In our first session we looked at subtractive synthesis. Subtractive synthesis involves shaping sound using the overtones of a waveform, these waveforms are usually generated using an oscillator on a synthesiser. The standard kinds of waveforms are; sine waves, saw waves, square waves and triangle waves. Each of these waveforms have their own unique qualities that can be used to create desired sounds, in order to manipulate these waveforms, they must pass through a filter and then an envelope or amplifier. The filter acts like a very basic EQ and filters out frequencies above or below a certain range, these types of filters are usually referred to a high and low pass filters. Once the sound produced by the oscillator has been filtered it then passes through an envelope. An envelope controls the ADSR of the sound, attack, decay, sustain and release, this effects the time it takes for the sound to be produced by the synthesiser, how long it lasts for and how long it takes to end.  

Synthesisers that use subtractive synthesis (modern ones specifically) usually have more than one set of oscillators filters and envelopes allowing the user more creative potential as multiple waveforms means multiple overtones to create more intricate sound. Abletons Drift synthesiser is a subtractive synthesiser modelled on older analogue subtractive synthesisers. Drift has 2 oscillators that pass through one filter and then to their own envelopes. Drift also allows for you to create both monophonic and polyphonic sounds, this means that when multiple notes on a MIDI keyboard (for example) are played, the synthesiser will play multiple notes at once. This is something many early analogue synthesisers could not do. Drift contains and LFO that can be assigned to any of the parameters within the synthesiser, this means that you’re able to create sounds that effectively move and develop the longer they’re produced for.