Learning to play a synth

There are many forms of synth. Learning piano will help you to understand the concepts and techniques of a keyboard instrument. However not all synths have a keyboard.

Method
You will learn more about synthesis by doing synthesis. Supplement this with reading and watching videos.

Modular synthesis
Software synthesizers such as VCV Rack, Csound or similar are a good way to try out different synthesis techniques. Spending some time using one will help you to get a better idea of what modules you'd like to have.

Resources
In the 60s and 70s when synthesizers were a new thing the owners manuals, magazine articles, and books from that time had to explain synthesizers in very basic terms. These are still worth reading. Since then technology has moved on and nowadays there is a lot more to Learn. For newer products read the manual and YouTube has a lot of useful content.

Syntorial an interactive synthesizer tutorial that teaches you how to program a soft synth and trains you to be able to recreate synth sounds by ear.

Synth Secrets by Gordon Reid, serialised in Sound on Sound magazine from May 1999 to July 2004, is consistently recommended reading.

Manuals

 * The ARP 2600 owners manual
 * Fundamentals of Music Technology Volume One: The ARP 2600 Synthesizer by Samuel Ecoff, 2000
 * Virus tutorial - Programming analog synthesizers a tutorial bv Howard Scarr
 * Sound synthesis and sound design by Rob Hordijk, aimed at the Nord G2 synth but generally applicable to modular analog.
 * An introduction to the serge modular music system by	Rich Gold with	Darrel Johansen and	Marina LaPalma (zip file)
 * Buchla Music Easel Manual (Programming and Metaprogramming in the Electro-Organism by Allen Strange)
 * Part 4 - Step by Step Guide to Synthesis, Digisound-80

Forum threads

 * Best manuals in euro?, Mod Wiggler Forum, Mar 2022

Software

 * VCV Rack - The Eurorack simulator for Windows/Mac/Linux
 * Max - The visual programming language for music and multimedia
 * Csound - a sound and music computing system
 * Pure Data
 * SuperCollider
 * AudioKit Pro, free Open Source softsynth, iOS and macOS only
 * PySynth
 * Soundcard Oscilloscope - useful to visualise what the sounds are doing

Courses

 * Syntorial, training software teaching how to patch a synth by ear.
 * Constructive Synthesis, build and learn subtractive synthesis
 * Colin Benders The Complete Guide to Modular Synthesis
 * Learning Modular Courses, video training to help master your modular synth.

Videos

 * Intro to Synthesis, New York School of Synthesis by Dean Friedman, 1988 or later. Links to parts 2 and 3 are in the sidebar.
 * Exploring Modular Synths playlist by Modular Landing, last updated on 24 Aug 2021
 * Exploring Modular Synths - Beginner's Mind Series by Modular Landing, last updated on 7 Sept 2019
 * The Foundation of Synthesis Videos – Get started: Learning the fundamentals of synthesis with Marc Doty