Tag: native instruments

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Synthesizer Types

Granular Synthesizers

A granular synthesizer is a type of synthesizer that creates new sounds by combining small sound “grains,” as the name suggests. These audio grains typically range from a few milliseconds to a few hundred milliseconds. To produce new sounds, the synthesizer combines and modifies these grains in various ways.

Granular synthesis is a technique for producing sounds that can be used to make a variety of sounds, from the sounds of traditional instruments to more experimental and abstract sounds. This synthesis technique is renowned for its capacity to produce intricate and dynamic textures and its innovative sound manipulation.

Sounds that are impossible or challenging to create with other synthesis techniques can be produced using granular synthesis. This can include tones with a lot of harmonic content, timbral variety, or a sense of motion over time.

Granular synthesis is one of the sound generation techniques used by many software synthesizers and some hardware synthesizers.

Examples

  • Ableton Live’s Grain: A software granular synthesizer that is integrated into Ableton Live’s rack.
  • Native Instruments Reaktor’s Grain: A software granular synthesizer that is integrated into Native Instruments Reaktor.
  • Mutable Instrument’s Grids: A Eurorack hardware granular synthesizer
  • Make Noise’s Clouds: A Eurorack hardware granular synthesizer
  • Qu-Bit Electronix’s Grain: A Eurorack hardware granular synthesizer
  • Tasty Chips GR-1: A hardware granular synth (pictured)
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Synthesizer Types

Sample-based Synthesizers

A sample-based synthesizer is a type of synthesizer that uses pre-recorded audio samples as the basis for creating new sounds. These samples are loaded into the synthesizer after being recorded from real instruments, found sounds, or other sources.

The samples are then played back and can be altered in various ways while typically controlled by a keyboard or other controller. For instance, the sample’s pitch can be changed to play different notes, the playback speed can be altered to change the tempo, and the sound can be given various effects like reverb and delay.

A very flexible and potent method, sample-based synthesis enables users to use real-world sounds and modify them however they see fit. It is frequently used in music production, particularly in styles like orchestral or ethnic music that calls for realistic instrument sounds.

It is significant to remember that sample-based synthesis is also a subcategory of ROMpler (Read-Only Memory player), a class of synthesizer that plays back previously recorded samples stored in ROM.

Examples

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Synthesizer Types

Hybrid Synthesizers

A hybrid synthesizer is a type of synthesizer that combines two or more different synthesis techniques. As a result, sound design has more flexibility and access to a wider variety of sounds.

For instance, a hybrid synthesizer might combine additive and subtractive synthesis, which uses multiple sine waves to produce complex sounds and filters to shape the sound. The ability to shape sounds with filters and create complex sounds using multiple sine waves can give the user the best of both worlds.

Another illustration is the fusion of sample-based and FM synthesis, which allows the user to combine the sample-based synthesis’s realism with the FM synthesis’s rich harmonic content.

Hybrid synthesizers may employ more than two synthesis techniques depending on the particular synthesizer.

A hybrid synthesizer combines the advantages of various synthesis methods to produce a more adaptable instrument with a broader range of sound possibilities.

Examples

Omnisphere 2 by Spectrasonics, Kontakt by Native Instruments, and Massive X by Native Instruments are a few examples of hybrid synthesizers.