The Development of Technology - based Music 1 Synthesizers & MIDI

SYNTHESIZERS
Synthesizers are at the forefront of music technology today, and can be heard in film and classical music as well as pop music. The basic concept is that an electronically generated signal is processed, resulting in a unique sound which cannot be duplicated by conventional instruments. A synthesizer is a device that generates sounds electronically. The classic synthesizer uses a technique called `subtractive synthesis'. This is so called because a raw wave-form such as a sawtooth wave! is used as a starting point. "ts inherent sound is rather buzzy and uninteresting, so the sound is `sculpted# by shaping and filtering, `subtracting# from the basic wave-form. A basic synthesizer is made up of four elements$ oscillators, filters, envelopes and modulators. %ven though few synthesizers nowadays are analogue, these core elements of synthesizers remain fundamentally the same. S!I""#T $S provide the sound sources for the instrument. "n the &'()s and *)s the sound sources were analogue wave-forms. As synthesis evolved, the analogue wave-forms were gradually replaced by samples of basic wave-forms or of actual instruments as in the +org Trinity!, or by mathematically modelled reproductions of wave-forms via the process of `physical modelling#! as in the ,lavia -ord .ead. An analogue oscillator is referred to as a #%! # voltage controlled oscillator!. A &I"T'$ shapes the tone of the sound, e.g. ma/ing it bright or dull. The type of filter used greatly influences the overall sound of a synthesizer. 0oog filters are /nown for their warm and `fat# sound. "n older synthesizers, filters were analogue, and are often referred to as 1,2s voltage controlled filters!. The term '(%'" )' refers to the dynamic shape of a sound. An envelope commonly has four parameters /nown collectively as A3S4 attac/, decay, sustain, release!.

#TT#!* - how long the sound ta/es to reach ma5imum. A piano#s attac/ is fast, while a violin#s attac/ can be very slow. D'!#+ - how quic/ly the sound decays from ma5imum to the `sustain# level. S,ST#I( - the continuing level of loudness while the finger remains on the /eyboard. $'"'#S' - how long the sound ta/es to decay to silence after the /ey is released. There is normally one #DS$ envelope for the amplifier section or 1,A!, which can be used to shape the overall volume, and one for the filter or 1,2!, which wor/s the same way but affects the tone instead. M D,"#TI ( most commonly uses an "& -lo. fre/uency oscillator01 which does not ma/e an audible sound itself but can be used to alter or `modulate# the oscillator or whatever sound source is being used!. This causes variations in pitch, often used to mimic vibrato. The .26 can also modulate the filter, causing changes in tone quality e.g. a slow `sweeping# effect that is often heard in dance music!. Additionally, the .%6 can modulate the amplifier section, often to create rapid changes in volume, resulting in a tremolo effect. The #DS$ envelope can also be utilized to modulate the oscillator s!, filter and amplifier. The earliest synthesizers were modular1 i.e. they were not made in a self-contained unit but in separate

&

The Development of Technology - based Music 1 Synthesizers & MIDI

modules such as 1,6, 1,2, etc.!, connected together by cables. The connections between cables were patched together, and a particular sound was /nown as a patch - a term which is still in use today to describe the individual sounds stored in a synthesizer#s memory. "n &'77 the first synthesizer was developed at the 4,A studios in -ew 8or/. 9sing valve-based technology, it was programmed by punched paper tape. "t was huge and very e5pensive, occupying a whole room. $obert # Moog developed a smaller transistorized synthesizer, the Moog modular1 which became available to order in &'(7. This meant that electronic music could be cr eated more easily, although the machine was still cumbersome and not really suited to live performance. The introduction of the smaller and more affordable Minimoog in 1969 saw the birth of the first truly portable integrated synthesizer. "t was also much simpler to use, as no patch cords were needed. The 0oog synthesizer could produce a wide range of sounds which could not be created on conventional instruments. "n 1968, :alter ,arlos recorded a collection of ; S <ach#s /eyboard and orchestral pieces played on the 0oog. The album, Switched on Bach, sold over a million copies and brought electronic music to a wider audience. At the same time in %ngland, %0S %lectronic 0usic Studios! were also manufacturing small, portable synthesizers. Their most famous instrument was the 1,S=, which was very popular with <ritish psychedelic bands as well as with the <<,#s 4adiophonic :or/shop it was used e5tensively on the Doctor Who theme!. "ts /eyboard was separate from the main synthesizer, so it could not be described as truly integrated. The 1,S= was a highly fle5ible but eccentric instrument, with e5tensive patching capabilities that allowed a great variety of sounds to be generated. >owever the 0inimoog#s `fat# sound and ease of use made it the more popular synthesizer. The drawbac/s of the older analogue synthesizers were that polyphony the number of notes playable at one time! was very limited, and tuning stability was generally poor. "n the late &'*)s synthesizers with digital oscillators 3,6s! began to be produced. Their tuning stability was a vast improvement over their analogue predecessors. 6ne of the earliest 3,6 synthesizers was %3?#s :asp, first produced in &'*@.

