Analog synthesizers expand your musical horizons
From mood-setting ambient tones to raucous synth-pop, analog synthesizers have made a mark on music in various genres – and they’re not just for keyboards! Read More.
Instruments
The Amplifier ADSR Envelope: How to manipulate analog synth parameters
ADSR stands for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release, and each one of these four parameters (or “stages”) of the envelope affects how loud your analog synth sound will play over time. Read More.
Creating and modifying sounds on analog synths
From throbbing bass lines to sinuous hip-hop leads, from effervescent dance atmospherics to grinding industrial riffs, the sounds of analog synths play a huge role across various musical genres. Read More.
Meet the Vocoder: Make your synth speak and sing
In a musical context, the vocoder often starts with an analog sound and crossbreeds it, in real time, with synthesized textures to create some powerful and versatile musical elements. Read More.
Six examples of the Talk Box done right
If you’re looking for inspiration on how to integrate this inventive effects pedal into your own work, check out the following performances of the Talk Box done right. Read More.
Meet the Talk Box: Shape sounds and open new creative doors
The Talk Box lets you use your mouth to shape sounds, in real time, in crazy and creative ways. Here are tips on how to use the effect to amplify your own creative efforts. Read More.
Four Unusual Keyboard Instruments That Can Inspire New Music
When you think “keyboard,” you might think of a grand piano or Hammond organ, old-school analog synth or cutting-edge Korg digital workstation. But the possibilities for keyboard instruments go far beyond. Read More.
Managing latency with your keyboard to lock in your parts
When playing keyboards, latency can refer to the delay between hitting a key and hearing the resulting sound. Just a little delay can derail your part. Read More.
Seven tips for recording great keyboard parts in the studio
Having an inspired idea is one thing, but actually recording great keyboard parts in the studio can be another. Here are seven tips to put you on the right track. Read More.
Going mobile: A look at music making apps
Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for Dream Theater and founder of Wizdom Music, gives us his picks and favorites in the ever growing world of music making apps for your mobile devices. Read More.
Virtual synths and musical instruments on your mobile device
You can transform your mobile device into a Swiss army knife of synths and virtual musical instruments with these recommendations from Dream Theater keyboardist and musical entrepreneur, Jordan Rudess. Read More.
How to pitch your music for video games
Game composer Tom Salta and music publisher Jake Versluis advise hooking up with a quality music publisher if you can – or making a strong pitch directly to game-makers if you can’t – but how do you approach either sort of party and get taken seriously? Here’s advice on how to pitch your music for video games. Read more.
Virtual instruments – the secret ingredient of film, TV, and video game music
Ever wonder who plays the Hollywood scores? Not so long ago, film scores were recorded in studios and on sound stages. These days, that brilliant score might not have been played by a live orchestra. Technology allows virtual instrument developers to create near-identical versions of real-life instruments. Read more.
MIDI FAQ for beginners
MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is a language by which computers, virtual instruments, and hardware samplers/synthesizers can communicate. There are a lot of unfamiliar terms and concepts in the MIDI world, so let’s take a look at a few questions that I typically hear from first time users. Read more.
Virtual synths and the art of imperfection
A little extra effort spent on avoiding unnatural sounds when mixing synths with acoustic instruments, improving expressiveness, and tightening timing inconsistencies can help you get the most out of your virtual synths. Read More.