Vintage Synth Explorer

Vintage Synth Explorer • FAQ

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is CV, Gate, Trigger, V-trig, S-trig...?
2. MIDI and DIN Sync: What's the difference?
3. Where Can I Find Vintage Synths?
4. Can older synths be fixed? Can I find parts?
5. What synths are best for my style of music?
6. Glossary of Synthesizer Terms.



1. What is CV, Gate, Trigger, V-trig, S-trig, V/oct, Hz/V?

CV - Control Voltage: early form of externally controlling the oscillator pitch of an analog synth for external MIDI-like control.
Gate - Gate is used to externally control or trigger the note-on note-off state of an analog synth. CV and Gate work together to provide the MIDI-like ability to control synths.
Trigger - This is the same as Gate.
V-trig - Voltage Trigger - Positive (+) gate trigger used in Roland, ARP, Oberheim and Sequential synths.
S-trig - Short Trigger - Negative (-) gate trigger used in Moog synths.
V/Oct - 1 volt per octave - Form of CV used in Roland, ARP, Oberheim, Sequential and Moog synths
Hz/V - Herz per Volt - Form of CV used in Yamaha and Korg synths.

Before MIDI, there was an analog form of synthesizer control. CV, Gate and Trigger ports can be found on the backs of most analog synths. It allows users to play their synthesizer from another compatible CV/Gate system such as another synth, remote keyboard or hardware sequencer. And like MIDI, CV/Gated synths can be linked in a series for control of many synths. Unlike MIDI, however, the CV and Gate signals are analog just like the synths.

Many of these older pre-midi synths can still step up to MIDI by using a MIDI to CV converter box. The best ones come from Kenton Electronics in the UK. Check the backs of your synths and see what CV/Gate capabilities your synth has. Different manufacturers have different names for CV/Gate. CV has also been called OSC or Keyboard In, VCO in, and Key Volt. Gate can be called Trig, V-Trig, or S-Trig. Additionally, CV and Gate can be used to control the filter, LFO and more.


2. MIDI and DIN Sync: What's the difference?

DIN Sync (Sync24) is a form of tempo/start/stop synchronization used by old Roland drum machines and synths. Most notably, the TR-606, TR-808, TR-909, TB-303, and MC-202. The Novation DrumStation has a DIN Sync output to sync a TB-303 to it (or any other synth that recieves DIN Sync).

A DIN Sync cable looks just like a MIDI cable, but there is a difference. MIDI cables are wired differently and will not work with these older machines. To get a DIN Sync cable these days, you can find them at any electronics store as a generic 5 pin DIN cable. No rewiring is necessary.

Some MIDI to CV/Gate converters will convert MIDI sync information into the DIN Sync format allowing you to control things like a TB-303 from a sequencer.


3. Where Can I Find Vintage Synths?

Almost all of them are no longer in production so you must find them second-hand. Many common and rare synths will turn up in pawn shops for really low prices. Musical instrument shops will usually have a few DX7s, Junos and D50s around. In classified ads and magazines you can find private parties selling synths at street value prices. And there are a few companies such as BigCityMusic.Com and Analog Modular Systems which deal in the buying, trading and selling of all synthesizers.


4. Can older synths be fixed? Can I find parts?

Sometimes... Many parts for older synths (10 or more years) are no longer around so if something goes wrong, you'll need to find an expert technician to attempt to fix it. Most common synth problems such as bad keys, dirty connections, pots and sliders can usually be fixed by yourself. Here is a listing of some company's that may be able to serve you: (compiled by Mark Vail)



5. What synths are best for my style of music?

Visit our Synth Finder for help determining which synths best suite your needs, style and budget.


