Synthetizer

A synthetizer is a Musical instrument able to generate and to handle its S electronic lies by means of electronic oscillators producing of the forms of Onde S which one modulates using techniques such as the additive synthesis, the subtractive synthesis, the Synthèse FM, the physical Modélisation or the Phase modulation.

The sounds can be created either in manner Analogique using electrical circuits having a continuous behavior, or in manner Numérique using circuits modelling the analogical forms of waves numerically, or even in a mixed way by exploiting these two possibilities.

A synthetizer has usually a keyboard which makes it possible to play with the instrument. However, the interface of a synthetizer is not inevitably a keyboard, it can be presented in the form of a tactile ribbon or even be the detection of the position of the hand of the player in space. Contrary, an electronic instrument provided with a keyboard is not inevitably a synthetizer.

One of the aspects most characteristic of any sound is its envelope of amplitude. This envelope determines if the sound is percussif, like the clear case of a battery, or persistent, like a cord of violin. Generally, working of the profile of the amplitude of a sound is carried out with a model of envelope " ADSR" ( Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release , i.e attacks, decline, maintenance, relaxation) applied to control the volume of the oscillators. Separately the sustain , each one of these stages is modelled by a change in volume (often exponential).

  • the lasted of attack is the duration put for the first rise in the noise level

  • the lasted of decline is the duration put for the following fall up to the level of maintenance
  • the level of maintenance , the third stage, is constant volume produces when a key is maintained
  • the lasted of relaxation is the put duration so that the sound decreases of the level of maintenance up to the null level when the key is slackened. If the key is slackened during the stage of attack or decline, the phase of maintenance usually passed. In a similar way, a level of maintenance of zero will produce an envelope more or less piano (or percussif), without continuously maintained level, even if a key is maintained. Exponential rates are usually used because they more precisely model the true physical vibrations, which increase or decrease in an exponential way.

Although the oscillations of truths instruments also change frequency, the majority of the instruments can be modelled well without this refining. This refining is necessary to create a Vibrato.

Most current methods of synthesis

Three types of sound Synthèse prevailed in the history of the synthetizers. Most current are the analogical syntheses subtractive and additive (the additive one was used at the beginning of the 20th century on an instrument called the Telharmonium. It was the first). They knew their hours of glory in the Années 1970 then their back in favor in the Années 1990 with 2000 because of their very widespread use in the Current musics, and that continues today thanks to their accessibility in the form of data-processing Logiciel. However it does not act more than one analogical treatment of the sound but of a digital processing which simulates the analogical behavior of the synthetizers of this time.

In the Years 1980, another type of synthesis gained a broad success, it acts of the Synthèse FM. The principle is radically different, it rests on the Frequency modulation.

For more details, to see the sound article Synthesis.

Attention, the electronic musical instruments provided with a keyboard are not inevitably synthetizers: most of the time they are apparatuses which reproduce sounds preregistered rather than to manufacture sounds of all parts.

History

The history of the sound Synthesis and that of the synthetizer being closely bound, they are both gathered here.

Ancestors

1874 - After having deposited unprofitably the patent of the Telephone (one hour after Alexandre Beautiful Graham), Elisha Gray invents the musical Télégraphe. This one comprises a keyboard of two octaves and exploits via electromagnets the metal vibrations of plates. The diffusion is ensured by the phone network.

1897 - the américan Thaddeus Cahill invents the Telharmonium, also called Dynamophone because it functions using 408 Dynamo S. It will inspire the design of the Orgue Hammond later 40 years and uses to him also the phone network.

1907 - Lee De Forest invents the Vacuum tube (the electronic “lamp”, the Triode) which will make it possible to carry out electronic circuits.

1917 - Russian Lev Termen invents the Theremin, instrument little running but still played and built today. He does not comprise a keyboard but two antennas which are influenced by the positions of the hands, one being used to control the height and the other the volume of the sound; this sound is the result of the difference between two oscillators working with very high frequencies. It is him which makes the " chœurs" in the piece Good Vibrations of Brian Wilson (Beach Boys).

1928 - Maurice Martenot invents “the Ondes Martenot”, instrument which uses the same principle of difference between two high frequencies but has of a keyboard and a means of making glissandos. This instrument with the attractive sound was republished in 2001 under the name of Ondéa and is exploited in particular in concert by Yann Tiersen. Quite front, of the artists like Olivier Messiaen, Edgar Varèse or Darius Milhaud composed for him a true repertory.

1930 - the Trautonium of German Friedrich Trautwein is the first synthetizer with subtractive synthesis. The band its of the film " Oiseaux" of Alfred Hitchcock was entirely realized with this instrument, by Oskar Sala, in particular the cries of the birds.

1935 - It is the birth of the Orgue Hammond, conceived by Laurens Hammond which worked at the origin with the development of an engine intended for a clock. The sounds of the Hammond organ are created by a great number of phonic wheels (kinds of dynamos) and according to a process of additive synthesis. This instrument is completely polyphonic. Intended initially for the churches, it will be popularized by the Gospel then the Blues, the Jazz and the Rock. It is still very popular today.

1947 - the French electronics specialist Constant Martin invents the Clavioline, instrument with keyboard (an octave and half) having one oscillator.

1950 - the leader Raymond Scott creates Clavivox to produce advertizing jingles, then the Electronium, an instrument very avant-gardist since it is at the same time a synthetizer and a sequencer, thus allowing to program melodies.

1969 - the guitarist of the Who, Pete Townshend uses the instrument on their album Tommy like on the following. The synthetizer will become then an instrument of Rock.

See too

Internal bonds

Remarkable synthetizers

Here a list of the instruments which represented a big step on the level of the sound or a musical style and which deserve a dedicated article. For each instrument, dependant musicians or styles étroitements are indicated. For more models of synthetizers, to see : Category: Synthetizer.

External bond

  • Of information on the analogical synthés old men
  • History of the synthetizers by Audiofanzine
  • Gallery of synthetizers with testimonys of musicians
  • French Forum of Synthetizers DO-IT-YOURSELF Bonds, projects, achievements…
  • synthetizers of the Museum of the music (Paris)
  • VST 4 FREE virtual Synthetizers

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