Lessons , tutorials or skype

Lessons , tutorials or skype
« on: November 01, 2017, 07:00:42 AM »
Hello .
I am caesarises from Spain. I am new to the forum and want to learn synthesis.I own a Prophet 12 which I bought for inspiration for my compositions.
I am not an electronic musician but would like to mix alternative music ( I would call like this the music I compose)with some electronic music.
I dont know much about synthesis , and I would like to learn by using my prophet 12. I use mainly presets but dont know exactly where i am heading ( I see the trees but not the forest).
Playing my synth is a little bit strange since sometimes the keys dont respond well depending on the preset i am using.
Like with sudden drops of volume and then up again. I guess it is because some sort of modulation in the preset.
Anyway. DO you know any series on how to create sound from the prophet or someone willing to give  me a little introduction or some information over skype or something. Thanks a lot.

Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2017, 09:21:50 AM »
Hi Caesarises, I saw your post and felt some sympathy with your situation. The Prophet 12 is certainly an awesome beast and you are brave to have 'jumped in the deep end'.

  I don't think I am well placed to offer tuition as I am self taught, and only interested in creating original and flexible voices. I started (in 1978) playing violin through a 1 oscillator and 2 filters mono synth. Later I fed an organ through the synth, but it was all simple filter modulation, a bit like using 1 oscillator and the filter knobs on the Prophet. I spent 30 years programming and playing a Yamaha DX7, but the FM (frequency modulation) set up on the Prophet 12 is different, and in some ways more sophisticated (the DX7 only used Sine waves).

I recommend spending some time exploring Timbre. Instead of just adding waves in parallel, explore what happens when you synch one waveform to another different one. For FM modulation just use Sine waves, or Tines, Mellow or Muted to start with, the more complex Waveforms impart too much of their own character which makes it harder to hear the FM effects.

It will be a steep learning curve for you, but you can make life easier by using a preset with the dynamics you require (Piano, Organ etc) and then just playing around changing the Waveforms and modulation. One issue to watch out for is Panning. If the pan is spread too wide every other note jumps between the left and right speaker (I have even more of a problem here because I am running in quadraphonic). Maybe if you avoid pan it will help with the volume drops.

I am sure other Forum members will be able to offer good advice, there are some very experienced and knowledgable people here. Good Luck, and try to have fun. It has taken me 3 years to write 250 voices, but now I am free to just play!

Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2017, 10:05:41 AM »
Thanks Chaparral. Nice from you. I will do my best.

Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2017, 10:58:25 PM »
There is "Synth Secrets" by Sound on Sound, now archived, but still available.
Someone lately also made it into a mobile friendly version.

Slowly go thru it and you will know be off!

dsetto

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Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2017, 06:33:02 AM »
Hello caesarises. I agree with the posts above. ... My suggestion:
1. Learn the short cut for a basic patch sound.
2. Use 1 oscillator.
3. Pick one wave.

Several paths can be taken from here. Each alone, and in conjunction with each other, and in any order.
4A. Explore the different Envelope Amplifier functions. Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release
4B1. Explore the primary Lowpass Filter functions. Start with Frequency, Resonance. Then, explore Amount.
4B2. Explore the Highpass Filter function(s?).
4C1. Chapparal's suggestions. Explore the "special to Prophet 12" ability to create different waves, resulting in different timbres, by mixing 2 together.
4D1. Add an additional oscillator. Explore variations to the frequency of the additional oscillator. (Minor and Macro changes. Minor is same pitch. Macro, could be a harmony, or harmonic partial.)


That should be a lot for a long time. Enjoy the musical results along the way.
5. Modulation. Another day.

Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2017, 07:45:19 AM »
Once you've got a basic understanding of the different parts of a synth -- oscillators, envelopes, filter and modulation options, then something I highly recommend doing is to try to reconstruct patches from one synth to another. There's lots of freeware VST synths out there if you use a DAW and if not there's even a handful of free standalone synths as well. I'm sure folks around here could recommend some decent ones.

What I suggest is to find a preset that you like on the second synth and then try to recreate that patch on the Prophet. Start with the oscillator section and go on through each section of the synth until the sound on the Prophet sounds as close as you can get to the sound from the other synth. What you'll inevitably find is that since no two synths have exactly the same features, you'll have to get creative in making up for limitations on one synth or the other. Also, you might find that since the P12 is such a deep synth you may end up adding things to the final patch that makes it more interesting to you than the original.

I found this method especially useful for me, because I could deconstruct the patches that sounded cool to me to gain a decent understanding of what made them tick as well as an awareness of how subtle adjustments to one part of the synth (oscillator tuning for instance) could have a huge effect on the final sound.

Lastly, in looking around for some freeware synths I came across this, which seems to be right up your alley:

https://www.syntorial.com/

-Adam


Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2017, 08:19:46 AM »

Lastly, in looking around for some freeware synths I came across this, which seems to be right up your alley:

https://www.syntorial.com/

-Adam

Just went to the Syntorial site and checked out the overview video.  This looks fantastic!  I was lucky enough to take a synthesizer course when I was in college back in the early 80's and learned subtractive analog synthesis (our final project was a multitrack recording on the school's Roland SH-5).  This video course looks to be way more effective...the fact that they say you'll have completed 700 patches by the end is impressive.  Shoot, I've been creating my own patches for a long time but I'm going to give the Syntorial demo a spin.  Thanks for posting this Adam  8)
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Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2017, 10:36:57 AM »
Shoot, I've been creating my own patches for a long time but I'm going to give the Syntorial demo a spin.

Cool, let me know what you think of it. I was considering trying it out too :)

Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2017, 08:13:23 PM »
Great thread with lots of tips.. thanks.

Also I want to add that try sylenth(or any other vst synth's tutorial. Tuts for serum or massive, it's not easy to create a patch like those but tuts for sylenth, logic pro x's Retro synth are easy to cope with p12)

Or prophet 6, prophet 8, deepmind 12 tutorials are great to learn things

Just my 2 cents :)

P.s i am still new to synthesis but learning and trying new thing everyday.

Re: Lessons , tutorials or skype
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2017, 02:03:44 PM »
I've got a Prophet 12 and a few other synths. Despite making my own patches for a long time, I found syntorial to be a great learning tool. I would HIGHLY recommend it to someone learning synthesis. Even the demo provides a lot.