Synthesizer << SIHN thuh `sy` zuhr >> is a musical instrument that produces sounds electronically. Most synthesizers are played by means of a keyboard. A person can create and combine many kinds of sounds by operating various controls that determine such characteristics as pitch, tone color, tuning, and loudness.
Synthesizers are used in all styles of music and often replace live musicians. Synthesizers have become especially popular in recordings, because a single synthesizer can duplicate the sound of many traditional instruments, such as the guitar and piano.
American physicist Robert A. Moog and American inventor Donald Buchla independently developed the first commercially successful synthesizers in the 1960’s. They used controlled levels of voltage to produce different sounds on the instrument. The digital synthesizer, which uses a computer to create and control sounds, was developed in the 1970’s.
See also Electronic music.
