INSTRUMENTS
Free online synthesizer
A synthesizer builds sound from raw oscillators, not samples. Waveform, filter and envelope decide the character before a single effect is added. Play with the basics here, no install required.
Try it
- Select a sawtooth wave and play a note, then switch to square and compare.
- Close the filter cutoff until the sound is dull, then open it back up slowly.
- Layer a second oscillator, detuned slightly, and listen for the thickness it adds.
What to listen for
Sawtooth is bright and buzzy, packed with harmonics. Square sounds hollower, closer to a clarinet. Detuning two oscillators doesn't just add volume, it adds movement, a slow beating between the two pitches.
This tool is one part of the picture. Electronic Music Production for Beginners covers the rest.