Synthesizers and Keyboards

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Synthesizers, keyboards, and their use since 1910

Synthesizers and keyboards are the cornerstone of electronic music. The

development of electronic music can be traced in parallel to the development

of synths, and vice versa new ideas in music often originated in the

developments in technology. You will need to be able to recognise some of

the synthesizers, particularly the more vintage, in your listening exam.

Theremin

On you tube, search for Bill Bailey and

the Theremin of which you will see a

rendition of the Jellyfish with Bill Bailey

performing.

The theremin is not a keyboard

instrument, but is played by moving one

of your two hands near the aerials. It is

extremely difficult to play, and has a very

pure sound with portamento due to the playing technique, as well as heavy

vibrato.

Ondes Martenot

The ondes Martenot

is a keyboard

instrument that can

make sounds like the

Theremin by using a ribbon under the keyboard. It has a noticeable attack and


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sounds like a trumpet. Listen to Radioheads How to Disappear Completely

from 2:58 to 3:30 for an example.

Hammond B-3 Organ (1954)

Originally invented

as a low-cost

alternative to the

pipe organ, the

Hammond B-3

became widely used

in many pop music

genres from the

1960s onwards. This tonewheel, drawbar organ is often played through a

rotating Leslie speaker the rotation speed can be altered, giving a

chorus/phasing/tremolo effect

Listen to Deep Purple/Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

Rhodes Piano (1965)

This produces a sound like a bell and a

vibraphone. It is often played through

effects pedals to produce a variety of

effects similar to that of an electric

guitar. A very similar (but slightly

harsher) sound is produced by its main

competitor, the Wurlitzer electric piano

Listen to Herbie Hancock/Miles Davis Bitches Brew


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Hohner Clavinet (1968)

The clavinet is an amplified

clavichord and became

synonymous with the sound of

funk.

Stevie Wonders Superstition

Minimoog (1969)

A more portable version of the Moog modular synth, bringing the classic

analogue synth sounds to the mainstream music industry. The cutting lead

synth slides are

instantly recognisable.

It is a monophonic

synth.

Listen to Jeff Beck Led

Boots. From 2:13 to

the end of the track,

Jan Hammer

demonstrates how the

cutting sound of the Minimoog, along with use of the pitchend wheel,

allows it to compete with the lead guitar.


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Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (1977)

A polyphonic

analogue synth

capable of playing

five notes at once.

It was capable of

producing a range of sounds, but retains distinctly analogue characteristics.

Paul McCartneys Wonderful Christmas Time features Prophet-5 throughout,

with the opening riff making use of its polyphony.

Roland Jupiter-8 (JP-8) (1981)

An analogue synth capable of 8-

note polyphony

Listen to Queens Radio Ga-Ga

this features the JP-8 on the

arpeggiated bass line after the

drum intro.

Roland TB-303 (1982)

The TB-303 was originally

produced for musicians to jam

along to, featuring a basic

sequencer. It was largely

ignored on its release, but


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demand soared after it was embraced by the dance music fraternity. It

generates a bass synth timbre with a distinctly squelchy sound and is

synonymous with the sound of acid house. The resonant filter gives the unit

its distinctive sound.

Listen to Phutures Acid Trax this features the TB-303, demonstrating the

use of the filter to create sonic interest.

Yamaha DX-7 (1983)

The DX-7 was the first commercially successful digital synth. It used FM

(frequency modulation) synthesis to generate a wide range of timbres.

As this synth is capable of producing a wide range of timbres, it was used by

many artists to emulate other instruments, such as bells, electric pianos and

brass instruments. It has a distinctly electronic sound and is widely used on

many 1980s

recordings. Brian

Eno was an avid

user, making use

of his

programming skills to produce interesting sounds that added sonic interest to

many of his productions


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Korg M1 (1988)

The introduction of the M1

caused the end to use of the

DX-7 an other early digital

synths, largely because of its ability to layer a wide range of sounds and its

on-board sequencer. It is heard in a vast range of late 80s and early 90s pop

music. Most of the available sounds were much more realistic because it was

a sampling synthesizer. However, they still sound artificial compared to the

sounds we have today.

After the 1990s, so many synths could produce such a vast array of sounds,

you cant always tell one from the other. You would not be asked to be able to

recognise a modern synth.

Glossary

Drawbar controls used to mix the waveform ratios in a tonewheel organ

such as the Hammond.

Portamento - gliding between two notes

Leslie speaker a rotating speaker within an enclosure. Most often used in

conjunction with the Hammond organ, which creates a phaser-like effect by

means of the Doppler effect.

Tonewheel a series of disks rotated by a motor in proximity to an

electromagnetic pickup.

Vibrato - vibration of a note


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modular synth a synthesizer (usually analogue) made up of separate

sections (such as oscillators, filters and envelope generators) that are linked

together by signal cables.

Monophonic

a word to describe a musical texture in which there is only one

part. Another definition is a synthesizer capable of playing only one note at a

time.

Arpeggiated a chord whose notes are played in succession is arpeggiated.

On many synths an arpeggiator can be set to sound notes that are held down

simultaneously in a particular scale or pattern.

Polyphonic

a word used to describe a musical texture in which two or more

musical strands are heard simultaneously. Another definition is a synthesizer

capable of playing more than one note at a time.

resonant filterrefers to the bandwidth of frequencies allowed to pass or the

level of amplification of the cut-off frequency.

frequency modulation where the frequency of a carrier signal is varied in

accordance with a modulating signal. In audio, the carrier and the modulating

signal are both in the audible frequency range, creating a complex waveform.


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Listening Questions

Name each keyboard instrument in these tracks:

1. The Beach Boys Good Vibrations2. Radiohead The National Anthem3. Walter Carlos Switched-On Bach4. A-HaTake On Me5. QueenI want to Break Free6. Tubular Bells 27. Whitney Houston Greatest Love of All8. Spanky Acid Bass9. John Paul Jones Custard Pie10.Queen Youre My Best Friend

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Synthesizers and Keyboards