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.
