Guideline for Music Producers: Mastering Subtractive Synthesis (2025 Edition)
Make subtractive synthesis your new bestie in the sound design world! Stop being frightened by all the jargon and get closer to your music production goals with this easy-to-follow guide.
Here's a quick lowdown on subtractive synthesis:
What's the deal with subtractive synthesis?
This baby is all about taking a sound overflowing with harmonics and filtering out certain frequencies to sculpt it up just the way you like it.
Think of it like sculpting—you start off with a dense block of sound and carve away the bits you ain't feeling. This is how classic synths roll, such as the Prophet-5, Juno-106, and Jupiter-8.
A refresher on harmonics
By definition, a harmonic is just a waveform whose frequency is a multiple of the original (or fundamental) frequency. The note A at 440 Hz, for example, has harmonics at 880 Hz (first harmonic), 1,320 Hz (second harmonic), and so on.
Sweet, sweet history of subtractive synthesis
Analog synths from the '60s and '70s were all about this method. Enter the MiniMoog, one of the most popular analog synths to grace the past half-century.
But hey, don't let price tags reachin' $10K or more stop ya. We nowadays use digital synths.
Since subtractive synthesis is a bit like comparing apples and oranges to wavetable and FM synthesis, let's get fancy:
Subtractive vs. Others
Wavetable synthesis? More like sample-based synthesis (due to sourcing wavetables from audio samples). It morphs oscillator waves to produce sound, creating a feeling of movement in your sound.
FM synthesis takes the original waveform and modulates its frequency over time to generate a new frequency. The sounds you get from FM synthesis are often described as harsh and metallic.
Basic subtractive synthesis principles
First things first—choose your oscillator. This is the source of your sound, and there are a few basic waveforms to pick from:
- Sin wave: A pure tone containing only one frequency. Used for sub-bass and soft key and pad sounds.
- Square wave: A hollow, hard sound rich in harmonics. Used for basses.
- Sawtooth wave: The denser of the lot, with all odd and even harmonics. Plus, loads of high-end.
- Triangle wave: Similar to a sin wave but with a bit more grit. Used for softer leads and bass sounds.
You can also add multiple oscillators to create a richer sound.
Now filter it out
One of the first steps to shape up your sound is by filtering it. Adjust the low-pass filter to get rid of those unwanted high-frequency bits.
Work that ADSR
Envelopes play a crucial role in determining the attenuation rate of the signal – think Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. Fiddle with these settings to create unique sounds.
Dive deeper with LFOs
Use Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) to control parameters such as filter cutoff or oscillator level dynamically. Pull off funky effects and create exciting movement in your sound.
Excited to get started with subtractive synthesis? Don't be shy—jump right in and let your creative juices flow!
- Mastering subtractive synthesis technology can help you create unique sound designs for your music production in the entertainment industry, sculpting sounds using various waveforms like sin waves, square waves, sawtooth waves, and triangle waves, and dynamically controlling parameters with tools such as low-pass filters, envelopes, and Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFOs).
- Synthesizing music with subtractive synthesis not only evokes the classic charm of the MiniMoog, Prophet-5, Juno-106, and Jupiter-8 analog synths from the 1960s and 1970s, but also provides modern alternatives through digital synths, offering a versatile approach to music production that differs from wavetable and FM synthesis in its ability to carve away unwanted frequencies and create a denser, richer sound.
){kind=link}