Analog vs digital synthesizers

T

TerrydeParis

New member
I was wondering the other day about analog synthesizers. It might be a dumb question but if people use digital synthesizers, then does this mean that they use MIDI keyboards + synths in DAW and then from there they can create a track in their daw. But if there is an analog synthesizer, then how does the audio get into their computer/Daw? Is the only option recording the audio and then using it as an audio track?

I suddenly got so confused so i am sorry if the question is weird.

Thanks!
 
Large question, will give it a go (simplified version). The only difference between analog and digital synths is in how they produce sound. Analog synths use voltage controlled oscillators, amps, filters to produce sound, digital uses various types of digital signal processing for the same results. Neither has anything to do with a DAW, although both can speak midi. So you can play either type with a midi keyboard (or they may come with a keyboard) as well as midi output from a DAW. So, if you're recording either analog or digital synth, you're recording from the synth's analog out to your DAW's audio in. There are some exceptions - some synths have a built in audio interface to connect directly to your computer's USB port. But as you said, most of the time the only option is recording to an audio track. Although digital synths produce their own sounds, if they come with a keyboard, you can use that keyboard (same goes for analog) to control synths in your DAW - it's just midi. Just to repeat, if you're playing a synth, analog or digital, you're playing it with midi - and if using a midi keyboard, no DAW required (but you can also control it with your DAW). Hope this helps.

btw - don't confuse a midi keyboard with a digital synth. A midi keyboard produces no sound of it's own, but can be used to control analog/digital synths, vsti synths in your DAW, or anything else that speaks midi.
 
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ponkapog said:
La...lps.

btw - don't confuse a midi keyboard with a digital synth. A midi keyboard produces no sound of it's own, but can be used to control analog/digital synths, vsti synths in your DAW, or anything else that speaks midi.
Click to expand...

don't confuse a MIDI controller with a MIDI keyboard.
Most of ya'll MIDI controller when you say midi keyboard.
A MIDI keyboard has it's own soundmodule, and can send and/or receive MIDI data to play that soundmodule.
The unboard soundmodule has a fair quality to great soundquality (that's where the pricetag matters), but it is not a synthesizer, although a MIDI keyboard in the mid-class and high price range do offer editable soundbanks. Also MIDI on it's own offers great ways to change parameters so the result is an altered sound.

This is where the MIDI controller kicks in.
A MIDI controller does send out data to change parameters on a specific MIDI channel, but does not have an onboard soundmodule.
This controllers are used to give software synths an outboard control capabillity, or control racksynths, but even lights or other things can be controlled by it, because it just sends data. How you use that data is up to you, but, most people stay away from really programming MIDI data and settle with whatever the presets offer.

Having said that, MIDI keyboard usually offer good quality sounds, instrument and drumsounds and a bunch of riffs and rhythms to use on the fly AND (this is why they are so powerful) they don't use any CPU for producing clear sounds. It's a stand alone divice and can be connected to any MIDI interface and/or soundcard, letting you have no worries and hand-on control without ever have to update the thing you own at the moment.

Just sayin'
 
midi keyboards have no sound modules, can't play sounds, don't understand what you're saying.They are just controllers. Again, midi keyboards (just a type of midi controller) produce no sounds. Here's an example of a common midi keyboard. You're confusing midi keyboards with digital synths or workstations, as mentioned in my original post.
 
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ponkapog said:
midi keyboards have no sound modules, can't play sounds, don't understand what you're saying.They are just controllers.Again, midi keyboards (just a type of midi controller) produce no sounds.
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Not really,

years ago, there were synthesizers.
These synth used it's electrical power supply to generate sound. These sounds where raw, but after a while the presets became more and more capable to produce sounds that sounded more like accoustic instruments, depending an the onboard memorie capacity.
People started to buy more synths and wanted to connect the devices together.
The large manufacturers of these toys came together and created a program language called MIDI.
Meanwhile they produced keyboards that were capable of reproducing conventional instruments, like piano, trumpet and snaredrum.
If they confirmed to the MIDI protocol, it was called a MIDI keyboard, not to be confused with a keyboard used for typing on a computer.
Then the PC hype broke loose. And when finally the PC was able to use software affordable enough for the masses to sequence MIDI data along with audio and the internet happend, the name of MIDI keyboard toke a turn (or so it seemed).

Now those same manufacturers make money by selling VST's and software. To more you pay, the more you get quality sounds. That's why they try to make you believe a MIDI keyboard has no sound, while in fact they try to sell you just a controller.
Still the mayor brands sell MIDI keyboards with onboard soundmodules, and they are of great quality too.

But to create a new market for the next generation they try to keep that one as quit as possible.
 
uhh.... what?

Getting back to basics, a midi keyboard is just a type of controller, nothing more. No soundbanks, no sound for that matter.
 
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See Me Soon said:
Not really,

years ago, there were synthesizers.
These synth used it's electrical power supply to generate sound. These sounds where raw, but after a while the presets became more and more capable to produce sounds that sounded more like accoustic instruments, depending an the onboard memorie capacity.
People started to buy more synths and wanted to connect the devices together.
The large manufacturers of these toys came together and created a program language called MIDI.
Meanwhile they produced keyboards that were capable of reproducing conventional instruments, like piano, trumpet and snaredrum.
If they confirmed to the MIDI protocol, it was called a MIDI keyboard, not to be confused with a keyboard used for typing on a computer.
Then the PC hype broke loose. And when finally the PC was able to use software affordable enough for the masses to sequence MIDI data along with audio and the internet happend, the name of MIDI keyboard toke a turn (or so it seemed).

Now those same manufacturers make money by selling VST's and software. To more you pay, the more you get quality sounds. That's why they try to make you believe a MIDI keyboard has no sound, while in fact they try to sell you just a controller.
Still the mayor brands sell MIDI keyboards with onboard soundmodules, and they are of great quality too.

But to create a new market for the next generation they try to keep that one as quit as possible.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to say but this is a mess of misunderstandings and half-truths. It'll only confuse people more unless they already know what's up.
 
But when people talk about speaking Midi, then what do they mean?? When i have instrument midi files then there are midi notes and i can put an instrument on them and hear sound/melody. But also i know that midi means when you press a note on a midi keyboard and i can hear a sound in my daw. The question is probably really confusing but i hope you understand.
 
MIDI notes are the same whether they're generated by you hitting a key on a controller or being already in a file - they're basically just commands that, when sent to a device that can receive them, will tell it to "play this note, for this long and change these parameters to these values". That's what "speaking MIDI" means: there's something that sends it, and something that receives it and acts accordingly.
 
Thank you for your help:)it probably takes me a while to understand but now i have a lot information to learn?? so a big thank you
 
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ponkapog said:
midi keyboards have no sound modules, can't play sounds, don't understand what you're saying.They are just controllers. Again, midi keyboards (just a type of midi controller) produce no sounds. Here's an example of a common midi keyboard. You're confusing midi keyboards with digital synths or workstations, as mentioned in my original post.
Click to expand...

A MIDI keyboard is any keyboard which is capable of transmitting MIDI irregardless of whether or not it has on board sounds or can receive MIDI, the "controller" distinction came about to differentiate between the more common MIDI keyboards which featured on board sounds and the newer soundless, MIDI output only MIDI keyboards used to control sound modules etc.....which were far less common prior to the advent of VST instruments.
 
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