How Additive Synthesis Works

Let's clone an instrument's timbre using nothing but sine waves and mathematics on our first plunge into the deep, powerful world of additive synthesis.

[thechrisricci]

That cello to synth morph melted my brain. I'm legitimately intrigued by the possibilities of additive synthesis now.

[JakeG]

When you said "additive synthesis is the future" I thought "prove it, dude".
Later, you played that "cello" clip from one of your tracks. I then thought "well, this dude has certainly proved it".
Excellent video, man. Truly fascinating stuff. Thank you.

[CharlesFerraro]

"Additive synthesis is the future." I told my friend that years ago after researching the additive synthesis timbre morph capabilities in Kyma and and Alchemy. I don't think any reputable sound designer would doubt that. It's just a matter of getting computers powerful enough to render a FFT fast enough and with enough detail that it eclipses what humans can naturally hear. Just like how our sample rate and bit depth cover the resolution of human hearing. Of course, that bar will be raised once we invent cybernetic cochlear implants that not just restore hearing, but expand it. There's all sorts of fun directions that this discussion can go.

[RickyTinez]

Explained so well! thanks for the video

[ChrisLeeW]

Thank you for this video, you've inspired a project that I am pursuing for my Computer Science thesis project. I just got approval from the department today to design an fpga based additive synthesiser. I'll post all about it when I can, but it's about a year from full realization.

[Soundole]

This was unbelievable. Awesome explanation, and an amazing implementation.

[b_fiive]

This is the most impressive thing I've seen on the internet in the last week. Thank you.

[riffmaster]

I'd love to see a video showing the process of you creating that cello sound if that's at all possible? Love the channel dude!

[Andy-Frank]

As someone without a technical degree or a sound engineering background, just getting into music production, this video honestly shat on my ego and made me want to run in the other direction. Watching it a second time, I really appreciate the complexity, effort, and time that went into making this skillful demonstration and definitely want to start looking into additive synthesis and some of the terminology he covers on my own, so I don’t feel so retarded next time.

[jorkad]

I have no understanding of what I'm listening to but please keep making more.

[Pyroific]

that cello transforming between the realistic sound into the various synths and back again was sooo cool!

[KordTaylor]

I never realized that you liked analysis/resynthesis. Me too! But man you are so great at explaining and doing the math and all. 😍

[mastermeenie]

This is the first video I've seen on your channel, it's incredibly well structured and researched, I subbed straight away

[joyboricua]

I'd like to thank all those mathematicians & engineers whose insight have vested on us a way to understand how systems work.
Moreover, all these transforms are all related... Even on quantum mechanics!
And Ben, you've done an outstanding job. Thank you.

[Collagenre]

Would love to see a followup video demonstrating more about that cello resynthesis!

[cameramanjack]

Really dig that Cello randomisation, the way it alludes to the truth behind the sound's construction

[gdvibes]

Cool to see Fourier analysis taught this way. As a scientist who deals with these algorithms, I mostly approve lol

[Cloroqx]

I hope you end up doing a part 2 to this, as it is a very fascinating subject. Covering how you did the cello and beyond would be fun to listen to (though I don't know if it'd be fun for your to make). Cheers.

[BrunoDeLimaS]

Even though synthesizing could require less space in disk since it only require parameters for the sound, the process of synthesizing is heavy for processors, that is why some digital/computer synthesizers usually create a temporary library with all the notes/pitches. Like a pre synthesis of the sound, so it reduce amount required process for rendering and live play.

Nice vídeo, thanks for sharing!

[countenanceclear]

You're really a sound alchemist!! Such an amazing videos. Thanks!