In case you don’t already know: virtual synthesisers have been around longer than you think. If you already knew this, you may not have known that they have been around since the 1990s. Who came up with this technique of Virtual Studio Technology (VST)?
What's a synthesiser?
A synthesizer allows you to artificially generate and edit sounds. This allows you to produce a wide range of sounds. These can be existing instruments. It is also possible to produce sounds that do not correspond to existing instruments.
Everyone knows what a synthesiser is and does. A virtual synthesiser is almost the same as a physical model. The difference is that you cannot hold or touch it. Virtual synthesisers are not new, they have been around for a very long time.
In 1867 Elisha Gray (August 2, 1835 – January 21, 1901) invented the first synthesiser. The first synthesizer was not yet mass-produced. Incidentally, the same was true for the introduction of Hammon’s Novachord from the 1930s. The synthesiser only really became a success thanks to Robert Moog (May 23, 1934 – August 21, 2005) in the 1960s. From 1967, technological developments accelerated.
Don Buchla (April 17, 1937 – September 14, 2016) should not be forgotten. He introduced the modular Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments. This introduction took place around the same time as when Moog introduced its synthesisers (early 1960s). Strictly speaking, one should also not forget Harry Olson (December 28, 1901 – April 1, 1982), who worked for the RCA Corporation. Earlier than Buchla and Moog, he introduced the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesiser.
RCA Mark II Sound Synthesiser is a different story. This synthesiser was part of the Computer Music Center at Columbia University in New York City. Completed in 1957, this synthesiser was not playable via a keyboard, circuits, buttons or wires. Beforehand, the synthesiser had to be programmed with a punch card. The synthesiser was so large that it was not transportable.
Functionality
So much for a brief history of physical synthesisers. The question was always what one wanted to use a synthesiser for. Certain synthesisers could do “something” and others could not. So the question you still have to ask is: What are the possibilities?
It’s all about functionality. You should ask yourself what you want to do. If you want to produce funny sound effects or do you want to get started working on producing music using serious musical instruments? Perhaps you’re interested in something else. Producing sounds that no one even heard of.
Monophonic and polyphonic
When it comes to functionality, you are bound by what a synthesiser or synth can or cannot “do.” One device is capable of something that another cannot. For example, playing multiple keys simultaneously (polyphonic) or one key (monophonic). The difference between one key at a time and multiple keys at the same time “translates” to multiple sounds at the same time. For older synthesisers, these were monophonic versions. Later, polyphonic versions were introduced. Yet this did not mean the definitive end of monophonic versions. They are still being made.
Digital synthesisers today are predominantly polyphonic. The reason has everything to do with what can be found inside the synthesiser. There is no longer a jumble of electronics that makes it difficult to offer a polyphonic solution. That used to be the case. The fact that monophonic synthesisers are still offered has to do with cost savings on the one hand and preference on the other. There are still people who prefer a monophonic synthesiser in certain cases. In addition, sound is an important reason. A monophonic synthesiser simply has a different sound. Then there is a feeling. The feeling of monophonic. Difficult to explain. This is personal and different for everyone.
The sound difference is sometimes minimal. Sometimes the feeling is hard to experience or hard to explain. Compare it to a difference between listening to music. This can be through a digital medium a cassette tape or an LP. This is also partly to do with feeling.
On the other hand, it also has to do with history. Some synthesisers are no longer produced. So a polyphonic version is not possible. In this case, you could resort to a digital version in the form of a virtual version. The special thing is: that that version is often arranged in such a way that it will then also “behave” like a monophonic synthesiser.
This brings us straight to one of the reasons why you might choose virtual synthesisers. That one has to do with availability. The financial picture can also play a role. Imagine that you might have more than one synthesiser left. Because you are pointed to different features for a particular production. The question then is whether to invest in physical equipment or opt for software-based solutions.
