Analog Synths

It may seem odd that something that’s digital can be considered analog, but analog synths do exist! Instead of advanced programming, an analog synthesizer uses analog circuits and analog signals to generate sound.

Briefly put, analog synthesizers work by manipulating electric voltages to produce their sounds.

But it’s a little more advanced than that. Just like any instrument, an analog synth needs a generator (in this case, an oscillator) and a resonator (the filter). An oscillator produces a pitch at a steady frequency (aka, pitch). In many cases, this is pressing down a key on a keyboard.

That signal goes through a filter, which the player then manipulates to get the exact sound they want. This can involve running the tone through high- and low-pass filter. The tone is then fed through an analog synth module (aka, effects) and then an amplifier so it’s audible.

We would never want to say that analog synths are better or worse than digital synths -- they’re just different. The biggest difference with analog synthesizer music is that their sound is often described as “warmer.” However, a lot of musicians don’t necessarily want a warmer sound and find themselves more than happy with a digital synth.

You might also find that you can access a wider variety of sounds with analog synths. That’s because, with digital synths, you’re constrained to a world of binary 1s and 0s, which isn’t the case with analog synths.

We don’t think analog synthesizers are overrated, but it depends on who you ask! Some of this mindset comes from perceived snobbery around analog synths, as well as the high prices of some of the units compared to digital synths. However, we firmly believe that if you love it and it helps you find your dream sound, it can’t possibly be overrated.

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