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synthesizers as preferable, others counter that analog and digital synthesis simply represent different sonic generation processes that both reproduce characteristics the other misses. Another factor considered to have increased use of analog synths since the 1990s is weariness with the complex screen-based navigation systems of digital synths, with the "hands-on", practical controls of analog synths – potentiometer knobs, faders, and other features – offering a strong appeal.
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376:. Moog established standards recognized worldwide for control interfacing on analog synthesizers, using an exponential 1-volt-per-octave pitch control and a separate pulse triggering signal. These control signals were routed using the same types of connectors and cables that were used for routing the synthesized sound signals. A specialized form of analog synthesizer is the analog
407:. In 1970, Moog designed an innovative synthesizer with a built-in keyboard and without modular design—the analog circuits were retained, but made interconnectable with switches in a simplified arrangement called "normalization". Though less flexible than a modular design, normalization made the instrument more portable and easier to use. This first pre-patched synthesizer, the
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signal flow. In the 1970s, miniaturized solid-state components let manufacturers produce self-contained, portable instruments, which musicians soon began to use in live performances. Electronic synthesizers quickly become a standard part of the popular-music repertoire. The first movie to use music
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could be damaged by use (creating hard-to-find intermittent faults) and made complex patches difficult and time-consuming to recreate. Thus, later analog synthesizers used the same building blocks, but integrated them into single units, eliminating patch cords in favour of integrated signal routing
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interface standard was developed for these systems. This generation of synthesizers often featured six or eight voice polyphony. Also during this period, a number of analog/digital hybrid synthesizers were introduced, which replaced certain sound-producing functions with digital equivalents, for
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scenes who wanted to produce electronic music but lacked the budget for large digital systems created a market for the then cheap second hand analog equipment. This increased demand for analog synthesizers towards the mid-1990s, as larger numbers of musicians gradually rediscovered the analog
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In addition, despite the widespread availability during the 2000s of relatively inexpensive digital synthesizers that offered complex synthesis algorithms and envelopes, some musicians are attracted to the sounds of monophonic and polyphonic analog synths. While some musicians embrace analog
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Early analog synthesizers used technology from electronic analog computers and laboratory test equipment. They were generally "modular" synthesizers, consisting of a number of independent electronic modules connected by patch cables into a
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and kit synthesizer modules, as well as an increase in the number of commercial companies selling analog modules. Reverse engineering has also revealed the secrets of some synthesizer components, such as those from
276:, many of these would not be considered synthesizers by the standards of later instruments. However, some of these synthesizers achieved a high level of sophistication, such as the
521:(waveforms constructed via additive synthesis). With the falling cost of microprocessors, this architecture became the standard architecture for high-end analog synthesizers.
508:. These used microprocessors for system control and control voltage generation, including envelope trigger generation, but the main sound generating path remained analog. The
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was an attempt to create a truly polyphonic analog synthesizer, with sound generation circuitry for every key on the keyboard. However, its architecture resembled an
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also influenced the design of nearly all subsequent synthesizers, with integrated keyboard, pitch wheel and modulation wheel, and a
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that resembled the jackfields used by 1940s-era telephone operators. Synthesizer modules in early analog synthesizers included
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The earliest mention of a "synthetic harmoniser" using electricity appears to be in 1906, created by the
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using samples, software, or specialized digital circuitry, and the construction of new analog keyboard synths such as the
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integrated them into single units, eliminating patch cords in favour of integrated signal routing systems.
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included a number of fader-style controls, switches, patch cord-connected modules, and a keyboard.
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are often used to make a sound that resembles a musical instrument talking or singing.
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largely replaced analog synthesizers. By the early 1990s, however, musicians from the
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more than a traditional analog synthesizer, and the
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709:"Video Explains Why Difference Between Analog, Digital Isn't What Most People Think"
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qualities. As a result, sounds associated with analog synths became popular again.
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produced a large number of movie soundtracks that featured synthesizers.
