[sdiy] books on synthesisers

[Michael E Caloroso]

First thing you'll need is a good foundation in math up to calculus.
There's no escaping this prerequisite.

There's plenty of discussion in the SDIY archives.

Hard to beat the full Electronotes set, but they currently aren't available
from Bernie Hutchins.

Good references on synth circuits:
US 3,828,110 patent describes the typical synthesizer system (many more
patents on till.com and google patent search)
Musical Applications of Computers, Hal Chamberlin 2nd edition
Introduction To Electrical Engineering, C.R. Paul S.A. Nasar, L.E. Unnewehr
Electronic Devices And Circuit Theory, Robert Boylestad & Louis Nashelsky
3rd edition
Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits, Sergio
Franco
Hardware Design of a Real Time Musical System, Sergio Franco's PhD Thesis
University of Illinois
Small Signal Audio Design, Douglas Self
Electronic Principles, Malvino

Be careful of internet resources - many of them contain errors.  These are
the reputable ones I have found:
North Coast Synthesis Ltd
ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook (1990s and later)
Elektor Formant Music Synthesizer Description Design Construction, C.
Chapman
Back issues of Polyphony (predecessor of Electronic Musician)
Ron Mancini "Opamps for Everyone"
App notes from TI, NatSemi, Analog Devices, Farichild, RCA, many OEMs
Anything by Rene Schmitz, Ian Fritz, Walt Jung, Barry Klein, Don Lancaster,
Jim Williams, Thomas Henry, Don Tillman, Forrest Mimms, Ray Wilson, Neil
Johnson, Magnus Danielson

Active filters are a subject by themselves.  Entire books have been written
on this topic.  Encompasses engineering physics, control systems, network
analysis, calculus, transforms - dizzying stuff.

Many will suggest Art Of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill - I am not a fan.

Hardly a complete list, many more I haven't mentioned.

MC

On Fri, May 30, 2025 at 9:18 PM david walker via Synth-diy <
synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:

> hello all does any one know of a good book or books on how to make your
> own synthesiser for beginners to intermediate skills i got sum bits a bobs
> made but be nice to have sum books on it any help will be a grate help
> thanks
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