Any opinions on Welsh's Synthesizer Cookbook?

I'd read it if it was synthesized down for dummies like me.

Hi,
 
If this is a beginner's guide to synthsizers, I would like to find one that is more helpful than the guides that show up in Computer Music (for example) that is missing steps and pictures, and the sequence of instructions doesn't make sense!
 
I do not think that most people actually KNOW how to play synthesizers ... they only use the "sounds" and then add some effects over it, and that is a waste of the overall design of a synthesizer and its possibilities.
 
I've been trying for 2 years, here in Vancouver/Portland to find someone that can give me a few lessons, and no one knows synthesizers and Beacock Music, told me straight out, stop fooling around with those dinosaurs, as no one can do anything on them or how to make them work.
I really wanted to learn how to use the Sequencer, and some other tricks ... but no one knows, and Craig is not interested in getting paid for a couple of hours!

 
Best Mosh post evah!!!

mike_mccue
 
Best Mosh post evah!!!

Best McQ Post praising "Best Mosh Post EVAH" EVAH!!!

Well that's good enough for me - ordered. 
 
I quite enjoyed watching this old synth video tutorial recently - it's Dean Friedman, done in the 80's and ridiculously cheesy, but great all the same. Starts from the very beginning. In 3 parts on YouTube. 
 

 

Old55
Some good basics there.  Thanks.  
 
Do you remember Dean's single from 1977?
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGFW9jCFml4
 

 
Hated it for the first 5 seconds...but then it grew on me.....
 
Just been looking at some of Dean's videos on his YouTube channel. He's basically exactly the same as he was in that synth video, but with longer grey hair. 
 

I almost bought it yesterday but had a chance to read the first chapter online.
 
It seems awfully dry and uninspiring.
 
I think I'll wait for Bill Nuy the Science guy to explain it. Mangling sound seems like too much fun. I find it difficult to encounter the practice after it has been reduced and abstracted into tiny little charts and graphs.
 
I'm less interested in the quest to copy a "brass section"and more interested in an entertaining refresher on the basic forms of synthesis. A presentation like that could take place in 20 minutes and leave you with a lifetime of inspiration. I think I saw Mr. Moog, or some one like him, do that once when I was a child and it stuck with me for a long time.
 
I hope you enjoy the book.
 
best regards,
mike

^

mike_mccue
I almost bought it yesterday but had a chance to read the first chapter online.
 
It seems awfully dry and uninspiring.
 
I think I'll wait for Bill Nuy the Science guy to explain it. Mangling sound seems like too much fun. I find it difficult to encounter the practice after it has been reduced and abstracted into tiny little charts and graphs.
 
I'm less interested in the quest to copy a "brass section"and more interested in an entertaining refresher on the basic forms of synthesis. A presentation like that could take place in 20 minutes and leave you with a lifetime of inspiration. I think I saw Mr. Moog, or some one like him, do that once when I was a child and it stuck with me for a long time.
 
I hope you enjoy the book.
 
best regards,
mike

I quite like dry and uninspiring texts!

I remember trying to learn Java from one of those "Head First" books with all the wacky pictures, jokes and fun puzzles. I hated it. Couldn't wait to get stuck into a less fun text.

I can only give you some insight into how I got into synthesisers and how I learned. Maybe you can glean something from it and perhaps modernise the concept too. I have got some ideas on that.
 
I started by reading a great series of books by Roland but they are old and came out in the late 70's. It was called 'The Synthesiser' and featured four books.
 
A Foundation for Electronic Music
Practical Synthesis for Electronic Music / Parts I and II
Multichannel Recording for Electronic Music.
 
If you ever see this it is well worth grabbing and reading. BTW the book you are referring to would be a good replacement for these series of books. I think the Roland books are written in the right order of learning though. You may still need to research what to learn first etc..Sometimes these books don't give you that, they just dive in without a plan to a certain extent.
 
I fiddled with the actual instruments at the time. I had all the analog gear then. But a good straight ahead VST will also do the job.
 
Basic concepts:
 
The basic concept of Oscillator > Filter > Envelope Generator applies to many forms of synthesis and is still very current.
You can start by listening to one oscillator only and hearing how the different waveforms sound from each other. Noise included. Samplers just replace the oscillator with a digital recording playback device instead.
 
Filters shape the tone. HP and LPF.  Resonance can be added around the cutoff frequencies etc. They shape the tone of the sound
 
ADSR generators shape the sound volume wise over time. When you combine all these three things you have a lot of control over sound shaping and manipulation.
 
Filters can have their own ADSR generator which opens and closes the filters over time too. LFO's can be used to modulate a range of parameters.
 
This basic synthesis form should be well grasped before moving into things like FM and Additive. I learned the basic analog synth form first and it has helped me translate onto almost anything else after.
 
Computer Music put out a mag called 'Synths' The Ultimate Guide. Well worth getting. Tons of stuff in there. Explanations, tutorials, free VST's/VST's used in the tutorials etc.. and more.
 
Groove 3 make a great video on general synthesis as well here:
 
http://www.groove3.com/str/synths-explained.html
 
Very little money for huge amounts of info in return. It is good to learn these things in some sort of order and graduate up in terms of making patches. Simple single osc things at the start to massive lush stereo pads etc...
 
There are plenty of free VST's out there you can learn and practice on eg Synth1 for example. I would learn on something a little simpler before jumping into something like Rapture which has lots of other stuff going on too like wave sequencing and making rhythms and loops.

Hi,
 
OK ...
 
Book on the way!
 
Craig, I needed you more for hooking things up and getting an idea of how to be able to add things on top of things ... which you are adept at.
 
No worries. Not asking anymore! But I will have fun joking over it!