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Notable makers of all-in-one analog synthesizers included Moog, ARP,
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to modify the sound. While 1960s-era analog synthesizers such as the
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The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s, such as the
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for others. The TR-808 improves on these designs, by using detuned
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Over time, this increased demand for used units (such as the 1980
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was a notable manufacturer of analog polyphonic synthesizers. The
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oscillators (for the cow bell and cymbal sounds) and analogue
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The earliest synthesizers used a variety of thermionic-valve (
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517:(which played back PCM samples of various waveforms) and the
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used a number of independent electronic modules connected by
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411:, became highly popular, with over 12,000 units sold. The
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example the digital oscillators in synthesizers like the
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is one of the most popular analog synthesizers ever built
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The lapse of patents in recent years, such as for the
341:. Some synthesizers also had effects devices, such as
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bass synthesizer). Late 1970s-era drum machines used
380:, based on equipment developed for speech synthesis.
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was one of the most popular synthesizers ever built
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
647:Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1906
609:transistor ladder filter, has spurred a return of
561:voice circuits for pitched drum sounds and shaped
685:, Mix Magazine, September 1, 2006, archived from
682:1970 Robert Moog Moog Music Minimoog Synthesizer
504:-controlled analog synthesizers were created by
597:, as well as semi-modular and modular units.
8:
403:systems. The most popular of these was the
300:. Another notable early instrument is the
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
438:in 1969. After the release of the film,
213:, later analog synthesizers such as the
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428:made with a (Moog) synthesizer was the
27:Synthesizer that uses analog circuits
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58:adding citations to reliable sources
738:Modular Analog Synthesizers Return!
659:1957 Evgeny Murzin ANS synthesizer
170:to generate sound electronically.
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529:During the middle to late 1980s,
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662:, Kom. Musik, September 6, 2006
435:On Her Majesty's Secret Service
177:, were built with a variety of
45:needs additional citations for
319:voltage-controlled oscillators
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327:voltage-controlled amplifiers
711:. Create Digital Media, GmbH
575:analog modeling synthesizers
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370:Serge Modular Music Systems
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707:Kirn, Peter (2013-07-29).
323:voltage-controlled filters
304:, first produced in 1938.
335:low-frequency oscillators
395:with expansion cabinets.
374:Electronic Music Studios
360:manufacturers included
345:units, or tools such as
733:ARP synthesizer patents
577:—which emulate analog
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616:ARP Instruments, Inc.
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366:ARP Instruments, Inc.
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183:operational amplifier
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531:digital synthesizers
155:analogue synthesiser
69:"Analog synthesizer"
54:improve this article
18:Analogue synthesizer
754:Analog synthesizers
601:Use in modern music
506:Sequential Circuits
500:In 1978, the first
358:modular synthesizer
331:envelope generators
193:(pots, or variable
187:integrated circuits
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494:Buchla Music Easel
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232:James Robert Milne
146:analog synthesizer
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203:high-pass filters
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713:. Retrieved
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52:Please help
47:verification
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666:15 February
591:Prophet '08
567:square wave
563:white noise
541:, rave and
400:Patch cords
308:1960s–1970s
286:Electronium
258:vacuum tube
241:1920s–1950s
189:, and used
179:vacuum-tube
160:synthesizer
715:2015-05-24
635:References
471:monophonic
430:James Bond
362:Moog Music
347:sequencers
292:, and the
282:Oskar Sala
278:Trautonium
274:Trautonium
272:, and the
250:Trautonium
237:(d.1961).
175:Trautonium
162:that uses
110:April 2009
80:newspapers
440:composers
349:or sound
266:Ondioline
226:1900–1920
195:resistors
185:(op-amp)
748:Category
693:10 April
623:See also
535:samplers
519:Kawai K5
479:Polymoog
475:Oberheim
451:Minimoog
413:Minimoog
409:Minimoog
405:Minimoog
393:ARP 2500
382:Vocoders
321:(VCOs),
315:patchbay
215:Minimoog
138:Minimoog
378:vocoder
356:Famous
221:History
158:) is a
94:scholar
539:techno
467:Yamaha
459:Roland
372:, and
351:mixers
343:reverb
337:, and
284:, the
268:, the
252:, 1928
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89:
82:
75:
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432:film
423:->
419:->
101:JSTOR
87:books
695:2008
668:2006
583:VCFs
581:and
579:VCOs
533:and
510:MIDI
492:The
465:and
463:Korg
449:The
391:The
235:FRSE
207:Moog
201:and
166:and
136:The
73:news
611:DIY
425:VCA
421:VCF
417:VCO
296:of
288:of
280:of
264:'s
144:An
56:by
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543:DJ
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