Native Instruments has released the Absynth 3 Tutorial DVD for their soft synth, Absynth 3. The tutorial is useful not only for the novice, but it's great for experienced users who want to get the most out of the instrument. Narrated by Native Instruments' product specialist Brian Smith, the DVD covers every parameter and menu in Absynth 3, and does so in a logical order.
Peeking into Windows
Absynth 3 is an oddity among Native Instruments' collection of synths. (The EM review is available at emusician.com.) Originally designed by Brian Clevinger and Rhizomatic Software, it has retained its single-window structure and blue-green sci-fi graphics. A set of tabs at the top of every window lets you access the various component views: main window, patch window, waveform window, and the windows for effects, envelopes, LFOs, and MIDI control. This inclusive structure creates a kind of flow chart for building sounds with Absynth, and it also allows a straightforward and comprehensive method for teaching someone how to use the synth.
After the introduction, the DVD is divided into nine chapters, each describing and dissecting one of Absynth 3's seven windows, with additional chapters on sampling, and surround sound and panning. There are two additional sections on selected artists — Jeff Rona and Junkie XL — and a larger section on Clevinger. The interviews offer brief introductions to the work and methods of the two artists, while the section on Clevinger is longer and allows him to relate the reasons behind the creation of Absynth as well as how he uses it.
Step-by-Step
Smith does an ace job guiding the viewer through the world of Absynth. Thankfully, his enthusiasm is directed almost exclusively toward teaching and he almost never resorts to humorous asides. Starting with the main window, he explains how the synthesizer is organized graphically and how that will determine the course of the tutorial. From the beginning, it's obvious that no feature will be left out: He describes every button and menu item in detail, showing the viewer by example how everything works. For example, in describing the use of the patch window, Smith takes a complex patch and dissects it module by module, showing which parts of the oscillators, filters, and modulators make up that particular sound.
The waveform chapter begins with an overview of waveform synthesis in both the time and the frequency domains. He then shows the viewer how they can be manipulated within the program. Likewise, the effects chapter contains valuable lessons about using time-based effects for echo and resonance, including an explanation of the physical nature of comb filters and multitap echoes.
The chapters about the envelope and LFO windows are exhaustive and show Absynth 3's unique sonic capabilities. Many of the lessons are illustrated by patches from the factory banks, although some of the process involves manufacturing sounds from scratch to show the various workings of the synthesizer. The DVD also includes a special sound bank with tutorial patches that are used in the lessons.
There are a few basic synthesizer concepts that Smith assumes the viewer understands. For example, Smith doesn't explain what a lowpass filter does. But even for those viewers that don't know the term, it becomes obvious from the filter's usage in context.
Just the Facts
The Absynth 3 Tutorial DVD is long. Nearly every chapter is over a half hour in length, with frequent suggestions that you stop and work on the synthesizer components discussed to get the most out of the lesson.
The primary aim of this tutorial is to get you to experiment and find new sounds for yourself, and it seems to be designed as much for sound designers as for musicians. All in all the DVD offers a valuable set of lessons, whether you're an experienced Absynth user or novice.
Overall Rating (1 through 5): 4
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