Synthesis and Sound Design in Popular Music I: 1960 - 1983

Catalog description

Over the past six decades, we have witnessed a global revolution in sound as synthesizers, samplers, and sequencers have transitioned from the margins of popular music to become integral to almost every piece of recorded music produced and distributed worldwide. We live in an age in which modern producers and sound designers globally have unprecedented access to high-level pre-designed sound in the form of presets and sample packs, as well as generative AI tools that can engage in the sound design process. At the Clive Davis Institute, we believe that producers must have a deep knowledge of both the process of synthesis and sound design, the tools of the art and its historical context, to stand out as original sound designers, artists, and curators of sound in a global marketplace. This is especially true in today's rapidly developing production economy and its related technologies. This course offers both a historical perspective and a hands-on approach to the study of sound design and synthesis, beginning with a focus on the fundamentals of analog (subtractive) synthesis and the tools and technologies that propelled the synthesizer into pop music between 1960 and 1983. Through the use of the Arturia V Collection software, the class will virtually emulate and deconstruct the Moog Modular, Mini Moog, ARP 2600, and Buchla 100 synthesizers. We will then evolve to sound designing with the Prophet 5, Yamaha CS80, Oberheim OBX-a, Roland Jupiter, and Juno emulations. Hardware synthesizers in the Clive Davis Institute synth collection will be used as well.While much of the work of the course will be focused on learning the workflow of analog synthesis and building unique and personalized sounds from scratch, the class will be well-rooted in the origins and practical applications of sound design. Each synthesizer studied will be accompanied by casework of an artist of that…