Synthesizers can create all kinds of bizarre noises, from realistic-sounding violins and cellos to out-of-this-world distorted sounds, almost all programmed by hand. They come in many different sizes, from portable keyboards to massive mainframes. They're in music, movies, TV shows, and pretty much everything these days. Synthesizers are an amazing tool for musicians, with the steep learning curve that comes with them, it can really benefit anyone who can understand them. What is a synthesizer? A synthesizer is a “musical instrument capable of producing a wide range of different sounds” (Russ 4) from “simple resources” (430). There are two main types of synthesizers: analog and digital. Analog synthesizers use “voltages and currents directly represent both the audio signals and any control signals” (71). Digital synthesizers are number-based, using “numbers to represent audio and control signals” (72). Synthesizers usually consist of “an oscillator, a filter, an envelope, and an amplifier” (“Synthesizers for Dummies”). An oscillator produces sound by “circuitry that omits repetitive sound” (Russ 421). Waveforms are part of the oscillator; they are the “shapes of the sound wave” (434). Sine, square, triangular, and sawtooth are the basic waveforms. Filters change “the frequency range and give maximum character to synthesizers” (“Synthesizers for Dummies”). Cut off and resonance are usually part of the filter. “Cut off controls the level of filtering and resonance controls the level or return of the filter” (“Synthesizers for Dummies”). Envelope is the “change in volume or level of an audio signal” (Russ 410). Contains attack, decay, sustain, release. The attack is the “initial segment of the envelope” (404). The higher the atta...... middle of paper...... synth.Conclusion Synthesizers are a great invention in the world of art and music. Artists like Nine Inch Nails, Frank Klepacki and even composers use synthesizers which greatly enhance their music and can even compose music completely performed with synthesizers. The tool has undergone numerous revisions to be convenient and become more powerful. The future of synthesizers appears to be limitless as computers become more powerful. Works Cited "A Brief History of the Synthesizer." Documentation.apple.com. Apple Inc., 2009. Web. May 31, 2011. Cufaude, Edward. "Beginner's Guide to Using VSTi Instruments aka Softsynths | Creating Rhythm." Creating the Rhythm | Blog about music production and audio. 11 February 2008. Web. 01 June 2011. Russ, Martin. Sound synthesis and sampling. Boston: Elsevier/Focal, 2004. Print."Synthesizers for Dummies." Equinoxoz.com. Network. May 31st 2011.