Synthesizers: What Are They and What Do They Do?

992 Words2 Pages

Synthesizers can create all sorts of bizarre noises, from realistic sounding violins and cellos to distorted out of the world sounds almost all programmed by hand. They come in many different sizes, from portable keyboards to humongous mainframes. They are in music, movies, TV shows and just about anything nowadays. Synthesizers are an amazing tool for musicians, with the steep learning curve they come with, can really benefit any one that could understand them.

What is a Synthesizer?

A Synthesizer is a “musical instrument that is capable of producing a wide range of different sounds” (Russ 4) from “simple resources” (430). There are two main types of synthesizers: analogue and digital. Analogue synths use “voltages and currents directly represent both audio signals and any control signals” (71). Digital synths are number based, they use “numbers to represent the audio and control signals” (72).

Synthesizers are usually made up of “an oscillator, a filter, envelope and an amplifier” (“Synthesizers for Dummies”). An oscillator produces the sound from a “circuit that omits a repetitive sound” (Russ 421). Waveforms are a part of the oscillator; they are the “shapes of the sound wave” (434). Sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth are the basic wave shapes. Filters change “range of frequencies and give the most character to synths” (“Synthesizers for Dummies”). Cut off and resonance are usually a part of the filter. “Cut off controls the level of filtering and resonance controls the level or return of the filter” (“Synthesizers for Dummies”). Envelop is the “change of volume or level of an audio signal” (Russ 410). It contains attack, decay, sustain, release. Attack is the “initial segment of the envelope” (404). The higher the atta...

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Conclusion

Synthesizers are a great invention in the world of art and music. Artists like Nine Inch Nails, Frank Klepacki, and even composers use synthesizers that greatly enhance their music and may even compose music that is completely done in synths. The instrument has gone through many revisions to be affordable and become more powerful. The future of synths seems to be limitless as computers become more powerful.

Works Cited

"A Brief History of the Synthesizer." Documentation.apple.com. Apple Inc., 2009. Web. 31 May 2011.

Cufaude, Edward. "Beginners Guide To Using VSTi Instruments Aka Softsynths | Rhythm Creation." Rhythm Creation | Music Production and Audio Blog. 11 Feb. 2008. Web. 01 June 2011.

Russ, Martin. Sound Synthesis and Sampling. Boston: Elsevier/Focal, 2004. Print.

"Synthesizers for Dummies." Equinoxoz.com. Web. 31 May 2011.

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