Intimidated by all those knobs and sliders? We break down the fundamentals of subtractive synthesis, explaining oscillators, filters, envelopes, and LFOs.
The Oscillator: The Source of Sound
Every synth patch starts with an oscillator. Oscillators generate raw waveforms—like sine, square, sawtooth, or triangle waves. A sine wave is smooth and mellow, while a sawtooth is bright and buzzy. The choice of waveform dictates the fundamental character of your sound.
The Filter: Shaping the Tone
Subtractive synthesis gets its name from the filter. The filter removes frequencies from the raw oscillator sound. A Low Pass Filter (LPF), the most common type, lets low frequencies pass through while cutting off the highs, turning a bright buzz into a warm, muted tone.
Envelopes and LFOs: Adding Movement
Envelopes (ADSR: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) control how a sound changes over time. They can shape the volume (making a sound pluck sharply or fade in slowly) or modulate the filter. LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators) provide cyclical movement, creating effects like vibrato or the classic dubstep "wobble."