Changes

By the 1990s, digital electronics made it possible for synthesizers to be performance instruments, playing chords and supplying effect such as vibrato in real time. Improved synthesis algorithms and the use of "sampled" sounds recorded from real instruments made it possible for synthesizers to produce not only electronic sounds but extremely convincing imitations of traditional instrument sounds. In performances of works such as musical comedies and operettas, a sole synthesizer player could produce a tolerable rendition of the score all by himself; not as good as a real 15-piece pit band, of course, but far better than a pianist playing a "piano reduction" of the score.  

By the 1990s, digital electronics made it possible for synthesizers to be performance instruments, playing chords and supplying effect such as vibrato in real time. Improved synthesis algorithms and the use of "sampled" sounds recorded from real instruments made it possible for synthesizers to produce not only electronic sounds but extremely convincing imitations of traditional instrument sounds. In performances of works such as musical comedies and operettas, a sole synthesizer player could produce a tolerable rendition of the score all by himself; not as good as a real 15-piece pit band, of course, but far better than a pianist playing a "piano reduction" of the score.  

The synthetic transformation can be the result of any of several processes, including the subtraction of qualities from a sound, the addition of qualities to a sound, modulation of pitch, waveform, and sound phase, and also from digitially-sampled sounds.

The synthetic transformation can be the result of any of several processes, including the subtraction of qualities from a sound, the addition of qualities to a sound, modulation of pitch, waveform, and sound phase, and also from digitally-sampled sounds.