&M S+(T2'SIS 3 The 1456s "n the early &'@)s 20 -fre/uency modulation0 synthesis arrived. This wor/ed by additive synthesis which, as its name implies, combines sine waves, rather than starting off with a raw waveform and `sculpting# it as in subtractive synthesis. ?robably the most famous 20 synthesizer was +amaha's D78, first produced in &'@=. 20 synthesis was very good at reproducing sounds such as electric pianos and brass, but its often hard and metallic sounds were less successful at reproducing richer timbres such as strings. "n &'@* 4oland brought out the 3-7), which used memory-hungry samples of real instruments for the short, attac/ part of the sound, combined with more traditional synthesis for the much longer remaining portion. This system was /nown as SAS or sample and synthesis9 "t resulted in richer timbres that were quite realistic in their attempts to reproduce acoustic sounds. As memory has become cheaper and processors faster, many synthesizers now have large numbers of samples on board, which can be processed through filters and special effects to produce very comple5, as well as realistic, sounds. At the time of writing, the most recent development has been `physical modelling#, also /nown as virtual synthesis. "n a traditional synthesizer, different parts of the circuit board form the oscillator, filter, etc. 1irtual modelling synthesizers are derived from mathematical models of `real-world# sounds, or of analogue sythesizers, which are then recreated inside the virtual synthesizer#s software. A virtual synthesizer may attempt to recreate an old analogue synthesizer, including the distinctive way that the components of that particular synthesizer react with each other. 6r it may ta/e an acoustic instrument as a starting point. The 8amaha A-&B and. ,lavia -ord 0odular are e5amples of hardware virtual synthesizers. 0any virtual synthesis instruments are software-only, e.g. ?ropellerheads# 4eason, and -ative "nstruments# 4ea/tor.

The Development of Technology - based Music 1 Synthesizers & MIDI

The Atari 1040st was my first music focused com uter!!!!it roc"ed!

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
3igital technology opened up the way for a host of new developments in music. These were not confined to the realm of digital music playbac/, which was discussed in the previous chapter. The introduction of MIDI in 145: had huge implications both for pop musicians and for consumers, opening up a new range of creative possibilities. Today#s musician is able to produce an entire song from start to finish with only a computer and a microphone.

MIDI
MIDI - Musical Instrument Digital Interface is a digital communications protocol. "n August of &'@=, music manufacturers agreed on a document that is called D0"3" &.) SpecificationD. This became possible when manufacturers agreed a common system in &'@= the 0"3" &.) spec.! which allowed electronic instruments to control and communicate with each other. This too/ the form of a set of standards for hardware connections, and for messages which could then be relayed between devices. <y &'@7, virtually every new musical /eyboard on the mar/et had a 0"3" interface. 0"3" also provides the means for electronic instruments to communicate with computers - which can then send, store and process 0"3" data. This is central to the function of a sequencer$ a device for inputting, editing, storing and playing bac/ data from a musical performance. "t records many details of a performance - such as duration, pitch and rhythm - which can then be edited. Why was it developed? 0"3" was perhaps the first true effort at Eoint development among a large number of musical manufacturers. An industry standard enabling musical communication between musical hardware synths and sequencers for e5ample. <y &'@7, virtually every new musical /eyboard on the mar/et had a 0"3" interface. What is contained in Midi data? "t is important to remember that 0"3" transmits commands, but it does not transmit an audio si#na$. The 0"3" specification includes a common language that provides information about events, such as note on and off, preset changes, sustain pedal, pitch bend, and timing information. ;inary Data F Eust to aid understanding!. ,omputers use binary data. A base C numeric system. :e are used to a base &) or decimal system.

