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Simon Cann
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Becoming a Synthesizer Wizard: From Presets to Power User 1st Edition

by Simon Cann (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 28 ratings
Rare book
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  1. ISBN-10
    1598635506
  2. ISBN-13
    978-1598635508
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Cengage Learning PTR
  5. Publication date
    May 26, 2009
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    7.38 x 0.83 x 9.13 inches
  8. Print length
    333 pages
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Simon Cann is a writer based in London. He is the author of a number of music-related and business-related books. His music related books include How to Make a Noise, Becoming a Synthesizer Wizard: From Presets to Power User, Building a Successful 21st Century Music Career, Sample This! (with Klaus P. Rausch), Project5 Power!, and Rocking Your Music Business. His business-related books include the Made It In... series of books (madeitin.com), which feature the experiences of international entrepreneurs who have built successful companies in the hottest business locations around the world. You can read more about Simon at his website, simoncann.com, and check out his other music-related books at his Noise Sculpture website, noisesculpture.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cengage Learning PTR
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2009
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1598635506
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1598635508
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.38 x 0.83 x 9.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 28 ratings

About the author

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Simon Cann

Simon Cann

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Simon Cann is the author of the Boniface, Montbretia Armstrong, and Leathan Wilkey books.

In addition to his fiction, Simon has written a range of music-related and business-related books, including the How to Make a Noise series, the most widely ready series about synthesizer sound programming, and Made it in China, about entrepreneurs building businesses in China. He has also worked as a ghostwriter on a number of books.

Before turning full-time to writing, Simon worked as a management consultant, where his clients included aeronautical, pharmaceutical, defense, financial services, chemical, entertainment, and broadcasting companies.

He lives in London.

You can get Simon's free introductory library, join his mailing list, and read more about his books at http://simoncann.com.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
28 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic for all synthesizers
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I purchased this book for an in depth understanding of synthesis modules within Reason 5 from properllerhead. While this software isn't used at all in the examples, it's unneccessary - this book gives you the fundamentals to use these modules as well as any vst or dx plugins if you prefer other programs. I've been looking for a book like this which really digs into what everything does on a comprehensive and fundamental level. This book will provide that for you. If you're looking for a path to mastery of synths instead of just turning nobs until you get a cool sound in your DAW of choice this book comes highly recommended. It demystified synths for me and gave me a feeling of having solid, "classical training" in sythesis technology. 5 stars.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Clebert
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really good book...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    The author added lots of historical references until the second chapter. At first I thought it was boring but this actually gave me a very deep fundamental to what I called my eureka on synthesizers. I have used synths before without a whole lot of basis and this brought me a much better point of view.

    It also describes modern techniques including additive, subtractive and samplers.

    I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how to design sounds. It's definitely a must have for keyboard players, and on my case was one of the best tech books I have bought in years.

    Very well written!
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Daniel Chiuratto Seabra
    4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing info!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Since I've readed this book, I've started to look to the synthesizers in a different way! I recommend to everyone that wants to understand what happens with the synthesizers and how to program it!
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  • Robert Stockdale.
    5.0 out of 5 stars currently reading
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    great book really gets into the nuts and bolts of synths Im half done so far and Ive learned quite a bit
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  • H. Perkins
    1.0 out of 5 stars Can't see the forest for the trees
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I know the author is knowledgable, but the book is too heavily geared toward one piece of Windows-only software. Even though other reviews refer to this, and the author himself talks about it in the first section of the book, I was not prepared for how much of the text is dedicated to the particular software the author uses.

    I was looking for a tutorial on synthesis - and it is in there, but to get to those nuggets, the reader has to wade through grainy black-and-white screenshots of a Windows synthesizers, and paragraphs of "click here and mouse here" text about that software to get to the good, basic synthy stuff.

    And there IS some good stuff here - information on MIDI, digital audio, signal flow, and how to get a sound from point A to point Z. There is a great small book inside this larger book.

