Product Description

How To Make A Noise-perhaps the most widely read book about synthesizer programming-is a comprehensive, practical guide to sound design and synthesizer programming techniques using subtractive (analog) synthesis, frequency modulation synthesis, additive synthesis, wave-sequencing, and sample-based synthesis. The book looks at programming using examples from six software synthesizers: Cameleon 5000 from Camel Audio, Rhino 2 from BigTick, Surge from Vember Audio, Vanguard from reFX, Wusikstation from Wusik dot com, and Z3TA+ from Cakewalk. Simon Cann is a musician and writer based in London. He is author of Cakewalk Synthesizers: From Presets to Power User, Building a Successful 21st Century Music Career, and Sample This!! (with Klaus P Rausch). You can contact Simon through his website: www.noisesculpture.com.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #335310 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-17
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Customer Reviews

Outstanding value!
This book is straight down to business. By page 6 I knew that I had my hands on something informative and intuitive - in fact on page 6 you are already making sounds (albeit simple). The complexity of the science behind making sounds that are usable is spelt out in plain english - without the fluff that I've found in some other books of similar shapes and sizes.

Every one of the 277 pages are filled with usable knowledge that you could apply to just about any genre. In my opinion, Simon Cann has written a book on sound generation acrobatics! pure gold!

The only thing that shocked me as soon as I opened the book was that it recommended spending $10 US to download the patches that accompany the material in the book. Because I'm stingy, I decided not to buy them, but I've found programming them myself more educational and fun. I also have the flexibility of learning all of the techniques in my favourite synths so that I can start to recognise the different colours that each delivers when programmed in similar fashions.

I would recommend perhaps for the beginner to download the patches as it will save a lot of time in deciphering the interface on the synths, but the book is most definately complete without the patches.

If you are a dance music producer, either in a project studio, home studio, or a composer(DnB, House, Pop, anything that needs original synth sounds), then this book is compulsory reading - and money well spent, because you can read it over and over, because I believe (like any great piece of art) you'll get something new out of it every time.

There are no diversions in the book - meaning every word is 100% relevant to sound design.

I've paid $60-$100 for far less useful books on sound engineering and design.

Learn how to make the sound you hear in your head by understanding how sounds interact through structured listening and exercises.

Thank you Simon Cann.

A full description of what and how this book teaches is lacking
So I just received my copy of this book and was very disappointed to find out that many of the examples in this book were created on 6 different software synths - Cameleon 5000, Rhino, Surge, Vanguard, Wusikstation and Z3TA+. While several of these are available as demo versions, the main synth that is used throughout the book for examples, the Z3TA+ is for PC only. That leaves me, a Mac user S.O.L.! The author seems to believe that it's not absolutely necessary to have his tools in order to try out some of the ideas. I completely disagree!! First, when I buy a book, I read the entire book, learn the entire book and come away with a new set of tools, I'm not really interested in learning SOME stuff. Second, some of the examples in this book use parameters from the various synths above that do not exist in any of my software synths. I have Absynth, FM8, Massive, Thor and Subtractor. For example, in the making a kick drum section, the book tells you to tweak the 'slope' setting of the envelope - this is an extra feature of the Z3TA+ envelopes. Instead of ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release), it has DASDSR (delay, attack, slope, decay, sustain, release). Many software synths do not have these additional envelope settings - so right away, I am not getting the same sound as the book when trying to follow the kick drum example. Another instance in this same kick drum tutorial is the use of the "Pitch EG" setting. Since again, this is a feature of the Z3TA+, I have no idea what this parameter is but if I'm trying to learn how to make sounds, I need to know ALL the parameters I am tweaking and why so that I can use what I learn in the real world on any synth. Over and over again, this book refers to the above software synths when giving examples, many times asking you to tweak parameters that are exclusive to those synths. So how am I going to learn? I have no intention of trying to follow the examples in the book on a demo version that times out after 15 minutes. Quick! Quick! Change those parameters before the program quits - and once you open it again, you won't be able to go back to what you've just done because you can't save anything in a demo version.

Which brings me to another point, I have a decent computer that I use for music and I'm extremely careful about what I put on it. Downloading demos from a company I've never heard of, is something I would NEVER do.

Another minus for me - the author offers sonic examples of the sounds he makes in the book for a purchase price of an additional $10! I'm sorry but if I'm buying your book, I think you might be decent enough to give me the sounds for free. As in the excellent Power Tools for Reason (Kurt Kuraysaki) book, where you not only get the patches/audio files needed for free on a CD, but you also get templates and a whole host of other very useful tools to assist in the examples in the book and for use on future projects. So between not being willing to use demos and not having the additional $10 soundfiles, I'll be fairly lucky to take away 25% of what this book is trying to convey.

NOTE: There should be a sub heading somewhere with the description of this book on Amazon that makes it clear that most of the practical examples in this book are directely related to 6 specific software synths.

So - if you own a PC, don't mind going to 6 different websites, downloading 6 synth demos (that last anywhere from between 15-30 minutes before timing out), that don't allow you to save what you've just created and are willing to spend an additional $10 so you can make sense of the examples in this book - then this is the one for you!!!

If you're looking for an indepth guide that explains sound design on a synth with the usual parameters, 3 or more oscillators, 2 or more modulation envelopes (that are standard ADSR), a couple of filters and traditional raw waveforms, not custom waveforms that are exclusive to the abovementioned synths used for some of the demos - then this book is not for you.

The Absolute Best Book for Synth Programming
I reviewed this book for Wusik Sound Magazine issue 017.

Having read a plethora of synth programming manuals, I am absolutely certain that this is the best of the class.

Do not make the mistake of considering this to be another synthesizer programming manual; rather, it is THE synthesizer programming manual. It's complete and detailed coverage of synthesizer components and synthesis methods will make it the de-facto standard for every book in this category.

Rather than waste time on tech speak or complex calculations about the intangible things going on under of the hood of various synths, the book focuses on using the controls provided on a synth to get the sound you want. For example, when explaining filters, the book explains how to use the controls to craft your sound instead of explaining the mathematics governing the controls.

No matter what your expertise level, this book has something to offer. I highly recommend it.