The Development of Technology - based Music 1 Synthesizers & MIDI

"n a binary system there are only C numeric values ) and &- on or off. So in a binary number the first column records single units up to &, the second column records Cs, the third Gs, the fourth @s and so on. %ach digit of resolution is called a bit and can represent the values on or off. A byte is @ digits of digital information. <hat is a MIDI message= <y combining bytes together, 0"3" messages are constructed. There are C categories of 0"3" message$ &. !hannel messages are mostly to do with performance information sent on 0"3" channels. C. System messages handle system wide Eobs li/e 0"3" Timecode and are not sent on channels. All 0"3" messages are constructed from at least & status byte and & data byte, often many, many more. The first byte is a status byte identifies the nature of the instruction eg. -ote on, 0ain 1olume! the following data bytes provide data pertinent to that instruction. 6f course, 0"3" messages are sent against a cloc/Htiming protocol and as such are relative to time. .ogicIs 0atri5 piano roll! editor shows 0"3" note on, note off and velocity data relative to time in an easy to understand graphic format. <ecause of the binary system G bit resolution provides a range of &( numerical possibilities. @-bit J C7( possibilities. The first digit most significant bit or MS;! of a data byte is always ). The seven remaining digits of the data byte thus give a range of 1>89 '?ample MIDI message >ere is an e5ample of a simple = byte 0"3" message comprising a Status byte and C Data bytes. This message is telling a sound module set to respond on 0"3" channel & to start playing a note ,=! at a velocity of &)&.

!hannel %oice Messages <henever a MIDI instrument is played1 its controllers -@eyboard1 pitch .heel etc0 transmit channel voice messages9 There are 8 channel voice message types 999 19 (ote >9 (ote n ff B9 )rogram change C9 !ontrol change 89 )itch bend change

:9 )olyphonic @ey pressure A9 #ftertouch

&. (ote- n This message indicates the beginning of a 0"3" note and consists of = bytes. The &st byte Status byte! specifies a note-on event and channel. The Cnd byte specifies the number of the note played. The =rd byte specifies the velocity with which the note was played. C. (ote-off This message indicates the end of a 0"3" note. The &st byte Status byte! specifies a note-off event and channel. The Cnd byte specifies the number of the note played. The =rd byte specifies the release velocity. =. )olyphonic @ey pressure +ey pressure or aftertouch, with each /ey sending its own independent message