    If you are willing and able to use the software the author uses, and/or willing to wade through that software-specific information to get to the basics, it might be a good book - but I found it useless. The book is also cheaply made, if that matters to you. It wouldn't have mattered to me if the information within was more universal, and more clearly laid out. But that was not the case here.

    I returned my copy.
    23 people found this helpful
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  • Bob
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Great book for beginner/ intermediate looking to break into synths.
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  • wadrad
    2.0 out of 5 stars Too focused on 4 certain softsynths
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Most of the 3-star or lower reviews have already mentioned it, but this book focuses way too much on how to program 4 specific software synths, 3 of which would cost money to acquire and use with the book (assuming no illegal downloading).

    I found "Power Tools for Synthesizer Programming" by Jim Aiken MUCH more useful, and it was the fact that I got as much out of that book as I did that I went searching for another synth-teaching-tool and ran across this.

    I pretty much agree with the 2 one-star reviews on here, but also feel if you use this book as an additional reference to some other learning material, you can get something out of it. It's not a bad supplement if you already have some good instructional synth books, but unless you have the various 4 softsynths to work through examples, a large chunk of the book is less-than-effective (without some SERIOUS translation of examples for whatever synth you might be using--less difficult for a synth-experienced person, but maybe not the beginners this book is mostly targeting). I'm not sure WHY he chose the soft-synths he did, given the amount of freeware or shareware out there that he could have used (and more easily accessed by the reader), but I was kind of surprised he chose what he did to write the book around.

    Part of the reason Jim Aiken's "Power Tools for Synthesizer Programming" worked for me was it was synth non-denominational. It discussed the technology in general terms not getting too specific for any one implementation of any one synth or keyboard, and the audio examples gave a good example of what he was talking about in the book.

    I tried working through this book a couple years ago when I first purchased it, and I just ran across it again, buried in my music room. Sad to say, I'm throwing the book away. 1) it's more basic than I need (for the most part) and 2) I have ENOUGH problems wrapping my head around the synth-specific learning curve for my Korg Kronos, Z3ta+, Dave Smith Tetra, and various other hard and soft synths without diving into examples that don't even fit what I'm using.

    SOOOO, the book isn't totally useless (at all), but the usability of it for ME, isn't worth keeping it on my shelf when I have much more specific and detailed PDFs and books that help me get more out of the synths that I DO have.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Mfragin
    3.0 out of 5 stars Just know what you're getting here
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    As others have said, this book uses a few specific software synths and looks at programming them in depth. That means that 80% of the info in here will adapt okay to just about any synth--but it can be annoying. If you are reading it to really understand the synthesis of sound theory, you will do fine. If you are looking for a step-by-step book to use at your side while you have the synths up on screen--just make sure you have the right software synths.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Daniele
    5.0 out of 5 stars Becoming a Synthesizer Wizard: From Presets to Power User
    Reviewed in Italy on June 27, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    il libro che stavo aspettando da moltissimo tempo per questo motivo lo consiglio davvero a tutti è scritto bene e molto pratico.
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  • Stephen
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must for budding synthesist's everywhere
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Simon has done a great job of this book.

    Do not judge this book by it's plain cover, this book is filled with all you need to know about synthesis and sound design. From waveforms, oscillators, filters, modulation fundamentals, filter and amp envelopes and how to make the most of them.

    Simon has given a beginner all the tools and theory basics to start sound designing and programming synthesizers. This book compliments well his other book How To Make a Noise.

    Again, I do not want to spoilt it all.

    You can take a sneak peek on this book's Amazon page.

    Go and look.
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  • David Gordon
    5.0 out of 5 stars The How And Why Of Synthesizers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Explains a very complex subject clearly and progressively, and an ideal introduction to how to make your synth do what you want. If you are looking for a book that explains synthesis in a way that doesn't require advanced mathematics or a specific synthesizer, this is the book to buy.
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