Sound Design & Synthesis
World-class Sound Design & Synthesis Program
Our Sound Design and Synthesis course is 36 hours, created for you to take back creative control of your music-making. We will teach you how to build sounds from scratch, how to manipulate and modify them, and adding those truly original elements to your music productions. This class is loaded with production tips and tricks and great ways to inspire any genre of music, and get it moving forward!
This is an intermediate to advanced course so learners must have a good understanding of their DAW. We encourage less experienced learners to attend one of our DAW courses first. The course is largely based on Ableton Live and Logic, but participants who are using other DAWs will find the instruction wholly suitable, too.
By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of sound design principles, proficiency in various synthesis techniques, and the ability to create diverse and compelling sounds for different media applications.
View the dropdown boxes below to discover what you will learn in this class. Listed material is not in chronological order, and class material is not limited to these topics.
Sound Design & Synthesis
Overview
- Understanding sound waves and frequency
- Exploring amplitude, pitch and timbre
- Advanced run-through of industry-leading soft synths
- Tonal processing, effects and resampling
- Implementing design elements into your projects
Introduction to Synthesis
- Understanding Oscillators, Filters, Envelopes & LFOs
- The Overtone series
- Creating pads, basses, plucks, leads and drums using synthesis techniques
- Deep dives into subtractive, wavetable and FM synthesis
- Adding movement with modulation and automation
Tools of the Trade
- Ableton synths: Analog, Operator, Wavetable
- Logic Pro synths: ESP, ESFM1, ES1, Alchemy
- Xfer’s Serum – wavetable synth
- Vital – wavetable synth, free download here.
- Advanced sampler techniques
Audio Manipulation
- Creating drones and eerie soundscapes
- Warping, stretching, mangling audio samples
- Resampling and effects processing
- Advanced audio editing
- Layering and multisampling for complex textures
Creative Drum Design
- Synthesizing drum sounds from the ground up
- Layering with foley for a truly unique sound
- Turn any sample into a rhythmic element
Effects Processing and Automation
- Introduction to audio effects: reverb, delay, chorus, distortion, etc.
- Implementing effects chains for creative sound manipulation
- In depth automation using Macro controls
- Spatial audio techniques: stereo imaging and binaural audio
Effects Processing and Automation
- Introduction to audio effects: reverb, delay, chorus, distortion, etc.
- Implementing effects chains for creative sound manipulation
- In depth automation using Macro controls
- Spatial audio techniques: stereo imaging and binaural audio
Real-world Applications and Projects
- Sound design for film, TV, and video games
- Creating soundscapes and audio branding
- Compile your own sample and preset pack
Additional Information
- This class is geared to teach you techniques regardless of what DAW you use
- The purchase additional software synths or plugins are not required for this course
- You will be equipped to dig into any synth you can get your hands on!
Use the ‘CONNECT’ button below to request schedule and pricing information. One of our placement experts will follow up within a business day. For one-to-one lessons, see our Music Production Private Instruction page.
