Synthesizer Evolution

Author: Oli Freke
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781913231064
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 128

Book Description
From acid house to prog rock, there is no form of modern popular music that hasn't been propelled forwards by the synthesizer. As a result they have long been objects of fascination, desire and reverence for keyboard players, music producers and fans of electronic music alike. Whether looking at an imposing modular system or posing with a DX7 on Top of the Pops, the synth has also always had an undeniable physical presence. This book celebrates their impact on music and culture by providing a comprehensive and meticulously researched directory of every major synthesizer, drum machine and sampler made between 1963 and 1995. Each featured instrument is illustrated by hand, and shown alongside its vital statistics and some fascinatingly quirky facts. In tracing the evolution of the analogue synthesizer from its invention in the early 1960's to the digital revolution of the 1980s right up until the point that analogue circuits could be modelled using software in the mid-1990's, the book tells the story of analogue to digital - and back again. Tracing that history and showing off their visual beauty with art-book quality illustrations, this a must for any self-respecting synth fan.

Analog Days

Author: T. J PINCH
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674042166
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 385

Book Description
Tracing the development of the Moog synthesizer from its initial conception to its ascension to stardom in 'Switched-on Bach', this text conveys the consequences of a technology that would provide the soundtrack for a chapter in cultural history.

Analog Synthesizers

Author: Mark Jenkins
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 113612277X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 338

Book Description
In this book, the technical explanation of the nature of analog sound creation is followed by the story of its birth and its subsequent development by various designers, manufacturers and performers. The individual components of analog sound creation are then examined in detail, with step by step examples of sound creation techniques. Then the modern imitative analog instruments are examined, again with detailed instructions for programming and using them, and the book is completed with appendices listing the major instrument lines available, hints on values and purchasing, other sources of information, and a discography of readily available recordings which give good examples of analog sound synthesis. The CD which accompanies the book gives many examples of analog sound creation basics as well as more advanced techniques, and of the abilities of the individual instruments associated with classical and with imitative analog sound synthesis.

The Synthesizer

Author: Mark Vail
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199334854
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 427

Book Description
Electronic music instruments weren't called synthesizers until the 1950s, but their lineage began in 1919 with Russian inventor Lev Sergeyevich Termen's development of the Etherphone, now known as the Theremin. From that point, synthesizers have undergone a remarkable evolution from prohibitively large mid-century models confined to university laboratories to the development of musical synthesis software that runs on tablet computers and portable media devices. Throughout its history, the synthesizer has always been at the forefront of technology for the arts. In The Synthesizer: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding, Programming, Playing, and Recording the Ultimate Electronic Music Instrument, veteran music technology journalist, educator, and performer Mark Vail tells the complete story of the synthesizer: the origins of the many forms the instrument takes; crucial advancements in sound generation, musical control, and composition made with instruments that may have become best sellers or gone entirely unnoticed; and the basics and intricacies of acoustics and synthesized sound. Vail also describes how to successfully select, program, and play a synthesizer; what alternative controllers exist for creating electronic music; and how to stay focused and productive when faced with a room full of instruments. This one-stop reference guide on all things synthesizer also offers tips on encouraging creativity, layering sounds, performance, composing and recording for film and television, and much more.

Synthesizer Basics

Author: Brent Hurtig
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
ISBN: 9780881887143
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 140

Book Description
Here is the fundamental knowledge and information that a beginning or intermediate electronic musician must have to understand and play today's keyboard synthesizers. This basic primer, newly updated from the classic original edition, offers step-by-step explanations and practical advice on what a synthesizer is, the basic concepts and components, and the latest technical developments and applications. Written by Bob Moog, Roger Powell, Steve Porcaro (of Toto), Tom Rhea, and other well-known experts, Synthesizer Basics is the first, and still the best, introduction available today.

