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Synthesist Masterclass

10 sessions · Tuesdays, Thursdays · 2hr each

Beyond subtractive — the full map of synthesis

The Mix Primer covers subtractive synthesis because it explains how filters and EQ work. This course picks up where that left off and covers every other way to generate and shape sound — from FM and additive through wavetable, granular, physical modeling, and sampling-as-synthesis.

16 chapters of ground covered

Oscillators, filters, envelopes, and modulation — quick review of subtractive fundamentals before moving on
FM synthesis — frequency modulation, operators, algorithms, and why FM sounds the way it does
Additive synthesis — building sound from individual harmonics. The harmonic series as a sound design tool
Wavetable synthesis — scanning through waveforms, morphing, and the modern wavetable engines in Serum, Vital, and others
Granular synthesis — slicing audio into grains, texture generation, and time-stretching as a creative tool
Physical modeling — simulating acoustic instruments and resonant bodies without samples
Sampling as synthesis — the line between sampling and synthesis, and how samplers became instruments
Patching, signal flow, and modular thinking — modular vs. integrated architectures, and how routing decisions shape the sound
Sound design exercises — practical sessions building patches from scratch across different synthesis types

Prerequisites: Familiarity with subtractive synthesis — oscillators, filters, envelopes. Covered in the Mix Primer or equivalent experience.

Jan 19, 2027 – Feb 18, 2027

Tuesdays, Thursdays, 4 PM Pacific | 7 PM Eastern | 12 AM UK

10 × 2hr classes

$620.00

I'm a current resident $450.00

Price includes 2 months BKS Residency

What's a residency?

Residency is your Beat Kitchen membership —$85/mo or $700/yr. It includes office hours, gyms, beat challenges, and a community of producers on Discord.

Non-residents can take any class — residency months are bundled into the price. If you're already a resident, check the box above and you'll see the lower class-only price.

Learn more about residency →

Other start dates and times (1 more)

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May 30, 2027 – Oct 17, 2027 Sundays, 10 AM Pacific | 1 PM Eastern | 6 PM UK

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What students say

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I’ve been wanting to learn music production for a while and am so happy I found Beat Kitchen. The professors involved in this project are amazing - so talented, thoughtful and supportive. The classes help you develop the foundation and

—Belén, Los Angeles, CA

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Nathan has a great understanding of sound and music theory. He got me thinking and excited to dive deeper.

—Michael, Seattle, WA

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Very kind and helpful!

—Izzy

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I took the “FX, Synthesis, and Mix Primer” class, and it was amazing! This class covers all types of effects, such as EQ, reverb, delay, compression, tremolos, phasers, etc. Not only does the class teach what the effects are and how to use

—Eric, Wisconsin

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Took a class recently with Nathan and he’s a fantastic instructor. His kindness, openness to questions, and knowledge of music is truly phenomenal. I highly recommend this school for anyone who wants to be a great music producer!

—J, Brooklyn, NY

Explore Classes

Office Hours Weekly. Ask questions, get help, and connect. Included with residency. Production Gym Weekly. Production breakdown of your favorite songs. Included with residency. Theory Gym Weekly. Morning music theory workout. Included with residency. Ear Training Weekly. Test your ears and discuss — music, mixing, and more. Included with residency. Instrument Gym Weekly. Practice and workout on instruments. Included with residency. Weekly Beat Review Weekly. Listen to Beat Challenge song ideas together. Included with residency.

