Beatportal.com - Guide To Synthesis

News | Top 10 iPhone tricks for DJs

2008-06-11T13:00:00-07:00

Now that the cat is out of the bag on the iPhone 3G, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the new $199 price tag will propel it into the mainstream – perhaps even ubiquity. It’s going to take a while to assess the full impact of GPS and 3G network speeds, since the truly life-changing apps haven’t even been created. So for now, let’s take a look at the present possibilities of the platform as they apply to the DJ community at large.

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News | iPhone 2.0: Producer’s preview

2008-06-03T12:09:00-07:00

It’s no exaggeration to say that next week’s iPhone announcements have the world at the edge of its collective seat. While we have no way of knowing exactly which apps will be available via Apple’s new iPhone App Store, it’s safe to say that music creation tools will be represented in one form or another. So, with a tip of the hat to Peter Kirn’s wonderful Create Digital Music blog, here’s the Beatportal roundup of music apps in development for the iPhone.

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News | Stealing Thor’s Thunder – Part 3

2008-05-29T18:00:00-07:00

In the previous two installments, we covered the ins and outs of Thor’s oscillators and filters. On their own, these two components of Thor would be more than enough to create sophisticated sonic soundscapes. This time out, we’ll review the possibilities lurking within Thor’s extensive array of modulation options.

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News | Stealing Thor’s Thunder – Part 2: Filters

2008-05-22T18:00:00-07:00

In the previous tutorial on Propellerheads’ Thor, we explored the possibilities of its six different types of oscillators. While these are a rich source of synthesis tools for tone generation, they are just the beginning. Thor also includes four different filter types, each with their own unique properties. This week, we’ll delve into Thor's filtering capabilities.

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News | Stealing Thor’s Thunder – Part 1: Oscillators

2008-05-15T18:00:00-07:00

When it comes to raw synthesis power, it’s almost an understatement to say that Propellerheads’ Reason and Ableton Live have become the dominant tools for many - some might say “most” - producers. With the introduction of Reason 4 last fall, a new synth was added to Reason’s arsenal. Cheekily named Thor, this new synth is quite possibly one of the most powerful options available for complex sound design. It’s complex enough that it even warrants its own tutorials. So let’s begin hammering out the specifics of Thor.

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News | Product Spotlight: Way Out Ware KikAXXE

2008-04-24T18:00:00-07:00

I’m an analog guy. Sure, I’ve used a ton of softsynths over the years, but ever since I picked up a Prophet 08 and dug my SH101 out of the garage, I’ve become increasingly finicky about virtual analog emulations. So when I stumbled upon a virtual ARP softsynth made by a tiny one-man operation out of San Luis Obispo called Way Out Ware, I was intrigued. Way Out Ware’s products are so impressive that they’ve even got the support of M-Audio behind them as their worldwide distributor. Let’s take a look at this beastie.

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News | Sampling Essentials – Part 2

2008-04-15T17:41:00-07:00

In our previous installment, we tackled the specifics that govern the sample recording process, including sampling rate and sample resolution. This time around, we’re going to cover how samples are edited and prepared for playback via a software or hardware sampler. From there, we’ll go over how to make the most of your sampler's resources.

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News | Sampling Essentials – Part 1

2008-04-10T18:00:00-07:00

Now that we've covered the ins and outs of subtractive/analog synthesis, we'll begin exploring other popular methods of tone generation. This week, we'll tackle the specifics of sampling. Since most samplers also rely strongly on subtractive synthesis techniques, the material in the previous tutorials is equally relevant here. If you haven't already checked out the earlier lessons, you might want to do so before reading further. On the other hand, if you're already up to speed, it's time to dive in.

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News | Grasping MIDI Controllers

2008-03-26T18:00:00-07:00

In our previous tutorials, we covered the specifics of synthesizer audio modules such as oscillators and filters, as well as modulators such as envelopes, LFOs and such. These are the essentials for preset design, but for adding character to a performance, the next step lies in creative use of MIDI controllers. In this tutorial, we’ll cover some of the techniques that allow you to morph the character of your synth parts over time.

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News | Essential LFO facts

2008-03-05T16:00:00-07:00

In the analog arsenal of modulation resources, low frequency oscillators – a.k.a. LFOs – are right up there with envelopes when it comes to usefulness and flexibility. While the most common uses for LFOs are vibrato, tremolo and wah-wah effects, there’s a lot more that can be done with LFOs — if you’re crafty about it. In this installment, we’ll cover the specifics, along with a few more exotic applications to get your juices flowing.

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