Although there are numerous blogs and websites dedicated to Synthesis and Sound Design, sometimes the best way to learn in depth is by finding an expertly-written book that can explain the intricacies of synthesis and sound design.
These are exciting times for books. Books now come in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited (free with subscription), PDF, and audio formats. After experiencing consistent growth for the previous five years, ebook sales were actually down about 20% in 2016, while analog books were up 7%. Analog books are back, especially with young children. Sales of e-readers declined steeply by more than 40% between 2011 and 2016 as more people use smartphones to read ebooks, according to consumer research group Euromonitor International.
However you want to read them, here are the best Synthesis and sound design books that we have found for producers from beginners to experts looking to improve their sound creation techniques and results.
The Computer Music Tutorial
Link : Amazon
By: Curtis Roads
Price: $74
Although this book is pretty dated, this is considered as some sort of a bible as a reference book.
It’s not the most excellent book when it comes to explaining “how to”, however, it does an incredible job of explaining how things work.
In addition to synthesis, the Book touches several subjects of computer music, from sheer acoustics to composition, mixing to signal processing and sound analysis as well as MIDI, DSP hardware and data flow.
Whether you are a music producer, a synth nerd, a sound designer, a programmer this book is still a must read no matter your level of expertise in the field.
Creating Sounds from Scratch
Link : Amazon
By: Andrea Pejrolo & Scott B. Metcalfe
Price: $17.57 (Kindle), $34.86 (Paperback), $97.99 (Hardcover)
Creating Sounds from Scratch is a practical, in-depth resource on the most common forms of music synthesis. It includes historical context, an overview of concepts in sound and hearing, and practical training examples to help sound designers and electronic music producers effectively manipulate presets and create new sounds. The book covers the all of the main synthesis techniques including analog subtractive, FM, additive, physical modeling, wavetable, sample-based, and granular. While the book is grounded in theory, it relies on practical examples and contemporary production techniques show the reader how to utilize electronic sound design to maximize and improve his or her work. Creating Sounds from Scratch is ideal for all who work in sound creation, composition, editing, and contemporary commercial production.
The Book is relatively easy to read and well illustrated, is surely more in-depth and synthesis and synth sound design focused than “the computer music Tutorial” as well as more up to date.
Welsh’s Synthesizer Cookbook
Link : Amazon
By: Fred Welsh
Price: $18.87
This book covers ground that is often left untouched by other synthesizer books and was written to fulfill the wishes voiced by synth programmers. Section one explains the parts of an analog synth in detail using harmonic and waveform analysis to make clear precisely what each synth parameter does. Section two is probably the most important section and it explains through examples how to use freely available harmonic and waveform analysis software to analyze and recreate patches from other synths, sounds found in songs, and the synthesis of acoustic instruments. Section three contains all 102 of the original 1st and 2nd edition universal patches for ALL dual-oscillator analog synths.
This book is of great help when it comes to understanding what every section of a synthesizer does. The only downside is that is a little dated, so you definitely won’t find the latest trend sound in EDM explained there. However, it will give you all the information you need to be able to surf those knobs and parameters from your analog and software synthesizers.
Sound Synthesis and Sampling
Link : Amazon
By: Martin Russ
Price: $34.76
Sound Synthesis and Sampling’ provides a comprehensive introduction to the underlying principles and practical techniques applied to both commercial and research sound synthesizers. This new edition has been updated throughout to reflect current needs and practices- revised and placed in a modern context, providing a guide to the theory of sound and sampling in the context of software and hardware that enables sound making. For the revised edition emphasis is on expanding explanations of software and computers, new sections include techniques for making sound physically, sections within analog and digital electronics. Martin Russ is well known and the book praised for its highly readable and non-mathematical approach making the subject accessible to readers starting out on computer music courses or those working in a studio.
Explains the theory of sound and sampling to allow readers to really understand the different types of synthesis and sound making.
Covers all the latest technology and techniques in music production and sound design enabling the reader to get to grips with the current shape of computer technology and music composition
Includes glossary and jargon buster for quick reference and grasp of vocabulary
Probably the most “academic” book in this list, this is a massive 500 pages packed with very in-depth information about synthesis and sampling, in my personal opinion I would rather read one of the books that have been previously mentioned however I know a lot of people who loved it so it was worth a mention.
Computer Music: Synthesis, Composition, and Performance
Link : Amazon
By: Charles Dodge & Thomas A. Jerse
Price: $59.99
Although once again this book is very old, there are some very useful chapters that despite their age still hold information and techniques that can still be used nowadays, most importantly it doesn’t only focus on subtractive synthesis but covers other types of synthesis like granular, and physical modeling.
There are a few nice extra synthesis sound design information such as reverberation and using distortion techniques that can be very interesting and inspiring when creating sounds.
Conclusion
I’d like to add my 2 cents and reinsure you that even though all of these books are quite out of date and even though it’s way easier and quicker to watch tutorials on youtube or ask on forums etc, which is probably the reasons of the scarcity of new books on synthesis and sound design.
Nothing will replace a good read, and most importantly, filters, envelopes, LFOs, and Oscillators have worked the same way for almost 60 years. So if you are looking to learn the basics any of these books will do just fine, and you can always find tutorials on how to make the latest trend sound, this at least until we get around and write our very own Synthesis and Sound Design Book.
