Analog Versus Digital
Analog synthesis is similar to the creation of sound when a string is bowed or plucked, the way electricity vibrates through a circuit is similar to the way a string vibrates when it is played. This leads to analog synthesizers creating a more natural, smooth sound. Digital circuits emulate analog wave forms through digital synthesis aka 1's and 0's. Since the 0 or 1 can only be one value at any point in time, this leads to a "stepping" of the waveform, creating a more unnatural tone.
Each analog instrument has its own characterized tone, due to the different components used in the synth, and the natural fluctuations in voltage. Analog synths actually create different tones with age. Digital synthesizers sometimes try to emulate these characteristics, and are known as Virtual Analog synths. To emulate all of the natural characteristics of an analog instrument, these must be programmed into the emulation code of the digital synth, making the fluctuations not so natural, but rather, programmed.
Digital synths are still wildly popular, however. This is because digital synths can be manufactured at a very low cost, and very quickly. Digital synths also have very few circuit components compared to analog synths, leaving fewer issues with age. Robert Moog is a known analog enthusiast, and every Moog synthesizer has purely analog circuitry.
Each analog instrument has its own characterized tone, due to the different components used in the synth, and the natural fluctuations in voltage. Analog synths actually create different tones with age. Digital synthesizers sometimes try to emulate these characteristics, and are known as Virtual Analog synths. To emulate all of the natural characteristics of an analog instrument, these must be programmed into the emulation code of the digital synth, making the fluctuations not so natural, but rather, programmed.
Digital synths are still wildly popular, however. This is because digital synths can be manufactured at a very low cost, and very quickly. Digital synths also have very few circuit components compared to analog synths, leaving fewer issues with age. Robert Moog is a known analog enthusiast, and every Moog synthesizer has purely analog circuitry.