The Fundamentals of Synthesizer Programming

Moog Music has released the first in Dr. Joseph Akins’ five part series on the fundamentals of synthesizer programming, with an emphasis on analog subtractive synthesis.

Dr. Akins is an associate professor at Middle Tennessee State University. In this five part series Dr. Akins uses a Voyager to teach the process through which a synthesizer’s sound is generated and the techniques needed to program your own sounds and sonic experiments.

In part one of this five part series, Dr. Akins gives a brief history of synthesizers, goes over basic synthesizer theory, and overviews basic signal flow.

11 thoughts on “The Fundamentals of Synthesizer Programming

  1. I see the name “Moog” in books so often that it is interesting to HEAR it pronounced, properly I know, as “M Oh G” rather than “M ooo G”.

  2. I know its usually pronounced like mogue, but I think that Moog should be pronounced like Moog. Its not only right, but also funkier sounding.

    1. I know I’m supposed to pronounce your name “Toe-Bee” but I think I’ll call you “Tobb-bye.” It just sounds so much cooler and “funky.”

  3. He’s doing a fine job, but it’s an interesting and stark contract to see a collegiate approach vs a gigging/recording musician approach. He talks through the whole thing. A musician would be tweaking knobs, playing the synth and “showing” people what was being talked about.

  4. They removed the part where he says moogs are over priced, and have very naff slow envelopes and when you turn on the panel lighting, a high pitched sound is created, which is irritating and get’s in the way of recording.

  5. Note to director: when making an instructional video narrated by someone reading from a teleprompter, get a professional actor to present it. I’m sure that Joseph Akins is a very knowledgeable guy, but I’m not sure that I could sit through an hour’s lecture with him.

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