The Synclavier is an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation manufactured by New England Digital Corporation of Norwich, Vermont. It was produced in various forms from the late 1970s into the early 1990s. The instrument has been used by prominent musicians.
Synclavier I (1977), with HOP box
Synclavier II and floppy disc drive
Display and control wheel on VPK (1984)
STD: Sample-To-Disk interface (c.1982)
A digital synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses digital signal processing (DSP) techniques to make musical sounds. This in contrast to older analog synthesizers, which produce music using analog electronics, and samplers, which play back digital recordings of acoustic, electric, or electronic instruments. Some digital synthesizers emulate analog synthesizers; others include sampling capability in addition to digital synthesis.
Jordan Rudess performing with a digital synth
EMS MUSYS-3 (1970) (based on Nunzio 2014)
Fairlight CMI series II (1982), exhibited at NAMM Show
The GS-1 was the first commercial digital synthesizer by Yamaha based on FM synthesis. For $16,000, the buyer also got a desktop computer for programming it.