Welcome to Synth
About Twenty Thousand Hertz
Twenty Thousand Hertz is a podcast that tells the stories behind the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds.
They have released episodes about everything from the creation of Netflix’s Ta-Dum sonic logo, to the mystery of the default TikTok voice, to how the dragon sounds in Game of Thrones were inspired by heartbreak.
Narrated by the show’s host Dallas Taylor, Welcome to Synth is an introduction to the creative possibilities of synthesizers.
Along with this project, they recently released an episode about the “synth war” between legendary synth makers Bob Moog and Don Buchla, and how they approached these devices in wildly different ways.
To hear this episode and many other thought-provoking sound stories, subscribe to Twenty Thousand Hertz in your favorite podcast app.
Synthesizers: Start Simple
Synths can appear intimidating but you don't need a deep nor precise understanding of them in order to make sounds. Whether a beginning or a veteran, discovery may be one of a synth's greatest thrills.
Begin by exploring: turn knobs, press keys. Once you are ready to learn more, there is an expansive community of musicians, teachers, and tutorials that can help you to take the next step.
We assembled links to a few resources to help you start.
- Learn synthesis in your browser, no gear required.
- Learn the foundational concepts of synthesis on YouTube.
- Experiment with a synthesizer app on your mobile device.
- Buy a hardware synthesizer to experiment with.
- Learn about vintage synthesizers.
- Find inspiration from a few of our favorite tracks.
- Join an online synth community.
Create Your Own
In the spirit of creative exploration, we are releasing a series of visual loops that you can use to make your own “Welcome to Synth” soundtracks.
⬇︎ DOWNLOAD
“Partnering on this film was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”
I came to The Furrow with a densely technical concept: to explain how a synthesizer works. Together, we broke down how to communicate the content succinctly and beautifully by marrying my soundtrack with their design and animation.
The process of creating Welcome to Synth was deeply collaborative, allowing the visuals and sounds to influence one another while creating a piece that, despite its complexity, flows so smoothly as to feel effortless.
– Wesley Slover, Sanctus
Building a Synthesizer with Animation
As fundamental principles of synthesizing are explained, the animation builds in complexity to visualize these concepts.
Credits
Collaboration By
The Furrow
From the Minds of
Presented By
Executive Producer
Seth Eckert
Composer
Wesley Slover
Joe Basile
Art Director
Renaud Lavency
Narrator
Dallas Taylor
Copywriter
Casey Emmerling
Technical Director
Wesley Slover
Creative Director
Seth Eckert
Producer
Janet Tousseau
Casey Emmerling
Andrew Anderson
Samantha Rinebold
David Roux
Designer
Renaud Lavency
Rommel Ruiz
Grace Poole
Seth Eckert
Animator
Nick Parente
Jordan Scott
Thiago Steka
Ricardo Drehmer
Matt Jameson
Sound Designer and Engineer
Trevor Richardson
Special Thanks
Adam Plouff
Zack Lovatt