How Analog Synthesizers Differ From Digital Keyboards

Series Summary

Analog synthesizers are synthesizers that use analog circuits and computer techniques to produce an electronic sound that is often heard in music composition. The first analog synthesizers (or synths) were derived from analog computers and involved other electronic modules such as oscillators, filters, amplifiers and generators that were connected by patch cables. Later, all-in-one synthesizers simplified the set-up and made synthesizers more portable and easier to use. Analog synthesizers were slowly replaced by digital components, but in the 1990’s, a revival of the analog synths prevailed.

In this series of expert videos, you will see our expert demonstrate how to work an analog synthesizer. Learn how to mix sounds using your synthesizer and using a keyboard in association with a synth. See our expert use different keyboards including a String E keyboard, a Juno keyboard and an Odyssey keyboard. Our expert gives an excellent introduction to analog synthesizers for beginner players. Musicians can learn something new in these instructional videos about the analog synthesizer. Learn about modulation, Kaos touchpads, oscillators and mixers in these expert videos.

Video Transcript

"My name is Dan Rapport. Today we are going to be talking about analog synthesizers and we have a couple of examples here and essentially what makes up an analog synthesizer is various discrete components, which can be modular or fixed in nature. The difference between an analog and a lot of keyboards that are being called synthesizers today has to do with the fact that it does not use any ICs or computer controlled components, it is all analog capacitors and components, so it lends a different quality to the sound and it can be much more expressive when playing live because you have all the switches and knobs to control various functions of the analog synthesis and all the keyboards that we have today use what is called subtractive synthesis as opposed to additive synthesis. Subtractive synthesis basically assumes that you are starting with a very bright harmonic rich sound and then you can modify that sound with the use of filters and envelope generators to make it less bright and less harmonics laden, so that’s the basic idea behind subtractive synthesis and most keyboards analog in nature we find that are non-modular will run off this basic idea of subtractive synthesis, which was invented by Bob Moog and Don Buchla back in the early 1960s."