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They defined the sound of the ’80s and ’90s, and today they’re almost impossible to avoid – synthesizers. Whether it’s grand chords in ’80s pop, rolling wobble bass in dubstep, or maybe heavy 808s in hiphop, it can all be made with the right synthesizer. That’s exactly why today we’re going to take a closer look at what synthesizers actually are!
The history of the synthesizer
In the middle of the 20th century, synthesizer-like instruments began to appear – though in very primitive versions. Some of the very first versions were built using vacuum cleaner hoses and used punched cards as data for what should be played.
Throughout the ’60s and ’70s, the various synthesizer manufacturers began refining synthesizer technology. In particular, brands such as Moog and Buchla were responsible for developing some of the techniques and components that are still used today!
In the 1980s, synthesizers made a huge leap! The MIDI standard was introduced, and Yamaha released their DX7, which is now regarded as the first commercially successful digital synthesizer. At the same time as MIDI and digital synthesizers gained ground, the form and features were starting to resemble what we know today. The ability to create your own presets and polyphony was becoming standard, while the size of a synthesizer had been reduced considerably, making them easy to move around or bring on stage.
In the late ’90s and early ’00s, software companies began developing the first software synthesizers. These virtual instruments made it possible even for people who weren’t working in large recording studios to have plenty of different synthesizers and drum machines available with a single mouse click.
In 1999, Steinberg introduced the VST (Virtual Studio Technology) system, which made it possible to use a software synthesizer as a plug-in directly in your DAW. This is still the VST system used in the majority of DAWs today for running software instruments.
Today, synthesizers come in all sizes and shapes and for different use cases. You’ll find them in any studio—if not physically, then as software—and new updates and models are being developed faster than ever!
Analog synthesizers
Analog synthesizers are extremely complex instruments, with many components influencing each other to achieve the desired sound.
At a very basic level, you could say that when you press a key, or send a MIDI signal into the synthesizer, it generates an electrical signal with a specific frequency. This frequency is calculated in Hertz (Hz), as we also know it from audio frequencies.
In an analog synthesizer, this frequency is routed through various modules that affect the electrical signal, which ultimately comes out of the synthesizer’s output as an audio file that can be read by your DAW, after which you can process the sound further.
Analog synthesizers are still a super popular choice today. They’re known for their natural, warm sound, and are often the sound you associate with your favourite synthpop bands from the ’80s and ’90s. But because of their complex design and many components, they’re also expensive. In fact, analog synths often hold their value even after many years, and some people even keep them as collector’s items.
Modular synths
Some synthesizers come as an “all-in-one” solution, while others you can build and modify yourself as you like. In a so-called modular synthesizer, you buy the individual modules—or building blocks, if you will—and connect them via cables from one module to the next. This way, you can 100% control the order in which the signal passes through the different components, giving you 100% control over your own sound.
Digital synthesizers
Where analog synthesizers use the electrical signal to create the sound, digital synthesizers work somewhat differently. Digital synthesizers don’t use filters and electrical components to shape the sound. Instead, the sound is calculated by computer chips, so when you press a key, it’s not an electrical signal being processed. Instead, it’s a calculation and emulation of how an analog system would process the sound when you add different effects.
Digital synthesizers make it possible to create sounds and other effects that wouldn’t really be possible on an analog system, but it comes with a “price”. Like anything created by a computer, it’s very precise and doesn’t have the same “warmth” and natural feel you find in analog synths. That said, there are digital synths today that get insanely close to producing an “analog” sound. And you can get a digital synthesizer somewhat cheaper than analog synths, which makes them a popular choice for many!
Virtual synthesizers
The calendar says 2022, and by now almost everything exists as software. The same goes for synthesizers. In fact, they may be the most popular type of synthesizer available today. As mentioned earlier, Steinberg made it possible through their VST system to use virtual instruments and effects as plug-ins directly in your DAW. This means that instead of having 30 different synths sitting at home, you can now simply have them as software on your computer.
