Editing Digital synthesizer (section)

== Analog vs. digital ==

An [[analog synthesizer]] creates sound using electronic circuitry, such as [[voltage-controlled oscillator]]s and [[voltage-controlled filter]]s. In contrast, a digital synthesizer generates a stream of numbers, often using some form of [[digital signal processor]], which are then converted to sound using a [[digital-to-analog converter]] (DAC).

A digital synthesizer is in essence a computer with (often) a piano or organ keyboard and an [[LCD]] as a user interface. Because computer technology is rapidly advancing, it is often possible to offer more features in a digital synthesizer than in an analog synthesizer at a given price. However, both technologies have their own merit. Some forms of synthesis, such as, for instance, [[sampling (music)|sampling]] and [[additive synthesis]] are not feasible in analog synthesizers, while on the other hand, many musicians prefer the character of analog synthesizers over their digital equivalent.