So You Want to Make a Sound: Introduction to Sound Design

In this video for beginners, we'll look at the basics of thinking about sound when trying to make instruments with synthesizers. We'll check out what makes acoustic instruments sound the way they do. Then we'll explore volume, timbre, pitch, and filtering in Arturia Pigments and how they can lead to different results.

00:00 introduction
00:24 piano
04:45 strings
06:22 electric bass
07:10 review 01
07:26 sine, triangle, saw, and square
11:37 volume envelope
14:07 polyphonic, monophonic, or legato
15:21 low pass filter (bass)
17:58 review 02
18:20 low pass filter (keys)
20:11 low pass filter (brass)
20:34 low pass filter (pad)
21:47 high pass and bandpass filters
24:57 pitch modulation (solo)
26:02 pitch modulation (ensemble)
28:56 wavetables
32:56 review 03 and outro
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Thank you for watching. My name is Jeremy, and this is Red Means Recording. I've been making music for a few decades now, and this channel is a place to make music and to talk about the tools and techniques to make music with. We'll use synths, drum machines, modular gear, and software.

I have music as "Jeremy Blake" on all the major services:

And you can connect with me here:

[bca]

Bob Ross, circa 19XX: "Here's a happy little tree"

Jeremy Blake circa 2021: "Here's a happy little C"

[keynanmcfedries]

Please! Continue this as a series, it rules.

[timbabcox]

The only thing I would add, which will make this slightly more complicated, is that pianos don’t have harmonics. Pianos have partials. Pianos are inharmonic. I’m a piano tuner. Still, I love this video. It really makes sense out of the basics of sound design.

[msld_sound]

Joseph Fourier 🤝 Jeremy Blake
"everything becomes sine waves if you believe"

[forestaeon]

Let go of your existential dread with Jeremy explaining sounds ✨

[davidpereira]

"You can recreate (theoretically) any sound by using sine waves". Additive synthesis is gold

[peaceorperil]

this is legitimately the best explanation of basic sound design concepts I've ever seen. incredible work dude

[lotsofstevens]

Jeremy, no cap, your channel is phenomenal. It's not always a given that someone can translate their talents and deep knowledge into an engaging, understandable and educational format. Talented people aren't always talented teachers. But you really crush it. Every time. This video came up on my feed today and I'm like, "OK, we gotta get this dude a key to the city, any city, just give him his

[AlecBoyd]

I'm down for a FM video in this format

[crescenzodicecco]

"A sine wave is a pure expression of tone", that's beautifully put

[seth.graham]

Excellently done, most synth tutorials explain the basic waves and ADSR then end it there. Harmonics get a mention but they don't spend any time detailing their relationship with modulation, meaning a beginner gets to the end and isn't any better off. This is the better way to teach it.

[edwingamesandmusic]

Very nice. For me as a synthesist of 20 years, this video was a great example of how getting back to basics, revisiting the things you thought you knew but from a new teacher can yield new insights or inspiration. Always keep the beginner's mind, no matter your skill level!

[skylerever]

I had so many eargasms while listening to this!

[pstryarchive]

Pigments is the perfect synth for explaining this stuff, so clear and nice. The same could be said about Jeremy.

[EctoMorpheus]

I've been watching music production videos for years without any "official" starting point and this is honestly the absolute best video I've ever seen. It's usually just someone with lots of experience kind of doing what sounds good to them, which is VERY hard to get across to somebody with zero intuition. This video fills in so many gaps! Thanks Jeremy

[TK]

YouTube genuinely made it possible for anyone anywhere to contribute to the legacy of music and for that I thank you sir

[sfx]

Wanna echo what everybody has said, the gift of conveying knowledge is very rare and you have nailed it. Thanks.

[Veel]

I think you missed an opportunity to talk about "distance". A high pass filter often moves a sound much "farther away". A low pass sends it to an "adjacent room". Its the combination of low, mids, and highs of a sound that allow to sit at a certain distance from the listener. ...this is a nitpick. What a wonderful video! Added to my favorites to reference later! :)

[MemoryVague]

I've said it before and it's still true, this channel is like having a scented candle in the room

[BackspinZX]

I need an "Everything becomes sine waves if you believe" cross-stitch for my residence. that's such a perfect line, lol.

Super useful video! Nicely done! :D