The way a virtual synthesizer works is very similar to a digital synth. The sound is created virtually and calculated by the computer. Virtual synthesizers have the same advantage of not being limited by electronic components, and today a single synthesizer can be enough to create all the sounds you need. But just like with digital synthesizers, they’re missing some of the warmth and natural feel of analog synths—although there have been major developments in this area in recent years.
Where virtual synths have their big advantage is that everything is possible in software. You can easily download new sounds, update your instruments, and they’re inexpensive. Since software instruments, for obvious reasons, don’t have the hardware costs of a synthesizer, they can often be sold quite cheaply. Even the most popular virtual synthesizers such as reFX Nexus or Native Instruments Massive can be had for around 2,000 kr; by comparison, a digital synth can easily cost 2–3 times as much!
Keys or not – does it make a difference?
When you’re looking at synthesizers, you may have noticed that not all of them come with keys. Different manufacturers approach this in different ways. Essentially, the keys are not part of the synthesizer. The actual sound processing has nothing to do with the keys. In fact, manufacturers often make both a version with keys and one without.
MIDI
Now you’re probably thinking: “But how do I play the synthesizer if there are no keys?” The answer is MIDI, MIDI keyboards and controllers. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface (thank god for the abbreviation) and is a standard that makes it possible to digitise information about key strikes on a keyboard. MIDI files contain information about note, velocity, sustain, pitch, pan and much more.
MIDI makes it possible to play a synthesizer or drum machine without it having keys itself. A MIDI track can almost be compared to the paper roll inside an old player piano from a western film that plays by itself. When your DAW reads that there is a MIDI note, it plays the corresponding tone.
Different types of keys
If you want a synthesizer with keys, there are fortunately plenty of those too. However, you should be aware that just like with a regular keyboard or digital piano, keys come in many different versions.
A synthesizer is not, by default, intended as an instrument you play in the traditional sense—meaning it’s often not something you’d play for many minutes at a time like you would a piano. That’s why they often just have standard non-weighted keys. These are fine for striking a chord or playing a melody, but if you’re looking for a true piano/keyboard feel, you typically only get that in the rather expensive models. On some models, the keys have even been replaced entirely with black and white buttons that stand in for traditional keys.
What the different things mean
When you first take a look at a synthesizer, it can all seem a bit overwhelming. There are lots of buttons, faders, knobs and other things, all with different names. But don’t worry—below I’ve put together a small collection of words and concepts for you!
Oscillator: Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square
One of the first things you’ll come across when designing a sound on your synthesizer is the term “oscillator”. The oscillator refers to how your synth generates sound. The ones you’ll most often encounter are Saw, Square, Sine and Triangle. Each shape has its own distinctive sound because it generates sound in different ways.
Below you’ll find a list of some of the most used filters and envelopes:
Attack: Attack is a term for how long it takes from the moment the key is pressed until the sound reaches full volume.
Decay: Decay describes how long it takes from the note reaching its highest level until it reaches your sustain level.
Sustain: Sustain is the level or volume the note will hold as long as you keep the key pressed.
Release: Release is how long it takes from when you release the key until the sound is completely gone.
Cutoff: Cutoff is used, as the name suggests, to cut out certain frequencies. Often, cutoff will cut the high frequencies, but some synthesizers are equipped with both hi-cut and low-cut.
Pitch: Pitch determines how low or high the note you play is. This can be used, for example, for pitch bends, which are a popular effect!
Noise: Noise adds noise to your sound. The noise will most often be white noise, which many will probably recognise, which is activated as the keys are pressed and follows the rhythm of the melody being played.
I hope this article has given you a better understanding of the synthesizer, and that it’s a super versatile instrument. There are endless possibilities for creating sounds, and experimenting with it never gets boring. Whether you prefer software or hardware synthesizers, only your imagination sets the limits of what you can achieve!
