> I was hooked the first time I saw so many buttons, knobs, and flashing lights I fell down the synthesizer rabbit hole during covid. And the urge to acquire m

> I was hooked the first time I saw so many buttons, knobs, and flashing lights I fell down the synthesizer rabbit hole during covid. And the urge to acquire more hardware is real. Resist! Try not to chase synth youtube gear cycles. Remember, synthesizers make sounds, not music. Not that there's anything wrong with enjoying sound design, it is fun. But if your goal is to make music, it can be a trap. > Does HN have any advice on how to get started with synthesizers. For me, synthesizers didn't click until I got my first super basic knob-per-function synth. There was just so many things I didn't know, that a VST like Vital had way too many options. Once I figured out most synths are just oscillators -> mixer -> filter -> amp, plus envelopes and LFO's for modulation... I could use pretty much any synth. Here is Wendy Carlos explaining the above concepts in under 4 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SBDH5uhs4Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SBDH5uhs4Q Once you understand those basics, maybe look at videos that show you how to recreate famous sounds. Probably start with simple classic sounds so you get a feel for how the synthesizer controls shape that sound. Here is Anthony Marinelli showing you the bass sound from Madonna's Holiday in under 8m. He does a good job explaining why you use a certain setting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVedA7H4qpQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVedA7H4qpQ My last piece of advice: the online synth community can be a bit toxic <cough>reddit</cough>. Ignore them and just do what feels fun. It's a hobby after all!