formula
Learn from a top drum designer.
23:41Synthesis fundamentalsFM synthesis explained
Makes FM approachable.
6:58Synthesis fundamentalsYou don't need analogue hardware synths
A useful corrective to gear lust.
1:12:17Synthesis fundamentalsVirtual Riot on Serum
A long, expert tour of the synth.
11:06Drum & percussion designGetting kick drums right
Clear kick design principles.
7:31Effects & creative processingVirtual Riot's five production tips
Habits from a top producer.
31:41Drum & percussion designSynthesising snare drums
Builds the sound from how real snares behave.
19:12Drum & percussion designDrum sound design in Vital
Free drum design for anyone.
9:02Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsSupersaw future synths recipe
A fast genre sound.
24:03Drum & percussion designLayering big snare drums
Layering ideas for EDM snares.
11:39Drum & percussion designKick techniques every producer should know
A complete kick checklist.
34:45Drum & percussion designKick and snare synthesis basics
A solid first drum synthesis lesson.
12:23Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsNeuro bass sound design
Shows a complex bass style step by step.
21:18Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsThe sine compression bass
Explains a well-known bass technique.
6:18Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsThe hoover synth sound
A classic sound in six minutes.
13:04Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsTechno rumbles with granular synthesis
An update to the classic rumble.
37:11Synthesis fundamentalsClassic sounds on your synths
Teaches synthesis through famous sounds.
15:40Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsStephan Bodzin's Moog bass lead
A signature techno sound, rebuilt.
17:33Drum & percussion designRealistic snares with feedback synthesis
An unusual, physics-based approach.
32:41Synthesis fundamentalsProgramming an FM bass on the DX11
A deep look at real FM programming.
32:38Effects & creative processingTwenty-five sound design tricks
A big set of ideas to try.
15:24Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsModern dubstep sounds for beginners
An accessible start to a demanding genre.
14:48Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsMaking ambient pads
A clear ambient sound recipe.
20:12Synthesis fundamentalsSerum's oscillators, explained
A structured way into a popular synth.
13:45Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsFlume-style organic synths in Serum
Recreates a distinctive modern sound.
24:04Synthesis fundamentalsMaking any sound from scratch
A useful mindset for sound design.
23:07Synthesis fundamentalsSynth basics
A tidy introduction to subtractive synthesis.
12:55Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsVirtual Riot builds a dubstep drop in ten minutes on a livestream
Shows a top producer's speed and decision-making with a prepared template, rather than a step-by-step lesson.
2:30Synthesis fundamentalsSeth Everman on video-game music genres, part 2
Video-game music genres, pitch-perfect and very silly.
0:47Effects & creative processingSeth Everman recreates "bad guy" from household objects
Seth Everman rebuilds a hit with household noises, in under a minute.
0:44Effects & creative processingSeth Everman recreates Drake's "One Dance"
Another Seth Everman deadpan rebuild of a hit.
32:17Effects & creative processingBuilding musical drone layers in Logic's sampler and synths
Shows how to build evolving textures from Logic's stock instruments, including some unlikely sources.
19:49Sound recipes: bass, leads, padsDesigning cinematic pulses with Logic's Retro Synth and arpeggiator
Builds a sound often bought as a preset pack from Logic's stock synths, with the reasoning behind each step.