Columns
Jim Aikin’s Modular Synthesis for Beginners Series
Learning about synthesizers doesn’t have to be a struggle...
Those of us who have worked with them for years can breeze past the basics without stopping. For beginners, though, that’s a recipe for confusion. I can’t teach you everything in these basics-oriented columns, but I can give you a foundation to build on.
I first encountered synths in 1976, when I began working as Keyboard magazine’s assistant editor. At first, I had no idea what all those knobs and sliders did, but I had fun poking around. A few months later, I started editing Bob Moog’s monthly column. When I had questions, I could pick up the phone and ask the man himself. You couldn’t get a better education than that.
Since then, the basics haven’t changed much—oscillators, filters, and envelope generators—but a bunch of new branches have sprouted. My column can help you learn your way around unfamiliar territory and give you a firm grasp of the basics and beyond.
—Jim Aikin
Modular Synthesis for Beginners Lessons
A Lesson From Christmas Past…Jim Aikin’s Modular Synthesis: Modulation
Modulation changes everything when you route control signals from sources to destinations. Original lesson from December 2019 Turning knobs by hand while a synthesizer is
A Lesson From Christmas Past…Jim Aikin’s Modular Synthesis: Modulation
Modulation changes everything when you route control signals from sources to destinations. Original lesson from December 2019 Turning knobs by hand while a synthesizer is
Modular Synthesis for Beginners: Wavetable Synthesis
The heart of many synths is a wavetable oscillator, but what the heck are wavetables? Filling your mix with fresh, exciting sounds is what electronic
Modular Synthesis for Beginners: Step Sequencers
Automate your modular system with step sequencers. Playing music with our hands, feet, and breath is a wonderful thing. Sometimes, though, you want to set
Modular Synthesis for Beginners: FM Synthesis Explained
If you don’t have a thorough understanding of what FM synthesis is or how it works, start here. FM synthesis has always had a reputation
Modular Synthesis for Beginners: Randomness
This month, we investigate how synth modules can make your music sound more human by harnessing random acts of chance. The use of random elements