Synthesis & Sampling Flashcards
name 7 types of synthesis
additive, subtractive, FM, Granular, Wavetable, Vector, Physical Modelling
DEF: additive synthesis
A sound synthesis technique that adds different sine waves together to create different sounds
DEF: subtractive synthesis
a method of sound synthesis in which partials of an audio signal (often one rich in harmonics) are attenuated by a filter to alter the timbre of a sound
DEF: FM Synthesis
Frequency modulation synthesis is a form of audio synthesis where the timbre of a simple waveform is changed by modulating it’s frequency with another modular frequency that is also in the audio range, resulting in a more complex waveform
FM algorithm
modulator wave (we do not hear this operator directly) –> FM Depth (variable) –> Carrier Wave –> output
DEF: wavetable synthesis
a technique used in certain digital music synthesizers to produduce natural tone-like sounds. the sound of an exisiting instrument (a single note) is sampled and parsed into a sequence of circular tables of samples or wavetables, each having one period or cycle per table
DEF: granular synthesis
a method by which sounds are broken into tiny grains which are then redistributed and reorganised to form other sounds. Flextime, melodyne and most time stretching tools use this method
DEF: vector synthesis
provides movement in a sound by providing dynamic crossfading between (usually) 4 sources
DEF: physical modelling synthesis
a method of synthesis in which the waveform can be manipulated
Telharmonium - date and significance
1896 technically the first synth
audion piano - date and significance
1915 the first instrument to use vacuum tubes
theremin - date
1920
Ondes Martenot - date & sounds
1928 sounds similar to a theremin
Hammond Organ - date and mechanism
1933 uses sliding drawbars to change tone
Novachord - date & significance
1939 considered to be the world’s first polyphonic synth
Electronic sackbut - date & significance
1945 first to have a mod wheel used voltage to create pitch
Clavivox - date
1952
RCA Mark 2 - date
1957
Bucla - date and significance
1960s could stack up signals
EMS VCS3 - date and significant users
1969 roxy music/brian eno
moog, minimoog model D - date
1970
Prophet VS - date
1986
Yamaha VL1 - date
1994
synthesis - east coast philosophy
much more musically structured, more of a classical mentality around synthesis
synthesis - west coast philosophy
to make new sound unconstrained by musical rules
DEF:
sampler
a synth that works with audio files instead of oscillators
tape samplers
Chamberlin & Rhythmate, Mellotron
how did tape samplers work
played a tape loop with each key which lasted for about 8 seconds
Digital samplers
EMS Musys System, Fairlight, Synclavier, Emulator 1, Emulator 2, Emu SP12, Emu SP1200, AKAI samplers, AKAI MPC60
