Musical synthesizers, also known as Synths, have come a long way since their inception at the end of the 19th century. Today, they are more powerful and affordable than ever, and are used in all musical genres. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced musician, a synthesizer can be a valuable tool for creating unique and interesting sounds.
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What is a Musical Synthesizer?
A World of Sounds and Effects
Before diving into the history and evolution of the synthesizer, let’s first talk about what it is. A musical synthesizer is an electronic device that generates synthetic sounds. These sounds can be produced from a variety of sources, including waveforms, samples, harmonic sequences, loops, and MIDI instruments, and it can generate sounds ranging from white noise to complex and intricate sounds.
A synth can be used to create music in the studio or live. Many synthesizers have a combination of interfaces, including keyboards, foot controls, joysticks, touchpads, LCD displays, and buttons. Each of these devices can be programmed with a wide range of sounds and effects that can be modified during production.
The most advanced synthesizing tools come with LCD displays and a series of synthesis controls that allow you to manipulate various parameters such as waveform, frequency, intensity, decibels, filters, modulation, and more. These controls are used to modify the waveform of the sound and create more complex sounds. There are also synthesizers that are specifically programmed to add effects like echo, reverb, distortion, and other sound modifiers.
In recent years, synthesizers have become increasingly popular among musicians due to their versatility and convenience.
History of the Synthesizer
A New Level of Sound Complexity
The history of the synthesizer dates back to the late 19th century. At that time, musical instruments were made with mechanical parts like valves and pipes. The first electronic musical instrument was the Telharmonium, invented in 1897 by Thaddeus Cahill. The Telharmonium used electrical current to create sound and was the first instrument to use electricity to generate music.
In the 1950s, the first commercial synthesizers were created, including the Moog synthesizers, by the inventor of the same name. These were large and expensive, mostly used in experimental and avant-garde music, until the 1970s when synthesizers became much more accessible and were used across many music genres.
In the 1980s, digital technology took over the music industry. The first digital synthesizers were created and quickly became popular. These instruments could create much more complex sounds compared to their earlier analog versions.
Evolution in Modern Times
The Technology That Changed the Music Industry
The 1980s saw the rise of digital synthesizers, which revolutionized music production. In the 1990s, virtual analog synthesizers arrived, allowing the emulation of classic analog sounds. In the 2000s, software synthesizers became widespread, which were even more powerful, versatile, and accessible. Today, they are used in all music genres, from jazz to classical, from hip-hop to EDM, offering a wide range of creative possibilities. Additionally, classic sounds from the past can now be recreated using modern synthesizers.
These incredible tools also allowed experimentation with new technologies, such as FM synthesis, additive synthesis, subtractive synthesis, granular synthesis, and wavetable synthesis. FM synthesis is responsible for the iconic sound of the Yamaha DX7, while additive synthesis helped create a wide range of sounds and tones.
Subtractive synthesis was used to create more natural sounds, such as those generated by acoustic instruments, while granular and wavetable synthesis enabled the generation of more complex sounds. Together, these technologies have made modern synthesizers more versatile and easier to use.
How It Works
The Science Behind Sound
Synthesizers work by combining different audio signals, typically generated by oscillators, which are electronic circuits that produce sound. The oscillators are then modified by filters, which can be used to shape the sound. The sound is further altered by effects, such as reverb and delay, which create a wide variety of sounds.
Synthesizers are incredibly versatile and have been used to create futuristic sounds that are heard in many modern music genres, such as EDM, hip-hop, and pop. With so many possibilities, it’s no surprise that they are a popular choice for musicians, offering exciting opportunities to explore new sonic landscapes and create unique music.
Finally, the sound is routed to amplifiers, which are used to make it louder. Through a careful combination of these devices, any sound can be created from scratch, perfect for making music!
Types of Synthesizers
An Infinity of Sounds
Musical synthesizers are used by producers, musicians, DJs, and artists of all kinds and can be analog or digital.
Analog ones rely on traditional electronics like transistors, operational amplifiers, and integrated circuits. These instruments are characterized by warm, organic sounds, with a wide variety of controls and parameters that can be modified to create a customized sound. With digital synthesis, the sounds are produced within a digital processor. The two main techniques for producing digital sound are wavetable synthesis and FM synthesis.
Synths can also be divided into modular and monophonic types. Modular synthesizers have separate modules that can be connected together to create a custom sound, while monophonic synthesizers are based on a single channel, playing one note at a time.
Musical synthesizers can also be used to produce sounds with added effects like vibrato, tremolo or flanger and are the result of modulating the parameters of the synthesizer, such as cutoff frequency, modulation frequency, or pulse duration.
Synthesizers have also had a significant impact on the world of music production. Thanks to their ability to imitate instruments such as strings and trumpets, they threatened the jobs of session musicians, and their use in commercial work was banned for a period of time.
These devices are often programmable with a multitouch dynamic keyboard, arpeggios, effects, and various integrated instrument patches. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can create practically any sound, with full polyphony and any effect imaginable. Thanks to these features, synthesizers are ideal for live performances, from ambient sets to dance-floor shows.