Where did synthesizers in music come from?
For the past several decades, the music industry has experienced various countless radical changes and innovations that have impacted on how music is made and produced today. With the development of Digital Audio Workstations and the shift to digitally recorded music, the synthesizer has played a large role in developing and recording some of the most iconic albums of all time. Not only has it affected recording and production but synthesizers are now regarded as musical instruments, as the further integration of technology in music has changed the definition of what a musical instrument is, allowing those with little to no knowledge about musicianship to create music. As we further explore the creation and evolution of the synthesizer, it is evident the immense importance it has in modern music.
The emergence and creation of the first electronic musical instrument in America dates back to 1876 which was named The Musical Telegraph. It generated sound by a remote electromechanical musical instrument that used telegraphy and electric buzzers that created a fixed sound. However, the uses of synthesizers kept dormant in America until the late 1950’s until Harold Bode and Robert Moog pioneered the first synthesizers. For Bode, it was his goal to create an instrument that “included everything needed for film and TV audio production; soundtracks, sound design and audio processing” (Palov).
In response, Bode built a modular synthesizer and sound processor that specifically used voltage control technique with his synthesizers. In response, Robert Moog took Bode’s ideas and completely revolutionized the industry with his modular synthesizers. At first, the Moog Modular was quite large, which meant universities could only afford to purchase and install them. Around the late 1960’s, the composer Wendy Carlos had discovered Moog’s synthesizers. Carlos had recorded an LP of a Johann Sebastian Bach instrumentals reworked for Moog’s modular. In response, it was one of the highest-selling classical music recordings sold until that point. The record won two Grammys which increased awareness in the industry about synthesizers.
Moog’s modular synthesizers provided artists with various controls, pitch, timbre, attack, decay of tone, and other aspects of sound), allowing the composer or musician an almost infinite variety of tonal control.
The integration of the synthesizer began with electronic music but quickly spread to all music genres. In the early 70’s, rock bands started incorporating synthesizers to their songs, changing the aesthetic and groove and paving the way for mainstream music in the 80’s. On Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, the song On the Run is primarily made using synthesizers, combining electronic music/sounds with classic rock and roll bands. This provided a synthetic, futuristic feel to the album, rather than the classic guitar, bass and drum sound.
This was also present on The Who’s Baba O’Riley, where the synthesizer becomes the main instrument within the song and the rock groove becomes secondary. With Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, the introduction and full use of the “80’s sound.” Other artists used the synthesizer as a supplement to their songs, much like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody or Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. The synthesizer was present within Motown as well, especially with The Supreme’s record Nathan Jones. The lead singer of The Supremes (Mary Wilson) talked about her first experience with The Moog synthesizer. “So with Cal huge Moog synthesizer, I experimented. He and I spent days in that room..If you remember the record ‘Nathan Jones’, we had that sound- that came from the Moog synthesizer.” (Dahl 153) This gave artists the ability to experiment with their music, despite their respective genres.
In the 1980’s, synthesizers became extremely popular and were present on almost every mainstream album/song and ultimately caused for the emergence of “synth-pop”, a pop genre that uses the synthesizer as it’s main instrument. In 1982, MIDI was introduced with further pushed the popularization of the synth, making it far more simpler and accessible. This gave way for some of the 80’s most popular songs like “Take On Me”, “Don’t You Want Me”, “Tainted Love”, etc. The classic synth sound defined this decade and genre, giving the 80’s it’s unique signature.
Synthesizers would soon grow to have different “voices”, which allowed producers and artists to incorporate “non-conventional” sounds within their recordings. For some recordings, this eliminated the need for an musicians, as parts could be replicated on the synthesizer. This is most evident within orchestras in live sound settings, as less musicians are hired for productions and concerts. Even though this gives artists the liberty to have the availability of a wide variety of instruments and instant playback, it puts musicians at a disadvantage. However, it still continues to allow artists to experiment with their music. With developments with modern technology, we see that synthesizers have more and more control and use within the recording studio. We can only wait and see how synthesizers continue to develop and evolve in music.
