FAQ – Synthdawg

Frequently asked questions

Synthdawg is more about our love of synths and music production than anything else. We are part of the gear community of these devices and use them in the studio. Our philosophy is to create helpful and affordable references, guides and resources that support producers and musicians getting the best from their audio gear.

Our books are guides, they are reference books and they are notebooks delivered in a PDF ebook format to maximise compatibility across platforms and to enable your own notes and annotations to be added. Ideal when used with apps such as Goodnotes, Adobe Acrobat and other compatible document readers. This makes these books ideal for use on tablets, PC's and smart phones. Perfect as a portable companion.

The order is supplied as a digital PDF document hence no shipping costs. All download links are made available after checkout when confirming the order on the ste. This may take a few seconds. Also download links are accessible in the follow up email. You should receive an order confirmation followed by a separate download links email within a few mins of the order. Ensure you use the latest web browser for downloads and check your spam folders if you have not received the email. We strongly recommend backing up the file once downloaded and storing the confirmation email securely as reference. Download count is based on the product ordered.

Most modern web browsers are ok to work with the synthdawg store. It is however strongly recommended that your browser version is up to date as some older browsers may have problems with digital activities such as downloading files. Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge should all be ok as they auto update the version. Safari is also ok as long as it is the latest version. Safari is updated with the OS. Shopify store platform officially only supports the last two browser versions of all web browsers.

We have 3 edition formats that align with the price level and also the flexibility of each. All editions are provided with the same content for the specific book. Single Editions offer the cheapest solution but only cover one download. Ideal for people who have an immediate need for support but maybe don't need it forever. This option means only the current version is supplied. Useful for pre-purchase decisions and when borrowing gear. Lifetime Edition means you pay once, but can download multiple times. All future updates and content additions are freely available with a new download link, issued by email when an update is available. Ideal for those who use the book as a companion and grow through the lifecycle of the device and firmware. There is no guarantee of updates as the manufacturers OS releases normally govern content additions but generally modern gear has at least one, sometimes two per year. Legacy Edition is a fixed version where the manufacturer of the device has declared it as receiving no further OS updates. The content is fixed and updates are very unlikely. Price is set low with 3 available downloads.

We are always happy to listen to feedback. We are open to constructive suggestions and if you arent satisfied with our eBooks please feel free to let us know. After all they dont suit everyone. The best way for direct contact is by email. Use the contact form on the site and we will answer as soon as we can. Also we recommend subscribing to the newsletter. We dont push out a regular edition, but we send email news only when there is something to say, offers or updates etc. We usually issue new release or level up discounts to subscribers. Our email is info@synthdawg.com.

The phrase 'Read the F**k**g Manual' is often heard on forums amongst the community of musicians and gear heads. Synthdawg aims to support the community alongside the existing forums, videos, tutorials and podcasts etc. Also we aim to supplement and compliment the official support lines and manuals, not replace them. So hey, why not read our manuals, after all they can be quite cool, even if some of the official docs aren't so much.

We do not normally operate on a general commission basis or perform generic freelancing. However we do work together on selective projects and collaborations with some organisations. We have worked with Polyend, OXI Instruments, Modbap Modular, Play All Day, Torso Electronics, Enjoy Electronics, Synthstrom, MSX Sound Design and more. Some projects still active. The project must makes sense for us and also the gear manufacturer. There must be aligned vision, common ground and passion and we would like some flexible artistic licence. This doesn't work for everyone. drop a message to discuss more. We have limited resources so we have to choose wisely.

The first point to answer is, 'Do we use the gear and have a passion for it?'. The second is 'Are people interested?'. If these come together then its on our to-do list. The eBooks take months to write as they are developed from a user perspective, so the journey must be experienced. We are keen to hear what people want so drop us a note and we shall see what comes next.

If we write an official manual we get great support (of course). For the unofficial manuals its a mix, some companies are ok and generally supportive but at arms length. Some, like Teenage Engineering are better connected but still respect our independence but answer questions and give comments. Its safe to say that the gear for the independent guides is almost always purchased by Synthdawg, but there are a few exceptions and we do sometimes get the help of a discount here and there.

Right now no, we do not have an hardcopy printed version. We have been asked for this but there are some limitations, one being cost for print runs, then there is postage costs as the page count is large and also additional fees such as taxes etc. tHis becomes an expensive purchase. Add to that the update management given the OS nature of gear. We have considered an annual special edition, what do you think? We dont say never, but not right now.

We believe in the value of our guides. Some documents are supplied free of charge. These are found in the 'Free Stuff' section. The main library eBooks are charged at a low level to make it affordable and attractive, but also to at a minimum cover the operating costs. The price reflects the flexibility of the option, starting at the price of a cup of coffee. The website store, domains, emails, application tools and production aids are all regular costs as well as transactional costs. The price of a large Latte becomes more like a small espresso after the transaction fees. This is without even mentioning the time and gear costs.... However, the main thing is that we feel that the value outweighs the costs and feedback from many customers would seem to agree

We are based in the UK and design and produce the eBooks from the north of England, close to Manchester but nestled in Yorkshire. We also collaborate with organisations and our community from around the world.

Downloads. The main two issues with downloads we get are due to 1. emails directed to a users spam folder. These are important. 2. Out of date web browsers. Shopify supports modern browsers and the last 2 versions. Use Chrome or Edge and ensure any browser is the latest version. Opening the books is usually problem free. Reading the Books. We recommend using a PDF reader such as acrobat but also more useful are apps such as Goodnotes which allows you to annotate the books. Books are in A4 format and will fit tablets and phones well. Printing Books. Your are free to get a book printed for your own personal use. The format is A4. We try to use as much white in the content pages as possible to help ink usage. It is why we avoid dark or coloured backgrounds other than cover pages. Lost Files. It is difficult and manually administrative for us to manage your individual file histories so it is important that you keep backups of the downloads and store in a safe location.

You can use the store contact us page as the main route to giving feedback or asking questions. Also our email is info@synthdawg.com for direct access. We are also on instagram and X, links on the footer section.