In 2024, the world of synthesis is paradoxically both more accessible than ever before, and also more of a deep and baffling rabbit hole. On the one hand, it’s possible to pick up excellent synths for a very reasonable amount of money, and it’s perfectly possible to make excellent music just engaging with these instruments on a surface level of preset sounds and basic controls.
Look beyond those simple approaches though, and there’s an enormous variety of different styles and approaches available, often relying on complex ideas and unique terminology. This issue, we’re aiming to demystify some of these ideas, explaining concepts such as complex oscillator shaping, semi-modular patching and modern digital synthesis.
