Built-in timbres
The number of built-in sounds provided in the synthesizer.
The number of timbres is often described as the number of instruments that a given model can imitate. However, this is not entirely true — rather, this parameter can be called "the number of instruments and sound effects." For example, the same instrument — an electric guitar — with different "gadgets" (distortion, overdrive) will sound differently, and in the synthesizer each such gadget will be considered a separate timbre. The “drums” timbre usually combines different types of drums and other percussion instruments — in other words, it allows you to portray both the “bass drum” and the cymbals without switching settings, just by pressing the desired keys. And some timbres may not have analogues among real instruments at all.
The more built-in timbres, the more extensive the possibilities of the synthesizer, the more diverse the sounds that can be extracted from it. At the same time, in high-end models like workstations (see "Type"), this number can reach 1000 or even more.
Accompaniment styles
The number of auto accompaniment styles (see above) originally provided in the synthesizer, in other words, the number of accompaniment options available to the user.
The more extensive this set, the higher the probability of finding among these melodies suitable options for a particular case. At the same time, the abundance of styles in itself is not yet a 100% guarantee that among them there will be a suitable one, especially since different synthesizer models can differ markedly in a specific set of melodies. So the list does not hurt to clarify before buying. Also note that the situation can be corrected by user styles (see below) — many synthesizers with auto accompaniment support them.
Arpeggiator
The presence of an arpeggiator in the design of the synthesizer.
The term "arpeggio" originally means the technique of playing a chord, in which the notes are not sounded all at once, but one after another. Accordingly,
arpeggiator, roughly speaking, is a device for the automated playing of chords using the arpeggio technique. Compared to manual playback by notes, this function is convenient because the arpeggiator can provide various additional settings: set the direction of playback (up or down), speed, interval between notes and their duration, special effects, background accompaniment, etc. At the same time, all effects work automatically, the user only needs to press the keys that make up the chord (and in some synthesizers in some modes, only one key can generally be responsible for a whole chord). The specific capabilities of arpeggiators can be different, often such a device allows you to create entire compositions just by pressing a sequence of chords.
Vocoder
In a very simplified way, a
vocoder can be described as a device that allows you to combine the sound of a voice with the sound of another instrument. In more detail, the vocoder allows you to transfer the properties of the voice to the signal of another timbre; in this case, the voice plays the role of a modulator, and the other timbre plays the role of a carrier. Due to this, various interesting effects can be achieved: give a live voice the intonation of a “robot”, create the effect of a “speaking” instrument (guitar, piano, etc.), supplement the performer’s own voice with a synthesized “choir”, etc. Technically, even another instrument can be used instead of a voice as a modulating signal — for example, you can combine drums with a guitar or a piano with a trumpet. However, in fact, it is the voice coming from an external microphone that is most often used as a modulator (although it would not hurt to clarify the specific functionality of this module separately).
Power consumption
Rated power consumed by the tool during operation. Modern synthesizers, even the most powerful and advanced ones like workstations (see "Type"), consume very little energy — up to 100 W, and often noticeably less. Therefore, it is rarely necessary to pay attention to this parameter in fact, mainly in rather specific situations — for example, when working from an autonomous generator, when you need to take into account the entire load connected to such a power supply.
