Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Patching up a Karplus-Strong synth from scratch in Pure Data Vanilla.
Karplus-Strong synthesis is a digital synthesis technique that simulates the sound of plucked strings by using a feedback loop to model the behavior of a vibrating string. Developed by Kevin Karplus and Alex Strong, this method generates resonant waveforms by feeding back a short noise signal through a filtered delay line with feedback. In this video we build a simple K-S synth from scratch in Pd, exploring what happens when we mess with the various parameters. By the end of this video, you should understand both the theoretical concepts and practical implementation in Pure Data, giving you a unique tool for your music production arsenal.
💬 *Join the Discussion!* Have questions or want to share your own projects? Drop a comment below – I love hearing from you all!
0:00 Defining Karplus-Strong synthesis
1:25 Noise "burst" to excite the string
3:23 Adding the delay
4:57 Setting up the feedback
7:13 Controlling the rate of the delay
10:21 Understanding the range of pitches
12:06 Adding the low-pass filter
13:21 Talking through the patch
14:05 Adjusting the envelope of the noise (bowed sounds?)
16:02 Closing / Next steps / Randomization
👆 *Click here for more Pd Tutorials* youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6FB_mmJ77C6fdV8G6L4zDut&si=ViA9-VMP7qCQFABh
*Check out no-talking Pure Data videos here* youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6ESr9SuBYJARJkETfp12Dp3&si=gYDWfq1dECkmWG19
🔔 *Subscribe and Stay Tuned!* If you enjoyed this video, please like, comment, and subscribe for more tutorials on electronic music, sound design, and programming in Pure Data and other platforms: youtube.com/user/SimonHutc/?sub_confirmation=1
Official Website - simonhutchinson.com
bandcamp (lots of free music!): simonhutchinson.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Sign up for my mailing list: eepurl.com/hVs7bT
Buy my old gear on Reverb (affiliate link): tidd.ly/48iMpdH
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/simonhutchinson
_My voiceover recording gear_ (affiliate links):
Aston Microphones Origin (Reverb): tidd.ly/4aiVSnj
dbx 286s Channel Strip
* Reverb: tidd.ly/4as22Bm
* Perfect Circtuit: link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/8-12626-329160-9759?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Fdbx-286s.html
(I sometimes provide affiliate links for products that I use and enjoy. If you end up buying something through these external links, it helps to support the channel, while the price for you remains the same.)
#puredata #karplusstrong #soundsynthesis #sounddesign #SynthTutorial
Patching up a Karplus-Strong synth from scratch in Pure Data Vanilla.
Karplus-Strong synthesis is a digital synthesis technique that simulates the sound of plucked strings by using a feedback loop to model the behavior of a vibrating string. Developed by Kevin Karplus and Alex Strong, this method generates resonant waveforms by feeding back a short noise signal through a filtered delay line with feedback. In this video we build a simple K-S synth from scratch in Pd, exploring what happens when we mess with the various parameters. By the end of this video, you should understand both the theoretical concepts and practical implementation in Pure Data, giving you a unique tool for your music production arsenal.
💬 *Join the Discussion!* Have questions or want to share your own projects? Drop a comment below – I love hearing from you all!
0:00 Defining Karplus-Strong synthesis
1:25 Noise "burst" to excite the string
3:23 Adding the delay
4:57 Setting up the feedback
7:13 Controlling the rate of the delay
10:21 Understanding the range of pitches
12:06 Adding the low-pass filter
13:21 Talking through the patch
14:05 Adjusting the envelope of the noise (bowed sounds?)
16:02 Closing / Next steps / Randomization
👆 *Click here for more Pd Tutorials* youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6FB_mmJ77C6fdV8G6L4zDut&si=ViA9-VMP7qCQFABh
*Check out no-talking Pure Data videos here* youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6ESr9SuBYJARJkETfp12Dp3&si=gYDWfq1dECkmWG19
🔔 *Subscribe and Stay Tuned!* If you enjoyed this video, please like, comment, and subscribe for more tutorials on electronic music, sound design, and programming in Pure Data and other platforms: youtube.com/user/SimonHutc/?sub_confirmation=1
Official Website - simonhutchinson.com
bandcamp (lots of free music!): simonhutchinson.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Sign up for my mailing list: eepurl.com/hVs7bT
Buy my old gear on Reverb (affiliate link): tidd.ly/48iMpdH
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/simonhutchinson
_My voiceover recording gear_ (affiliate links):
Aston Microphones Origin (Reverb): tidd.ly/4aiVSnj
dbx 286s Channel Strip
* Reverb: tidd.ly/4as22Bm
* Perfect Circtuit: link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/8-12626-329160-9759?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Fdbx-286s.html
(I sometimes provide affiliate links for products that I use and enjoy. If you end up buying something through these external links, it helps to support the channel, while the price for you remains the same.)
#puredata #karplusstrong #soundsynthesis #sounddesign #SynthTutorial
