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Relax: not every synth looks as intimidating as the Moog Modular V.

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Anyone can turn on a synth (or install it) and play the presets, but knowing how its sounds are actually created is another matter entirely.

These days, there's no need to spend hours reading sound design textbooks, but getting your head around the basics of synthesis will enable you to make a start at programming your own patches and pick the right synth for the job at hand.

Here, then, is a brief guide to the six most popular synthesis types, plus a quick rundown of some of the other methods you're likely to come across.

1. Analogue

Let's start with that most popular and familiar of all synth types: analogue – or rather, its modern virtual equivalent.

Analogue synthesizers are usually of the subtractive variety, meaning that they start with a waveform that's rich in harmonics and then take away frequencies from it using one or more filters.

More often than not, the initial waveforms are very simple, which means that an analogue instrument is unlikely to be your first choice for, say, a realistic nylon-string guitar or acoustic piano. However, it's this very simplicity that gives analogue sounds the power to cut through in a full mix.

From thumping basses to screaming leads, the analogue synthesizer makes its point clearly, concisely and emphatically. There are plenty of virtual analogues around, ranging in price and complexity, from numerous free offerings to Arturia's stunning Moog Modular V.

2. Sample-based

Sample-based synthesizers (aka ROMplers) also make use of subtractive techniques. However, rather than starting off with a simple analogue soundwave, they draw upon large collections of samples, which are then filtered and modulated to create new patches.

Obviously, this sort of instrument is the ideal choice for any acoustic sounds you might need, but don't overlook its usefulness for more abstract things as well. Refer to Cakewalk's Dimension Pro for an excellent example of sample-playback synthesis.

3. Wavetable

Closely related to its sample-based cousin, the wavetable synthesizer also draws upon samples, though in this case they're very short snippets, strung together in sequence and modulated in imaginative ways.

Wavetable instruments excel at spiky, digital basses and motion-filled, evolving pads. The PPG Wave 2.V from Waldorf is a gorgeous recreation of a legendary hardware instrument, while Siegried Kullman's SQ8L is a stunning clone of another classic

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