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Beat Kitchen At-A-Glance

Beat Ktichen Calendar

See the full calendar
Recent Resident Gyms
- INSTRUMENT-GYM: We did two different types of finger dexterity exercises that work for both bass and guitar, and talked about how to structure daily practice sessions- even if it means breaking the practice into two chunks. We talked about improvisation, and muscle memory, and did some practice drills of "not looking" at the instrument. Finally we closed with a G pentatonic scale, and talked about how to make practicing scales more interesting to open it up to writing and playing in a more intuitive way.
- THEORY-GYM: Covered tritone substitution — what it is, when to use it, and how to hear it in a ii-V-I-IV context. Also worked through a question about half-step intervals and when they're problematic versus idiomatic depending on chord function. Spent extended time reviewing a student's original singer-songwriter piece, with feedback focused on piano pedaling technique, rhythmic intentionality, and harmonic ambiguity around an A-flat chord center.
- WEEKLY-BEAT-CHALLENGE: We reviewed submitted beats from several community members this morning, focusing on harmonic choices in minor-key compositions. Along the way, we got into a substantive discussion about how minor scales work in practice — why treating "minor" as a single binary category is limiting, and how chord function and tonal center are more useful frames than scale labels. We also covered inharmonicity as an acoustic phenomenon, talked through DAW workflow for free-tempo recording, and discussed the value of quantity-over-quality as a creative practice.
- OFFICE HOURS: we talked about drum machines, listened to some student songs and discussed sound treatment
- PRODUCTION-GYM: We shared a production breakdown of The Doors "People Are Strange'. We talked about instrumentation, arrangement, structure, and production techniques- panning- close miking- even the choice of musicians and how that can change a recording. We also spent some time contrasting the Echo and The Bunnymen cover of the same song, to see how 1967 sounded agains 1988! We noted production and structural changes, as well as changes to the arrangement and parts.
- INSTRUMENT-GYM: Single strokes, double strokes, paradiddles and sung vs straight feels.
- OFFICE HOURS: we talked about re-creating songs as a production exercise, some mixing ideas and mixing tips, and communicating with others in the music business.
- EAR-TRAINING-GYM: We explored ear training through deep listening to a single contemporary R&B track, using it as a lens for examining background vocals as independent instruments, arrangement and layering strategy, mix placement and reverb use, vocal delivery and articulation, and song form. The session was open dialogue throughout — students brought their own observations and we used them to go deeper into production craft, melody writing over static harmony, and how a song's emotional arc can be built through stacking and restraint rather than harmonic movement.
- OFFICE HOURS: So many audio questions today. alot about recording and mixing with busses
- OFFICE HOURS: We welcomed a new resident, Hind, who shared a compelling a cappella vocal work-in-progress featuring layered harmonies and an unconventional phrase structure (alternating bars of three, four, and five). The session became a wide-ranging conversation about developing a production ear — listening deeply to music you love, building shared vocabulary with collaborators, and honoring the raw energy of first ideas. We also touched on the unique perspective drummers bring to production, and how to communicate effectively with musicians when your vocabulary is still developing.
Learn more about Residency
Upcoming Resident Events
- Theory Gym: Nathan
  Apr. 30, 5am (PT) | 8am (ET) | 1pm (UK)
- Office Hours: Jam Phelps
  Apr. 30, 2pm (PT) | 5pm (ET) | 10pm (UK)
- Office Hours: Nathan
  Apr. 30, 5pm (PT) | 8pm (ET) | 1am (UK)
- Office Hours: Cinnamontal
  May. 03, 1pm (PT) | 4pm (ET) | 9pm (UK)
- Weekly Beat Challenge: Nathan
  May. 04, 7am (PT) | 10am (ET) | 3pm (UK)
- Office Hours: Nathan
  May. 04, 9am (PT) | 12pm (ET) | 5pm (UK)
Learn more about Residency
Upcoming Courses
- Apr 19, 2026 Theory: Musician Basics
- Apr 22, 2026 Mixing: Effects, Synths & Tools
- Apr 27, 2026 DAW Core Skills
- Apr 27, 2026 FL Studio
- May 23, 2026 Logic Pro 1-Day Intensive
- Jun 10, 2026 Hardware & Recording Primer
- Jul 8, 2026 Hardware & Recording Primer
- Jul 12, 2026 DAW Core Skills
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