Recreating Synth Patches without Knowing the Original Synthesizer

[drissa]

Hello Everyone,

I want to know your approaches to sound design, specifically how you tackle recreating synth patches when you don't know the original synthesizer used.

When you're trying to replicate a synth sound, do you start by categorizing the sound based on the type of synthesis (e.g., FM, additive, subtractive, wavetable)? How does this initial categorization aid in your process of sound recreation?

Additionally, is it essential to categorize the sound this way to determine which synthesizer to use for the recreation, or is it possible to recreate any sound using any synthesizer without this step?

Is there a particular advantage in sticking with one type of synth for all recreations or if it’s more effective to identify and use different types of synths based on the sound characteristics.

I would also love to hear about the specific steps you follow in the process of recreating a synth sound.

Thank you all!

[BertKoor]

You learn to know specific synth topologies by playing with them, exploring their possibilities and limitations.

Build experience by doing it. Then you will encounter specific sounds, and recognise how it's done.

There are good books about synth secrets, eg "How to make a noise" by Simon Cann (free pdf)