Analog modeling synthesizer
Analog modeling synthesizer (or analogue modelling synthesiser) is a synthesizer that generates the sounds of traditional analog synthesizers using DSP components and software algorithms to simulate the behaviour of the original electric and electronic circuitry, in order to obtain the sound in a more precise manner from the simulated inner working of the circuitry, instead of attempting to recreate the sound directly. This method of synthesis is also referred to as Virtual Analog or VA. Analog modeling synthesizers may exceed many analog instruments in reliability, lack of tuning and heating issues, limited polyphony, and they can offer patch storage capabilities and MIDI support not found on all true analog instruments.
While the Roland D-50 from 1987 is probably the first virtual analog synthesizer[1], the term was not used until the 1990s when the Nord Lead came out. [2]
Examples of VA synthesizers include:
- Access Virus line of VA synths
- AKAI Miniak virtual analog synthesizer from AKAI Professional
- Alesis Ion, Micron and Fusion
- Arturia Origin
- Clavia Nord Lead and Nord Modular series
- Korg Z1, Prophecy, MS-2000, microKORG, RADIAS, R3, KingKORG, Electribe
- Kurzweil PC3X
- Novation Supernova, Supernova II, Nova, A-Station, K-Station, X-Station, XioSynth, Ultranova, MiniNova
- Oberheim OB12
- Roland JP-8000, JP-8080, V-Synth, SH-201
- Waldorf Q, Q+ and MicroQ
- Yamaha AN1x
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- ^ http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan05/articles/roland.htm "LA synthesis provided two simultaneous tone generators -- each comprising a PCM snippet and what was probably the first 'virtual-analogue' synth architecture"
- ^ Sound to sense, sense to sound: a state of the art in sound and music computing. Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH. "[...]virtual analog synthesis. This term became popular when the Nord Lead 1 synthesizer was introduced in to the market"