The history of virtual synthesisers
Virtual synthesisers have been around longer than you think. As mentioned earlier: perhaps this was already known. So did you already know that the originally German Steinberg Media Technologies was responsible for developing the first Virtual Studio Technology (VST). Steinberg saw the light of day in 1984 and pretty soon after that they embraced the MIDI protocol. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Basically, it means that you hear something that is not there. A sound produced by computers. So basically a sound that “consists” of zeros and ones. Unlike a real instrument, the sound does not exist. If you connect a MIDI device to an amplifier, you hear nothing. Unless you put something else between that amplifier and the MIDI device. That’s a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
Steinberg made a MIDI sequencer for the Commodore 64 computer in the 1980s. Only later did versions for Apple and Windows computers follow. The sequencer was so loved by producers that it made the company popular. By the end of 1999, the company was one of the best-known players in the market. Not bad for a company that employed about 130 people in 2001. At the time, turnover was 20 million euros. Two years later, the company was acquired by Pinnacle Systems and later by Yamaha. After that, Steinberg only continued to grow. A more important reason for the growth had to do with the development of Cubase.
Cubase
Cubase was released in 1989 and with it it was possible to edit and perform more operations,. Remarkably, the first version was developed by the Atari ST series. Only later were versions developed for Apple and Windows computers. By now, Cubase is considered a dinosaur among music production software. Robust, reliable and far less popular than other software solutions. Think about Ableton Live, Bitwig, FL Studio or Logic Pro. The basic version of Cubase (Cubase Elements) comes from €99.
1996
Another important development followed in 1996. That was the year when Steinberg introduced Virtual Studio Technology (VST) for Cubase. These were the virtual synthesisers. Better said: the virtual instruments. Because it’s not just about synthesisers. Strictly speaking, it is “just” about a technology that allows instruments to be imitated. At first, this was possible only in Cubase. Later, this was possible in other software. Nowadays, this is possible in any DAW. In some cases, VST files even function independently.
With the introduction of VSTs, it was possible to emulate synthesisers. This made it possible to introduce a broad or wider audience to synthesisers that were otherwise not readily accessible. For example, because they were expensive to buy or because a limited number of them were made. Another advantage is sometimes that VSTs are free to use. This is not true in all cases. For some VSTs, you have to pay. However, those costs are often lower than buying a physical synthesiser. Here you do have to ask the better question. A physical device or a virtual device with limitations.
A virtual device can have limitations. First, not all VST solutions are free. Some providers charge for use. For example, a lifetime licence/an unlimited licence or a licence that is tied to a certain time (month, year etc). That’s just not the only limitation, as the provider may also have chosen to do “something nice” with it. For example, by adjusting the settings or pre-defining the settings. The question then is whether that helps you or not.
Then you have to ask the question of how much is enough. It is tempting to select huge numbers of VST files and add them all to your DAW. First, that will take up a lot of disk space. Secondly, it might not improve the performance of your DAW. Another thing to consider: is this perhaps going to cause problems when your sound card has to process it? If the latter is the case, then you may need to consider an additional investment. An extra sound card is then no luxury. That is never a wrong option by the way.
Two important things to remember when it comes to VSTs. Forget the idea that you always have to pay for VSTs. Do check carefully whether you are dealing with 32- or 64-bit VST files. Prefer the latter option. There are good VSTs you have to pay for and there are also good VST files that are free. This is the case for all software.
Dan het tweede punt. Heb je alle VST’s nodig? Controleer goed of je een VST echt nodig hebt. Misschien is dat ene leuke geluid ook terug te vinden in die andere VST, met nog meer opties. Waar je wel wat aan hebt. Besef dat goed.
MIDI controller
Before you start, you should realise that you need a MIDI controller. This could be a keyboard or an equivalent device. The added advantage is that many such devices come with a licence for a well-known DAW. You could also use an ordinary computer keyboard for this. Eventually, you find that this is inconvenient.
There is much more to tell on this subject. Who knows what the future holds?