Patch & Tweak with Moog

Author: Kim Bjørn
Publisher:
ISBN: 9788799999538
Category : Moog synthesizer
Languages : en
Pages : 197

Book Description
Patch & Tweak with Moog is the ultimate resource for Moog synthesizer enthusiasts and musicians of all skill levels interested in an immersive modular synthesis experience. Opening with a foreword from acclaimed film score composer Hans Zimmer, this hardcover book by Kim Bjørn features 200 pages full of synthesizer techniques, creative patch ideas, sound design tips, professional artist interviews, in-depth discussions with Moog engineers, and a glimpse into the company's remarkable history. The book's primary focus is Moog's well-loved line of semi-modular analog synthesizers: Mother-32, DFAM, Subharmonicon, Grandmother, and Matriarch. Patch & Tweak with Moog brings readers inside the creative minds of composers, producers, and performing artists like Suzanne Ciani, Trent Reznor, Lisa Bella Donna, Paris Strother, Hannes Bieger, Stranger Things composers Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon, and Moog synthesizer co-inventor Herb Deutsch in detailed interviews featuring patching tips and tricks for musicians of all skill levels.

Developing Virtual Synthesizers with VCV Rack

Author: Leonardo Gabrielli
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0429666047
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 287

Book Description
Developing Virtual Synthesizers with VCV Rack takes the reader step by step through the process of developing synthesizer modules, beginning with the elementary and leading up to more engaging examples. Using the intuitive VCV Rack and its open-source C++ API, this book will guide even the most inexperienced reader to master efficient DSP coding to create oscillators, filters, and complex modules. Examining practical topics related to releasing plugins and managing complex graphical user interaction, with an intuitive study of signal processing theory specifically tailored for sound synthesis and virtual analog, this book covers everything from theory to practice. With exercises and example patches in each chapter, the reader will build a library of synthesizer modules that they can modify and expand. Supplemented by a companion website, this book is recommended reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of audio engineering, music technology, computer science, electronics, and related courses; audio coding and do-it-yourself enthusiasts; and professionals looking for a quick guide to VCV Rack. VCV Rack is a free and open-source software available online.

Musical Sound Effects

Author: Jean-Michel Réveillac
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119482682
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 381

Book Description
For decades performers, instrumentalists, composers, technicians and sound engineers continue to manipulate sound material. They are trying with more or less success to create, to innovate, improve, enhance, restore or modify the musical message. The sound of distorted guitar of Jimi Hendrix, Pierre Henry’s concrete music, Pink Flyod’s rock psychedelic, Kraftwerk ‘s electronic music, Daft Punk and rap T-Pain, have let emerge many effects: reverb, compression, distortion, auto-tune, filter, chorus, phasing, etc. The aim of this book is to introduce and explain these effects and sound treatments by addressing their theoretical and practical aspects.

Keyboard Magazine Presents Vintage Synthesizers

Author: Mark Vail
Publisher: Backbeat Books
ISBN: 9780879306038
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 341

Book Description
A guide to vintage synthesizers, including history since 1962, and featuring interviews with designers, tips on buying and maintaining vintage synthesizers, pricing and production information, and more.

Electronic and Experimental Music

Author: Thom Holmes
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 131741022X
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 1080

Book Description
Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture provides a comprehensive history of electronic music, covering key composers, genres, and techniques used in analog and digital synthesis. This textbook has been extensively revised with the needs of students and instructors in mind. The reader-friendly style, logical organization, and pedagogical features of the fifth edition allow easy access to key ideas, milestones, and concepts. New to this edition: • A companion website, featuring key examples of electronic music, both historical and contemporary. • Listening Guides providing a moment-by-moment annotated exploration of key works of electronic music. • A new chapter—Contemporary Practices in Composing Electronic Music. • Updated presentation of classic electronic music in the United Kingdom, Italy, Latin America, and Asia, covering the history of electronic music globally. • An expanded discussion of early experiments with jazz and electronic music, and the roots of electronic rock. • Additional accounts of the vastly under-reported contributions of women composers in the field. • More photos, scores, and illustrations throughout. The companion website features a number of student and instructor resources, such as additional Listening Guides, links to streaming audio examples and online video resources, PowerPoint slides, and interactive quizzes.