Week 3 Activities

- [Max examples from class on Github](https://download-directory.github.io?url=https://github.com/IDMNYU/Sound-Studio-S2026/tree/main/class01) (direct download – now this will download a Zip with only this week's files!)

Synthesis Concepts:

  • Oscillators: create tones with basic wave shapes (sine wave, saw tooth, etc). A synthesizer’s VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) changes the pitch based on voltage.
  • LFOs: low frequency oscillators, used to modulate other sounds
  • Filters/VCF: A filter reduces or amplifies different frequencies, affecting the timbre of the sound
  • Amp: Controls the volume of the sound
  • Envelope / ADSR: Controls how the sound changes over time according to:
    • Attack: How fast the sound rises at the start
    • Decay: Time it takes for the sound to fall from its attack volume to its sustain level
    • Sustain: The volume level after the attack, held as long as the note is active
    • Release: The time it takes for the sound to fade out
  • Subtractive synthesis: Start with a harmonically-rich waveform, like a saw or square wave, and cut the frequencies using filtering to shape a sound
  • Additive Synthesis: Create sounds by adding sine waves together (fundamentals and partials)

  • Frequency Modulation (FM) synthesis: Uses one waveform to modulate another

  • Assignment 3: Synthesize a sound

Fun links:

Tunes: