For my project, I intend to use several synthesisers of various types. In order to understand the background of this technology and how to effectively implement it into my own compositions, I am writing this report on how it came to be and how it has developed though time.
What is a Synthesiser?
A synthesiser is “an electronic musical instrument, typically operated by a keyboard, producing a wide variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequencies.” (Oxford Languages, 2020).
Brief History and Notable Developments:
Synthesisers, or at least the idea of using electricity for the purpose of producing music and sound, can be dated back to the 1800s and possibly even earlier. “Many regard the Telharmonium, an electrical organ developed by Thaddeus Cahill in New York during the 1890s, to be an early predecessor of the synthesiser.” (Finamore, 2018)
In the 1920s, a Russian scientist by the name of Leon Theremin invented and named after himself a device called the Theremin (Finamore, 2018), which is an electronic instrument that can be played without touching anything at all. This is a truly unusual, but very famous instrument. The Theremin is a monophonic instrument, meaning it can only produce one note at a time. (Vail, 2014)
Below is a couple of examples of one being played:
Later on in 1957 a revolutionary device called the RCA Mark II was invented. This is regarded as the first musically orientated synth to be created and its key feature was its four programmable channels. It used a modular analogue tube-based electronic synthesiser which had fixed and variable pitch oscillators. This was all controlled by paper rolls with specific holes punched in them that would then be fed into the machine.
The Moog Synthesiser:
In 1964 a man by the name of Bob Moog created the first true voltage controlled modular synth, simply named the Moog Synthesiser. The concept of having several different modules that you could chain together to effectively design your instrument was revolutionary, as this allows for a seemingly endless library of sounds you can produce. It also would mean that each setup would sound different from the next.
The only real drawback to using a modular synth like this is the confusion and impracticality of having copious amounts of wires to connect various modules together.
Moog Minimoog:
Just 7 years later, Moog would again revolutionise the synthesiser by releasing the first fully integrated synth.
The while the Minimoog was only monophonic, meaning only one note can be played at a time, it featured three oscillators and their own signature filter. This gave the Minimoog great versatility, however the real selling point here was that it was now in a portable size. This gave synthesisers a real practicality in live performance, and also helped to make synthesisers available to a much wider audience.
Since the development of the Minimoog, synthesisers have gradually become more practical and versatile, with most synths now being the size of your average keyboard or smaller and having the ability to play multiple notes rather than being strictly monophonic. Here are a few notable examples:
- Yamaha CS-80 (1976) – This offered a generous palette of unusual sounds that stood out from other synths at the time. It also was one of the first poly-synths allowing for chords to be played instead of just single notes.
- Korg MS-20 (1978) – This difficult to control monophonic synth featured two oscillators and two filters, which gave it it’s unique squeal and low-end. It was also incredibly affordable compared to it’s competition.
- PPG Wave (1981) – This wavetable synthesiser was a success as it sounded completely unique, and could have up to eight notes played at one time.
- Roland SH101 (1982) – This incredibly affordable, simple, and unusual synth is recognisable as it’s selling point was that it could be played stood up like a guitar with a strap and handle.
- Yamaha DX-7 (1983) – This iconic synthesiser was the first of it’s kind to offer FM synthesis built in, without being absurdly expensive.
- Korg M1 (1988) – This synth sold over a quarter of a million units because it offered synthesis, sampling, effects, and a sequencer built in.
Moving through the 70s and into the 80s, synthesisers started becoming more affordable to musicians and their popularity started to rise massively. Appearing on many albums, songs, and even film and TV scores ranging from Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins (Yamaha DX-7) to Blade Runner Blues by Vangelis (Yamaha CS-80) from the 1982 film Blade Runner.
Notable Artists and Examples:
Kraftwerk – Formed in 1970, this band German band are widely considered to be innovators and pioneers of electronic music as they were one of the first successful groups to popularise the genre. Their fourth album, titled Autobahn, was where the group would embrace a more repetitive electronic sound which would then quickly become the main characteristic of the act. This album features the use of the Minimoog synthesiser on the original recording, and the whole album is driven by the synthesisers.
Jean-Michael Jarre – Many consider him to be one of the key innovators of electronic music. In 1976 the French composer, performer, and producer Jean-Michael Jarre would release his concept album OXYGENE. This features several synthesisers and audio effects, and is entirely instrumental.
Gary Neuman – Neuman is an English composer who has crafted his sound around the synthesiser, and topped the UK charts with his debut album The Pleasure Principal in 1979. He is considered a pioneer of electronic music, with his sound consisting of synths running through guitar effects pedals. His hit song Cars reflects this sound well.
This concludes my brief report on the development and application of synthesiser technology.
Bibliography:
Finamore, E., 2018. A Tribute To The Synth: How Synthesisers Revolutionised Modern Music. [online] BBC. Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3ryZCdlXtpkNG3yRl3Y7pnh/a-tribute-to-the-synth-how-synthesisers-revolutionised-modern-music>
Patterson, N., 2011. THE ARCHIVES OF THE COLUMBIAPRINCETON ELECTRONIC MUSIC CENTER.
Jeanmicheljarre.com. 2020. Jean-Michel Jarre – Biography Of The Pioneer Of Electronic Music. [online] Available at: <https://jeanmicheljarre.com/biography>.
Twells, J., 2020. The 14 Most Important Synths In Electronic Music History – And The Musicians Who Use Them. [online] Fact Magazine. Available at: <https://www.factmag.com/2016/09/15/14-most-important-synths/>
Gary Numan The official website. 2020. Home – Gary Numan The Official Website. [online] Available at: <https://garynuman.com/home/>
Vail, M., 2014. The Synthesizer: A Comprehensive Guide To Understanding, Programming, Playing, And Recording The Ultimate Electronic Music Instrument. 1st ed. New York, USA: Oxford University Press.
Moogmusic.com. 2020. A Brief History Of The Minimoog. [online] Available at: <https://www.moogmusic.com/media/brief-history-minimoog>
Merrich, J., 2020. History Of The Synthesizer. [online] t.blog. Available at: <https://www.thomann.de/blog/en/history-of-the-synthesizer/>