The Development of Technology - based Music 1 Synthesizers & MIDI

G. #ftertouch This message is similar to polyphonic /ey pressure but is sent when additional pressure is applied to a /ey that is already being held down. Also, there is only one sensor for the whole /eyboard i.e. itIs monophonic aftertouch 7. )rogram change These messages will change the programs of devices responding on the channel on which they are sent. (. !ontrol change These messages alter the way a note sounds by sliding it, sustaining it, modulating it etc. >ere are the numbers for all defined 0"3" control change controllers. The first =C numbers ) to =&! are coarse adEustments for various parameters. The numbers from =C to (= are their respective fine adEustments ie, add =C to the coarse adEust number to get the fine adEust number, e5cept for the Keneral ?urpose Sliders which have no fine adEust equivalents!. 2or e5ample, the coarse adEustment for ,hannel 1olume is controller number *. The fine adEustment for ,hannel 1olume is controller number =' *A=C!. 0any devices use only the coarse adEustments, and ignore the fine adEustments.
) <an/ Select coarse! & 0odulation :heel coarse! C <reath controller coarse! G 2oot ?edal coarse! 7 ?ortamento Time coarse! ( 3ata %ntry coarse! * 1olume coarse! @ <alance coarse! &) ?an position coarse! && %5pression coarse! &C %ffect ,ontrol & coarse! &= %ffect ,ontrol C coarse! &( Keneral ?urpose Slider & &* Keneral ?urpose Slider C &@ Keneral ?urpose Slider = &' Keneral ?urpose Slider G =C <an/ Select fine! == 0odulation :heel fine! =G <reath controller fine! =( 2oot ?edal fine! =* ?ortamento Time fine! =@ 3ata %ntry fine! =' 1olume fine! G) <alance fine! GC ?an position fine! G= %5pression fine! GG %ffect ,ontrol & fine! G7 %ffect ,ontrol C fine! (G >old ?edal onHoff! (7 ?ortamento onHoff! (( Sustenuto ?edal onHoff! (* Soft ?edal onHoff! (@ .egato ?edal onHoff! (' >old C ?edal onHoff! *) Sound 1ariation *& Sound Timbre *C Sound 4elease Time *= Sound Attac/ Time *G Sound <rightness *7 Sound ,ontrol ( *( Sound ,ontrol * ** Sound ,ontrol @ *@ Sound ,ontrol ' *' Sound ,ontrol &) @) Keneral ?urpose <utton & onHoff! @& Keneral ?urpose <utton C onHoff! @C Keneral ?urpose <utton = onHoff! @= Keneral ?urpose <utton G onHoff! '& %ffects .evel 'C Tremolo .evel '= ,horus .evel 'G ,eleste .evel '7 ?haser .evel '( 3ata <utton increment '* 3ata <utton decrement '@ -on-registered ?arameter fine! '' -on-registered ?arameter coarse! &)) 4egistered ?arameter fine! &)& 4egistered ?arameter coarse! &C) All Sound 6ff &C& All ,ontrollers 6ff &CC .ocal +eyboard onHoff! &C= All -otes 6ff &CG 6mni 0ode 6ff &C7 6mni 0ode 6n &C( 0ono 6peration &C* ?oly 6peration

89 )itch bend These messages are transmitted whenever an instruments pitch wheel is moved9 :hile almost all channel voice messages assign a single data byte to a single parameter such as /ey L or velocity &C@ values because they start with #),# so J CM*J&C@!, the e5ception is pitch bend. "f pitch bend used only &C@ values, discreet steps might be heard if the bend range were large this range is set on the instrument, not by 0"3"!. So the * non-zero bits of the first data byte called the most significant byte or 0S<! are combined with the * non-zero bits from the second data byte called the least significant byte or .S<! to create a &G-bit data value, giving pitch bend data a range of 1C1:5A values. MIDI &iles

The Development of Technology - based Music 1 Synthesizers & MIDI

0idi 2iles contain info on notes, velocities, controller codes which can be interpreted by any program that supports Standard 0"3" file format. These are accessed and created by the import and e5port 0"3" file commands. 0"3" composition and arrangement ta/es advantage of 0"3" &.) and Keneral 0"3" K0! technology to allow musical data files to be shared among many different files due to some incompatibility with various electronic instruments by using a standard, portable set of commands and parameters. <ecause the music is stored as instructions rather than recorded audio waveforms, the data size of the files is very small by comparison. MIDI &I"'S %S9 #,DI #dvantages of MIDID &ile Size - <ecause 0"3" files simply contain the data about the music, they are much smaller than other music files. &ully 'ditable - 8ou can edit and change the music of a 0"3" file in ways which are impossible with other audio files. "f you want to change a note in the middle of the trac/ from a 3 to a ,, you can do it in a snap. 8ou can also adEust the tempo to ma/e the music play faster without worrying about it sounding li/e the ,hipmun/s are performing it. &I"'S 3 The )ros and !onsD

Disadvantages of MIDID "imited Timbres F when creating 0"3" files one is limited to the K0 sound ban/.