1. Explain the usage of the 5 most
important synthesis modules:
Oscillator, Filter, Amplifier,
Envelope, and LFO

2. Hello

3. Hello
 Hi! I am Darshil Rathod. This is my sixth assignment
for “Introduction and Music Production” at
Coursera.org

4. Hello
 Hi! I am Darshil Rathod. This is my sixth assignment
for “Introduction and Music Production” at
Coursera.org
 I will be teaching about “Compare and contrast an
algorithmic and convolution reverb. Demonstrate
the difference and the important features in both
types of reverb.”

5. Introduction

6. Introduction
 To produce an original sound, a synthesizer uses
several units or modules of generation and sound
processing to create a basic signal, and then change
the settings to get the desired tone.

7. Introduction
 We are going to study the usage of the 5 most
important synthesis modules:

8. Introduction
 Oscillator
 Filter
 Amplifier
 Envelope
 LFO
We are going to study the usage of the 5 most
important synthesis modules:

9. Oscillator

10. Oscillator
 The VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) is
an electrical voltage controlled oscillator.

11. Oscillator
 The VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) is
an electrical voltage controlled oscillator.
 Its purpose is to generate a waveform rich
in harmonics to allow effective treatment
by filtering section.

12. Oscillator
 Each waveform has a “sound
personality”, determined by its harmonic
content

13. Oscillator
 Each waveform has a “sound
personality”, determined by its harmonic
content
Sine Sawtooth Square Triangle

14. Oscillator
 a sine wave produces a simple clean sound without
harmonic

15. Oscillator
 a sine wave produces a simple clean sound without
harmonic
 the sawtooth signal for its part contains all harmonics
of decreasing amplitude and its corespondant is quite
soft and copper.

16. Oscillator
 a sine wave produces a simple clean sound without
harmonic
 the sawtooth signal for its part contains all harmonics
of decreasing amplitude and its corespondant is quite
soft and copper.
 the squared signal contains only odd harmonics of
decreasing amplitude. The raw sound a little hollow.

17. Oscillator
 a sine wave produces a simple clean sound without
harmonic
 the sawtooth signal for its part contains all harmonics
of decreasing amplitude and its corespondant is quite
soft and copper.
 the squared signal contains only odd harmonics of
decreasing amplitude. The raw sound a little hollow.
 the triangular signal looks like a sine wave rich in
harmonics and sound closer to an oboe

18. Filter

19. Filter
 The VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) is the
filter section of a synthesizer

20. Filter
 The VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) is the
filter section of a synthesizer
 A Filter is used to remove frequencies
from the waveform so as to alter the
timbre.

21. Filter
 The main filter is the Low-Pass Filter
(LPF).

22. Filter
 The main filter is the Low-Pass Filter
(LPF).
 Low-Pass Filters allows the lower
frequencies to pass through unaffected
and filters out (or blocks out) the higher
frequencies.

23. Filter
 Another common filter is the High-Pass
Filter, it does the opposite of a LPF and
allows the higher frequencies to pass
through unaffected and filters out (blocks-
out) the lower frequencies.

24. Amplifier

25. Amplifier
 The VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) 's
role is to amplify the signal (preamp)
before output to the external
amplification.

26. Amplifier
 By varying a voltage input, we can change
the amplitude of a signal, making it
quieter and louder by supplying a smaller
or larger voltage as a control signal.

27. Amplifier
 An Amplifier uses an Envelope to control
the overall loudness (or amplitude) of the
sound over time.

28. Envelope

29. Envelope
 There are many variations of envelopes
available. However, the most common
envelope has 4 parameters:

30. Envelope
 There are many variations of envelopes
available. However, the most common
envelope has 4 parameters:
• Attack time
• Decay time
• Sustain level
• Release time

31. Envelope
 There are many variations of envelopes
available. However, the most common
envelope has 4 parameters:
 This is usually called ADSR Envelope.
• Attack time
• Decay time
• Sustain level
• Release time

32. Envelope
A (Attack): Just after pressing a key, the envelope opens from zero to
full. This is controlled by the attack time. An attack time of zero means
that the envelope goes from zero to full instantly. Increasing the Attack
time means that it will happen more slowly.

33. Envelope
D (Decay): While the key is still pressed, the envelope drops from full
to the sustain level. This is controlled by decay time. A decay time of
zero means that the envelope goes from full to sustain instantly.
Increasing the decay time means that this will happen more slowly.

34. Envelope
S (Sustain): While the key is still being pressed, the continuing
envelope just remains at the Sustain level. This is set by sustain level.

35. Envelope
R (Release): When the key is released, the envelope then drops from
the sustain level to zero. This is controlled by Release time. A release
time of zero means that this will happen instantly. Increasing the
Release time means that this will happen more slowly.

36. LFO

37. LFO
 To modulate is to exert control or affect or
influence or shape.

38. LFO
 To modulate is to exert control or affect or
influence or shape.
 Modulation is used to breathe more life
into a sound and make it more expressive.

39. LFO
 To modulate is to exert control or affect or
influence or shape.
 Modulation is used to breathe more life
into a sound and make it more expressive.
 A Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) is a
very common modulator

40. LFO
 Basically, an LFO is an oscillator working
in a range of subsonic frequencies.

41. LFO
 Basically, an LFO is an oscillator working
in a range of subsonic frequencies.
 It acts directly on the generator.

42. LFO
 Basically, an LFO is an oscillator working
in a range of subsonic frequencies.
 It acts directly on the generator.
 Several settings can be varied and the
effect intensity: speed
modulation, frequency, waveform used ...

43. LFO - Examples

44. LFO - Examples
 To simulate a vibrato effect, the LFO
is modulating at a certain speed the
frequency of the signal from the VCO
(Voltage Controlled Oscillator).

45. LFO - Examples
 To simulate a vibrato effect, the LFO
is modulating at a certain speed the
frequency of the signal from the VCO
(Voltage Controlled Oscillator).
 Similarly, a tremolo is obtained by
modulating the LFO VCA (Voltage
Controlled Amplifier) volume.

46. Reflections

47. Reflections
 This is my last work for “Introduction to Music
Production”, we’ve learnt a lot of things this last
weeks, a lot of information, so I tried to present the
concepts as clearly as possible.

48. Thank you

49. Thank you
 Thank you for taking the time to read my lesson

50. Thank you
 Thank you for taking the time to read my lesson
 I hope I was clear and the work I’ve done could be
useful for people without this knowledge