52 Reason / Record Tips - Week 44: Synth School with the Subtractor

As electronic music producers, we rely on synths as our bread and butter sounds for leads, bass lines, effects, textures, and so on. Knowing that, how crazy is it that so many of us don't REALLY know how to use them?! I mean, it's not our fault in some ways. The presets we get from the factory soundbank and ReFills are very good. Usually one of those with a couple random knob adjustments get us off and going just fine.

But imagine the power you'd have if you could sculpt a sound and control a sound with precise knowledge of what you're doing and the effect it will have. Imagine if you had your own folder of custom patches that you created; your own stash of secret sauce that nobody else has. Imagine if you could think of a sound you'd like to create and to know instantly how to do it.

I'm going to embark on a multi-week exploration of synthesis theory to do just that for you. This week we're starting with the most basic synth there is - the Subtractor. But don't let its simplicity fool you. It's capable of some amazing sounds.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Reason
• Record
• 52
• Tips
• James
• Bernard
• Production
• Software
• Propellerhead
• Propellerheads
• Music
• Synthesizer
• Synth
• Synthesis
• Subtrator
• Moog
• Subtractive
• Oscillator
• bass
• sounds
• lead
• sound
• design
• beatmaking
• music
• production
• mixing
• jbsyn
• 52w

[srhenderson186]

James, please establish a plan to deliver another 52 weeks of videos beginning immediately after these 52 episodes are complete, and also let HR know that they are to double your total compensation beginning with your first February paycheck. Carry on.

[Rickysaur]

Thank you! This type of video is exactly what i wanted from you :)

[IkeProductions89]

where does everyone get that same snap sample? 

[mcRioRemedy]

great tip number 44

[abn666]

can you tell how the bass synth in the intro is created?

[MrNedRush]

@jamesbernardmusic are they good? i've seen a left handed six string i've been keen on for ages but its in the states. what they like?

[dmoates420]

Great idea James. I admit I am one of these producers that doesn't really know all the ins and outs of the synths, but finally now I will. Until now I never really seen a tutorial like this. I always looked for them but they never go back to the basics, which is the only proper way to learn in my opinion. Thanks a bunch, James!!!

[CollosalSlug]

@tintala Same boat brotha, Check my stuff!!!!  soundcloudDOTcom/cak3

[CollosalSlug]

MAKE A SKRILLEX DUBSTEP SYNTH TUTORIAL!!!! I've been trying forever and i cant get the sound! Refer to Cinema-Skrillex remix, the first sound when it drops

[tintala]

@jamesbernardmusic thanks for replying James , I always was curious how an experienced users like you gets his education and how they learned. It really helps to come from some sort of music background, I myself have zero recording/ engineer experience, until I got reason. I come from an impoverished background and parents that had no interests in keeping up with my interests, MUSIC! Therefore feel like most of my time is used for "CATCHING UP" for that lost time, trying to learn this software.

[fortgreene31]

why go to school and you have james bernard. Thanks teacher again for the info. peace

[jamesbernardmusic]

@tintala Many hours sitting in front of the computer and tweaking. Also.. I come from an audio engineering family background.. my father is an engineer turned audio school owner from way back when.. some of my early memories are going to his studio and playing with all the buttons and knobs (not knowing that back then I was screwing up a mix he had up on the board). I took his course right out of high school and also taught some classes for a while, the synth stuff I learned by myself.