6. Definitions of basic terms you may want to know:

Additive Synthesis
A system for generating complex waveforms or sounds by combining basic waveforms or sampled sounds prior to further processing with filters and envelope shapers.
Aftertouch
A type of pressure controlled MIDI data determined by how hard you press a key or group of keys on a keyboard AFTER the initial attack. Sometimes called Poly Pressure.
Analog
For synthesizers, this means that there is real electricity running through it's veins - and that it is an analogous form of energy (electrical voltage) that will eventually come out at the speaker as sound. These signals are generated by an oscillator. Other electrical components can shape (envelope) and color (filter) the signal. The signal is prone to distortions which we usually percieve as a warm and sweet tone! Any synthesizer, new or old, that uses VCOs can be considered analog. The term analog comes from the fact that the electrical signal or AC voltage generated by the synthesizer has a waveform that is analogous to that of the sound it produces. (The same concept applies to analog tape.)
Arpeggiator
A device that steps from note to note for whichever keys are pressed (or latched) in a preset or random pattern.
CV / GATE
A pre-MIDI form of synth communication using analog signals - Control Voltages and Gate signals. The control voltages can control pitches of oscillators, frequency cutoffs, resonance, volume, envelopes, etc. The Gate signal is used to trigger the notes, similar to MIDI Note On/Off commands.
Digital
In a digital synthesizer, sounds are stored as a binary code of 1's and 0's in some form of permanent or volatile memory. This string of digits is converted to an analog signal by a Digital to Audio Converter (DAC) inside the synth. A Digital synth has very clean and stable sounds, offers lots of memory, can be lightweight and can offer much more control and variability of the sounds it can generate.
Effects
Devices that provide reverbs, delays, chorus, and other audio and spatial effects to sweeten, liven and animate audio as well as to create the sound of a space or environment.
FM Synthesis
Frequency Modulation. One of the original digital forms of synthesis. A type of modulation in which the frequency of a continuous carrier wave is varied in accordance with the properties of a second (modulating) wave. When the modulating wave is in the audio range (above 20Hz or so), FM is perceived as a change in tone color, and that used in FM synthesizers to create their unique sounds.
Envelope (VCA)
The shape of a sound in relation to time. The Attack is the start or onset of the initial transient sound. Decay is the roll-off of the sound's waveform just after the peak of the initial attack. Sustain is the length of time the sound lasts while a key is held down. And Release is length of time for the sound to end after the key is released. Some examples: A Snare drum is mostly attack with very little decay and almost no sustain or release time. A Strummed open string on a guitar has a quick attack and delay with a very long sustain and release time.
Filter (VCF)
The timbre, also known as the color or nature of your sound is shaped by the filter. It can accentuate or attenuate certain frequency ranges. It's basically a specialized EQ. Synths can have hi, low, and band pass filters. A resonance control really brightens (to the point of squeeling self-oscillation) certain frequencies around the cutoff point. You adjust the cutoff to dial in where the filter begins affecting frequencies. Many filters have an Envelope as well which is used to adjust the attack, decay, sustain and release of the filter's effect on the sound being processed.
LFO
Low Frequency Oscillator. This is a very slow moving oscillator that is used to modulate a synth's sound. Modulate the VCO to create a vibrato. Modulate the filter section for nice slow automatic filter sweeps. Modulate the VCA envelope for tremolo effects. The LFO can have waveform shapes of square, ramp, sine, triangle, random or more and it's speed (rate) and onset (delay) are often controllable.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface; a standard digital language that allows synthesizers to control and be controlled by other MIDI synthesizers, sequencers and computers.
Modular Synthesizer
A synthesis system comprised of self-contained "modules" - specialized electronic circuits useful to producing and shaping sound. Modules are manually linked together from Osc to Filter to Amps to LFO to Output Mixer, etc. Modular systems allow for extreme flexibility and customizability of your system but requires extensive programming knowledge and patience.
Monophonic
(One-sound) A synthesizer that can only play one note or sound at a time is said to be monophonic.
Multitimbral
The number of simultaneous instruments or patches that can be played at the same time as layered or stacked sounds, split across the keyboard in zones or on independent MIDI channels. This allows for ensembles of instruments to be played from within one synth. Most digital synths and many analog string/ensemble synths are multitimbral.
Oscillator (DCO)
Digitally Controlled Oscillator. An analog oscillating circuit controlled and monitored by a digital microchip. This offers a very stable, accurate, self tuning analog sound in a synth which is less likely to overheat.
Oscillator (VCO)
Voltage Controlled Oscillator. An oscillating circuit controlled by an alternating analog voltage. This creates the sound in the synthesizer using basic waveform shapes like sine, sawtooth, square, triangle and PWM. Tuning can be unstable, synths can overheat and are often very heavy.
Polyphony
(Many-sounds) A synthesizer that can play two or more notes or sounds at the same time is said to be polyphonic. This allows for chords to be played and much more.
Portamento
An adjustable performance effect that glides or bends the pitch from one note to the next.
Ring Modulator
Basically an effect where two audio sources or waveforms are multiplied and their sum and difference frequencies are output, usually creating a ringing metallic texture.
ROM / RAM
ROM (Read Only Memory) is a permanent form of microchip memory that is used to store the sounds or samples in digital synthesizers and sound modules. RAM (Random Access Memory) is a faster, volatile form of memory used by digital samplers for recording and editing your own samples.
Sampler
A musical instrument that uses recorded sounds (samples) as the basis for creating, synthesizing and generating music.
Sequencer
A device to record and playback a series of notes (a performance). An analog sequencer uses control voltages and gates to control vintage analog gear. A digital sequencer usually uses MIDI to control musical equipment and are far more advanced than any analog sequencers.
Subtractive Synthesis
The technique of arriving at a desired tone color by filtering waveforms rich in harmonics. Subtractive synthesis is the type generally used on analog synthesizers.
Velocity
A type of MIDI data that transmits or responds to the initial key attack - how quickly a key is pressed and/or released - typically used to control the volume for a sound.
Vocoders
A type of effect typically used with vocals for it's popular sound. Vocoding splits two audio signals into frequency bands, analyzes them, and applies the frequency/envelopes of one onto the other, making your instruments "speak".

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