In this video, Brian demonstrates how to transform any audio sample – he starts with a friggin’ harmonica riff – into a THX-style pitch sweep sound.

This technique is useful for creating transitions and other sound effect elements in your tracks. And, of course, for impressing the ladies.

If you compose for film, commercials, or video games, sound design skills are useful to have. But even if you never plan to work on those types of projects, practicing sound design will enhance your understanding of and ability to create audio, which in turn will make you a better producer.

In this video, Brian shows how to recreate some of the most ubiquitous sounds in the world – the classic telephone dial tone and ring – with sine waves. Brian uses Native Instruments’ FM8 synthesizer in his demonstration, but the techniques he uses are applicable to any similar synth.