synthesizer
(ˈsɪnθɪsaɪzə(r))
[f. prec. + er1.]
1. One who or that which synthesizes.
| 1869 Contemp. Rev. X. 287 The competent synthesizer, designer,..theorist. 1980 Sci. Amer. Apr. 27/1 The fibrous texture of jade may daunt the synthesizers. |
2. spec. in Electronics, one of various types of instrument for generating and combining signals of different frequencies; esp. a computerized instrument used to create music electronically.
| 1909 Cent. Dict. Supp., Synthesizer, in acoustics, an instrument for the production of complex tones of predetermined composition. 1939 H. Dudley U.S. Patent 2,151,091 21 Mar. 13/2 Control currents are then passed to the speech synthesizer. Ibid., In the synthesizer described in detail above, the element equivalent to the vocal system is entirely electrical. 1943 H. J. Finden in Jrnl. Inst. Electr. Engineers XC. iii. 165 (heading) The frequency synthesizer. Ibid. 167/2 There is a demand for a precise frequency generator which will give any desired frequency with a pure output. The frequency synthesizer is an attempt to realise this. 1947 Jrnl. Appl. Physics July 601 An electronic synthesizer is described for determination of atomic positions in crystals. 1957 Sat. Rev. (U.S.) 26 Jan. 56/2 The American school has not yet, so far as I know, made use of the RCA Electronic Music Synthesizer. Ibid. 56/3 The perforated tape operates the music synthesizer in much the same way that a music roll ‘plays’ a player piano. 1958 E. Fischer-J{obar}rgensen in Saporta & Bastian Psycholinguistics (1961) 117/2 Of particular interest to the linguist are the various speech synthesizers which have been built recently. 1965 Wireless World July 62 (Advt.), The new range of MST transistorized receivers uses synthesizers to provide accurate selection of 250,000 frequencies. 1969, etc. [see Moog]. 1973 Melody Maker 25 Aug. 27 Baker (electronics, bass) came to London from Australia. He's been working with electronics for ten years, concentrating on solo synthesiser performances. 1975 New Yorker 5 May 45/1 The synthesizer can produce a ceaseless kaleidoscope of shapes and colors on the screen. 1981 Oxford Times 20 Feb. 13/1 He plays acoustic piano as well as imitating steel drums on his synthesiser. |