Tokøta from Mastering.com breaks down the vocabulary of synthesis before diving into Logic Pro's actual instruments. It's a quick primer on how synthesizers build sound from the ground up.
Oscillators generate the raw waveform (sine, sawtooth, square, triangle) that becomes your pitch source. Modifiers like filters and ADSR envelopes then shape that raw tone and its volume over time.
Modulation adds movement: FM and AM let one waveform alter another's frequency or amplitude, while LFOs slowly nudge pitch, volume, or filter cutoff. Effects like reverb, delay, chorus, and distortion round out the sound with depth and character.
Control parameters (pitchbend, mod wheel, aftertouch) let you shape sound in real time, and built-in sequencers or arpeggiators generate rhythmic note patterns automatically.