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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.

Building This Class

Jan 19, 2027 – Feb 18, 2027

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

10 × 2hr classes

$620.00 includes 2 mo. residency

I'm a current resident $450.00

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)

More Dates

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

Building This Class

Synthesist

Beyond subtractive synthesis; advanced sound design and sound sculpting

Sundays, 10 AM Pacific | 1 PM Eastern | 6 PM UK

May 30, 2027 - Oct 17, 2027

20 x 1hr Classes

Are you a current BKS resident?

No Yes

$960.00

* This price includes 6 months required BKS Residency

None of these times work?

Building This Class

Want this class at a different time? Seats aren't on sale yet — raise your hand and we'll build it around your availability.

The more times you select, the more likely we are to build a class that works for you.

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What students say

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Very kind and helpful!

—Izzy

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One of the greatest, most fun classes I have taken. They open my mind to the possibilities of music

—Alex, San Marcos, CA

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Great resource! Super friendly! I’ll continue to check out Beat Kitchen offerings.

—Sam, Los Angeles, CA

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Awesome interactive/ accessable class, Nathan really cares and has a great way of teaching.

—Em, Portland, OR

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I would not be able to image a better music school. Not only the level of instructors and quality of knowledge are world class - the vibe, how it’s all organized and variety of classes is what makes The Beat Kitchen Experience so unique and

—MG, Krakow, Poland

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 Building Jam Workshop ideas into songs. Peer feedback. Instructor support. Prep for production Mix Incubator Your lab for carrying a track across the finish line — the forcing function that turns a produced or recorded song into … Production Incubator Your lab for turning a song into a finished production — the forcing function that leaves you with a track ready for the … Recording Incubator Your lab for capturing real performances of your song — the forcing function that leaves you with recordings ready for … Songwriting Incubator Your lab for getting a song started and out the door — the forcing function that leaves you with a draft ready for the …

Mixing & Mixcraft Advanced live mixing course: parallel compression, sidechain, vocal chains, drum mixing, stereo imaging, automation, and … Recording Studio Masterclass Hands-on recording studio masterclass with professional equipment. Learn large format consoles, studio etiquette, and … Songwriter Masterclass Master songwriting techniques with professional composers. Learn melody writing, chord progressions, song structure, …

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Beat Kitchen At-A-Glance

Beat Ktichen Calendar

See the full calendar
Recent Resident Gyms
- OFFICE HOURS: Covered pre-mastering mix preparation, including gain staging, LUFS metering, true peak reading, and strategies for managing dynamic peaks in choruses. Discussed top-down mixing with a mastering chain in place, the value of separating the mix and mastering stages into distinct sessions, and plugin installation troubleshooting on macOS (Ventura and Tahoe), including AAX path resolution, security/privacy settings, and risks associated with unvetted plugins.
- EAR-TRAINING-GYM: We worked through "I Can't Go for That" by Hall & Oates, using it as a vehicle for ear training and harmonic analysis — identifying chord extensions, cadence types, bass-line behavior, and groove mechanics. Covered how to hear stacked thirds as extended chord structures, how to distinguish perfect from plagal cadences by ear, and how modal interchange and line clichés function in a soul/R&B context. Also spent time on the rhythm section: hi-hat patterns, syncopation in the bass line, kick placement, and the relationship between where the bass plays and where it stops.
- THEORY-GYM: Covered syncopation as a rhythmic concept — how accenting off-beats and weak beats creates forward motion and rhythmic tension. Traced the concept from Western classical meter through Caribbean clave, reggae, jazz swing, stride piano, and popular music, with listening examples throughout. Introduced passing chords as the planned topic for next session.
- WEEKLY-BEAT-CHALLENGE: We reviewed two beat submissions this morning, discussing miking techniques, sound design approaches, and the use of texture and modulation in cinematic composition. Conversation expanded into the use of body-sound psychoacoustics as a compositional tool, Lissajous/vectorscope visualization, and the use of samples as modulation sources in synthesis. The session also touched on sync licensing trends and the Beat Challenge portal.
- WEEKLY-BEAT-CHALLENGE: Reviewed chord progressions submitted by members this evening, working through the harmonic analysis of a C–Am–Bb–F progression and unpacking how stacked voicings (a power chord in one hand against a full chord in the other) create unexpected color. Also heard a new improv guitar piece from Marc and a rhythmic sketch from Jon working in shifting meters (3, compound 8, 10, and 11). Much of the session was informal, with instrument discussion and member catch-up alongside the music listening.
- EAR-TRAINING-GYM: We ran an interval and chord identification exercise using a Portal-based multiplayer bingo game, working through a series of chords and asking students to name the intervals present. Discussion covered close voicings, chord inversions, the relationship between intervals and their inversions, and how a minor 6 chord is constructed. We also worked through the use of melodic reference songs as a tool for interval recognition.
- WEEKLY-BEAT-CHALLENGE: We reviewed work in progress from participants, with extended focus on a microtonal beat built on a noble number scale — exploring how non-rational tuning systems interact with blues harmony and functional chord progressions. The session also included a hands-on look at Bitwig's Grid modular environment, examining how polyphonic patches are constructed from sine waves and how waveforms can be sculpted by manipulating partials. A significant portion of the conversation covered Nathan's ongoing development work on a harmonic synthesizer that uses weather data as a noise source, including the mathematics of scaling that data across frequency ranges and the potential use of Perlin noise as a smoothing carrier.
- OFFICE HOURS: mixing vocals, listening to a student song and giving feedback, editing mouth sounds and plosives, sidechaining and all the different ways you can use it
- THEORY-GYM: Covered chord extensions and color tones through the lens of polychords — stacking two independent triads or chords to produce richer four- and five-note harmonies. Demonstrated how upper extensions (9, 11, 13, flat 9, sharp 9, sharp 11) can be understood as embedded triads within a single chord, and worked through voicing, inversion, and omission strategies for making those combinations usable. Used "Strawberry Fields Forever" as an analysis example to show how melody-first writing can drive harmonic choices rather than the reverse.
- THEORY-GYM: We worked through a chord-by-chord analysis of a student-submitted song, using it as a vehicle for ear training at the harmonic level. The focus was on identifying borrowed chords, slash chords, and functional voice leading — and on developing the habit of listening from a 10,000-foot functional view before zooming in to specific voicings. We also connected recurring chord progressions to named "tropes" drawn from well-known songs, framing harmonic pattern recognition as a transferable, buildable skill.
Learn more about Residency
Upcoming Resident Events
- Production Gym: Kallie
  Sep. 01,
- Office Hours: Jam
  Sep. 01,
- Instrument Gym: Nathan
  Sep. 01,
- Ear Training: Scott Hampton
  Sep. 02,
- Weekly Beat Challenge: Nathan
  Sep. 02,
- Office Hours: Jon Mattox
  Sep. 03,
Learn more about Residency
Upcoming Courses
- Sep 01, 2026 Comprehensive Program
- Sep 1, 2026 DAW Core Skills
- Sep 16, 2026 Production Incubator
- Sep 16, 2026 Songwriting Incubator
- Sep 21, 2026 Beat Building Jam
- Oct 6, 2026 Hardware & Recording Primer
- Oct 21, 2026 Mixing: Effects, Synths & Tools
- Nov 4, 2026 Mix Incubator
See All Courses
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