I’m currently working my way through Refining Sound: A Practical Guide to Synthesis and Synthesizers by Brian K. Shepard. I wish I had run into this book years ago. It’s making a lot of things about how synthesizers work clear to me. Things that I had only dimly understood are now making total sense.

The book is meant to be a textbook for a course on sound synthesis. It’s a great review of the history of synthesizers, which is really helpful in understanding where some of the concepts embodied in the Motif XF came from, and why they’re implemented the way they are.

As a result of reading it so far, I have a much better intuitive understanding of things like decibels, faders (I now know why they’re called “faders"), filters, and a number of other things. And I’m only partway through the book.

The Kindle Edition costs $14.57. It’s incredibly well worth it.

Hello Michael and happy 2018.  I’ve been hit and miss with this site having had other life circumstances taking priority.  Always good to see your posts, as well as those I consider the backbone of this site...... we know who they are!

Looks like an interesting read, and one I’d like to check out.  Many thanks. Hoping I have an opportunity to get back to my xf’s and Pick up where I left off a while back, but comforting to know this site is still around. 

Rich

Looks like a great book. Thanks for the recommendation!

Thanks for sharing!

Bought when you suggested through Facebook ;)