Survey of Digital Synthesis Techniques

Until recently music could only be created using physical instruments. Now, in the digital era, synthesis techniques can be used to recreate and modify the sounds of these instruments. Synthesis techniques can be classified into categories such as processed recording, spectral model, physical model and abstract algorithms. In this paper we will review several of the most popular techniques within these classes. From the spectral model we will review the simplest techniques of additive synthesis and subtractive synthesis as well as wave table synthesis. From the physical model we will review a voice modeling approach by ways of modeling a human throat and also a model of a plucked string. From the abstract algorithms category we will review Karplus-Strong, vector synthesis, frequency modulation and the wavelet transform approaches. Using some of these approaches, believable, natural sounds can be generated.