A synth pedal for bass (or guitar) is one of the best and most colorful effects you can add to your board. Built to emulate the sound of synthesizer, a synth pedal lets you use a fretted instrument as the…
Roland Cloud Review: Is It Worth the Subscription?
As we all know by now, the subscription model is in full swing. Everything from the professional tools we use on the daily to the ways we unwind and entertain ourselves at night has some sort of all-access service for…
Vital VST vs Serum: The Ultimate Wavetable Synth Showdown
Every virtual instrument collection deserves a good wavetable synthesizer. This type of sample-based synthesis uses pre-recorded sounds as oscillator sources. What makes it unique from a regular sampler is how much you can manipulate those samples, even so far as…
Vital Synth Review: The Best Free Synth VST in 2022?
Freeware developer Matt Tytel, known for the lauded open-source synthesizer Helm, has a new project out. Vital Synth is a highly anticipated spectral warping wavetable synthesizer, and you can get it for free. Vital Synth Has a Free Edition New…
How to Make Soft Synths Sound Analog
Digital synthesizers have gotten really, really good. We have analog emulations of classic synths that sound pretty darn incredible, and we have fully digital virtual instruments which are different beasts altogether. That said, there are still moments we’re left wondering…
ADSR: Build Better Synth Sounds Today
ADSR stands for attack, decay, sustain, and release. It’s also known as a sound’s “envelope,” which includes all 4 of these tone-shaping elements. ADSR is an important concept in music production and sound design, especially if you plan on building…
Roland Fantom-06 Review: Powerful Synth Sounds On the Go
This Fantom-06 review checks out one of the best bang-for-your-buck synthesizers available from Roland, in a roomy 61-key layout. The Fantom-0 Series Offers Versatile Synth Workstations for Musicians On the Go The Fantom-0 line takes much of the power of…
Moog Grandmother vs Matriarch: Which Synthesizer Is Right for Me?
Pitting two popular synthesizers head-to-head, the Moog Grandmother vs Matriarch are both impressive members of the family. They are fundamentally different machines, however, despite Moog’s naming conventions and various design similarities. We’ll have a look at each in an effort…
How to Design and Use Supersaw Synth
The “supersaw” originated in the ’90s and had a surge of popularity in the early 2000s, featured heavily in genres like trance, future bass, and progressive house. The now-iconic sound is a staple of EDM production. What Is Supersaw? Supersaw…
FM Synthesis: The Classic Synthesizer Sound
Lots of classic keyboards like the Yamaha DX7 use FM synthesis to generate sounds. If it seems daunting at first, that’s because FM synthesis really is more complex than other types of synthesis. FM is much more theory-driven, so trying…
Roland JD-Xi Review: A Crossover Synth Offering the Best of Both Worlds
For decades, Roland has been a frontrunner in synthesizers, sequencers, effects, amplifiers, and everything sound-making. It’s no surprise that the JD-Xi packs a hefty amount of tech into a small package. In this Roland JD-Xi review, we’ll take a look…
Korg Opsix Review: The Ultimate FM Synthesizer?
Korg graced the synthesizer space with two new releases in 2020. One, the Wavestate, made its full debut at Winter NAMM that year, while the Opsix was yet an unmarked prototype. Despite the many ups and downs of a now…
The 8 Best Wavetable Synthesizers 2023
Wavetable synthesis is a technique used in certain digital music synthesizers to produce natural, note-like sounds. An existing instrument’s note can be sampled and parsed into a sequence of wavetables. Wavetable synthesizers differ from subtractive, additive, and FM/AM synths. In wavetable…
What is a Synthesizer? A Comprehensive Guide
Synthesizers have never been more popular than they are now. They currently play a dominant role in the production of the world’s most in-demand music. Synthesizers are the sound of pop, hip-hop, EDM, and more. But you certainly wouldn’t be…
Sound Synthesis: Basics of Granular and Wavetable Synthesis
Whether we’re aware of it, many of us are using sound synthesis technology everyday. As engineers and producers, we’re often relying on virtual instruments and plugins which use granular and wavetable synthesis to make sounds! Granular synthesis is the technology…
Modular Synthesis: The Most Powerful Synthesizers Ever
Modular synthesis is one of the most powerful sound design and music production tools you can use. From the outside, though, it looks pretty confusing…Even understanding the basics can take a while if you don’t know where to start. Luckily,…
Understanding Additive and Subtractive Synthesis
Additive and subtractive synthesis are two of the 4 fundamental ways synthesizers create sounds, next to wavetable and FM. If you plan to get into synths at all, or even just use them occasionally in your work, it’s a good…
Choosing Software Synthesizers for Your Home Studio
If you’re a music producer or songwriter, software synthesizers are your best friend. Not only are they super inexpensive compared to hardware, they sound just as good! Plus, a lot of them come with gigabytes and gigabytes worth of sounds…