Ableton have released an update to Learning Synths, their free interactive website that teaches the fundamentals of synthesis. The site provides step-by-step lessons covering the main components of synthesisers, including oscillators, filters, envelopes and LFOs - all powered by a two-oscillator monosynth running inside a web browser. This latest version adds some intriguing new features including a configurable X/Y pad, and a Playground window offering more in-depth control of the synth’s settings. Users also now have the ability to make recordings as they play, and can even export their sounds into the manufacturer’s Live software to continue their work in finer detail.
New Features
- Export – turn your creation into a Live Set containing a new Max for Live synth inexactly the same state you left it in on the browser
- Record – capture up to 60 seconds of audio, so you can record the output of the synth as you manipulate its sound
- A configurable XY pad – control over almost 30 parameters, allowing you to quickly experiment with new sound combinations
- “Open in Playground” – edit the sounds on lesson pages in more depth in the Playground, and then potentially explore them further in Live
- Dark mode support – switches on and off based on your system preferences
- Now with Turkish, Finnish and Portuguese language support
Learning Synths is free, and works on phones, tablets, computers, or any device with internet access and a modern web browser.
