

To understand how this works, we’ll need to get to grips with the idea of harmonics. Rather than starting with a complex sound and sculpting it, we build our sound from scratch, one harmonic at a time.

Īdditive synthesis works in the other direction.

Envelopes, filters, and the like are then used to sculpt this sound, subtracting the bits we don’t want. A subtractive synth starts by generating a rich, full waveform, like a square or sawtooth wave. To understand additive synthesis, let’s compare it to its more famous cousin, subtractive synthesis. Jump to these sections:įollow along with this tutorial using RAZOR. We’ll then look at some simple uses of additive synthesis, showing how you can create ear-catching sounds in just a few simple steps using the additive synth from Native Instruments, RAZOR. In this article, we’ll explore the theory and technology behind additive synthesis, and learn a little about its history and its use in modern production. So what is additive synthesis exactly, and how does it work? But when used effectively, it can be a powerful tool for making bold, precisely-sculpted sounds that are difficult to create by other means. Additive synthesis is often poorly understood–especially compared to its better-known cousins in sound synthesis, subtractive and FM synthesis.
