The technique known rather grandly as granular synthesis is an extremely powerful audio manipulation system that makes it possible to adjust the speed, pitch, and formant characteristics of audio samples independently of one another, and all in real time if your computer is fast enough. However, granular synthesis principles can also create new and often spectacular shifting sounds using very basic means.
– https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/granular-synthesis
In today’s session we looked at sampling and a technique called granular synthesis. At first, I found the whole concept pretty difficult to understand, it was only when we attempted to manipulate sounds we had made ourselves in Logic that I started to understand the technique and it’s significance.
What does it do?
The method operates on the microsound scale. It differs from normal sampling in the way that the sound is played back in an irregular way, the sound is split into small ‘grains’ and can be played back at different speeds, volume, and frequency.
I find the fact that you can create such bizarre and otherworldly soundscapes from very basic sounds totally fascinating. I will definitely bear in mind this method on future projects, especially any Sci-Fi based ones.
PCA Isobel Wilkinson - BA Film 