A Very Brief Chronological History

1876: Elisha Gray, an American inventor, created the ‘Musical Telegraph’, which can be considered the first electronic musical instrument. This device used a piano keyboard in two octaves and a built-in speaker to reproduce sound.

1897: Thaddeus Cahill, another American inventor, created the ‘Telharmonium’, the first electro-musical polyphonic instrument. This device, which weighed over 200 tons, used rotary generators to create electrical signals that were then converted into sound.

Theremin’s Synthesizer (Thereminvox): This electronic musical instrument was created in 1920 by Soviet inventor Lev Sergeyevich Theremin. The Thereminvox is one of the few spatial musical instruments. It is a unique instrument that can be played without touching it.

1935: The appearance of the Hammond organ was an important step in the development of electronic musical instruments. This instrument used an electromechanical generator to create sound and was widely used in jazz, gospel music, and rock music.

ANS Synthesizer: This unique instrument was created by Soviet engineer Evgeny Murzin and is one of the first polyphonic musical synthesizers in the world. A working model of the ANS was completed in 1958. The ANS synthesizer is a photo-electronic optical musical instrument that uses the principle of the device based on the method of optical sound recording used in cinematography.

Late 1960s – early 1970s: During this time, the first analog synthesizers, such as Moog and ARP, appeared. These instruments used electronic oscillators to generate sound and allowed musicians to experiment with new sounds and timbres.

1980s: During this time, digital synthesizers, such as the Yamaha DX7, began to appear, which used digital signal processing to create sound. These instruments opened up new possibilities for creating and manipulating sound.

1990s and beyond: With the development of computer technology and software, virtual synthesizers appeared that allow musicians to create complex sounds and compositions right on their computers.

Today, synthesizers are an integral part of the music industry, used in many genres, from pop music to electronic music and film soundtracks. They continue to evolve and adapt to new technologies, opening up new possibilities for musical creativity.”

The history of synthesizers in a more detailed chronology. Information taken from website: 120 Years Of Electronic Music:

    Pre 1800

        1748: Denis D’Or

        1759: Clavecin Électrique

        1785: Clavecin Magnetique

    1800 – 1900

        1867: Electromechanical Piano

        1876: Musical Telegraph

        1897: Telharmonium

        1899: Singing Arc

    1900 – 1920

        1905: Helmholtz Sound Synthesiser.

        1909: Choralcelo

        1915: Audion Piano

        1912: Sound-Producing Device

        1914: Wireless Organ

        1918: Synthetic Tone

    1920 – 1930

        1921: Electrophon

        1921: Hugoniot Organ

        1922: Theremin

        1923: Staccatone

        1924: Sphäraphon

        1925: The Luminaphone

        1925: Radio Harmonium

        1926: Pianorad

        1926: Keyboard Electric Harmonium

        1926: Kurbelsphärophon

        1927: Dynaphone

        1927: Cellulophone

        1927: Piano Radioélectrique

        1927: Electronde

        1927: Robb Wave Organ

        1927: Superpiano

        1927: Neo Violena

        1928: Ondes-Martenot

        1929: Orgue des Ondes

        1928: Klaviatursphäraphon

        1929: Croix Sonore

        1929: Hellertion & Heliophon

    1930 – 1940

        1930: Rhythmicon

        1930: Ondium Péchadre

        1930: Graphical Soundtrack

        1930: Partiturophon

        1930: Trautonium

        1930: Hardy-Goldthwaite Organ

        1930: Westinghouse Organ

        1931: Nivotone

        1930: Keyboard Theremin

        1930: Magneton

        1931: Radio Organ of a Trillion Tones,
Polytone Organ & Singing Keyboard

        1931: Saraga-Generator

        1932: Vibroexponator

        1932: Variophone

        1932: Emicon

        1932: Rangertone Organ

        1932: Terpsitone

        1932: Gnome

        1932: Electrone

        1933: Sonar

        1933: Electrochord & Kdf
Grösstonorgel

        1934: Syntronic Organ & Photona

        1934: Aetherwellengeige

        1934: Singing Keyboard

        1935: Hammond Organ

        1935: The Jowiphon

        1936: Sonothèque

        1935: Marimbalite

        1936: Welte Licht-Ton-Orgel

        1936: Companola

        1936: Mixturtrautonium

        1937: Melodium

        1937: Oscillon

        1937: Warbo Formant Orgel

        1937: Ekvodin

        1939: Novachord

        1939: Kaleidophon

    1940 – 1950

        1940: Ondioline

        1940: Voder & Vocoder

        1940: Solovox

        1940: Univox

        1943: Emiriton

        1945: Hanert Electric Orchestra

        1945: Thyratone

        1945: Electronic Sackbut

        1946: Minshall Organ

        1946: Tuttivox

        1946: Baldwin Organ

        1947: Melochord

        1948: Free Music Machine

 

    1950–1960

        1950: Electronium

        1950: Lipp Pianoline

        1951: Multimonica

        1951: RCA Synthesiser I & II

        1951: CSIR Mk1 & CSIRAC

        1951: Dr Kent’s Electronic Music Box

        1951: Chamberlin

        1951: Ferranti Mk1

        1951: Wobble Organ

        1951: GRM

        1951: WDR Electronic Music Studio

        1952:Clavivox

        1953: Composer-tron

        1955: RAI Studio

        1955: Fotosonor

        1957: MUSIC N

        1957: ANS Synthesiser

        1958: Fonosynth

        1959: Oramics

        1959: Sound Processor

        1959: Siemens Synthesiser

        1959: Wurlitzer Side Man

    1960–1970

        1961: DIMI & Helsinki Electronic
Music Studio

        1963: Mellotron & Novatron

        1963: Akaphon

        1963: Syn-ket

        1964: Beauchamp Synthesise

        1964: Moog Synthesisers

        1965: Graphic 1

        1966: Tubon

        1966: Coupigny Synthesiser

        1967: Stylophone

        1967: MUSYS

        1969: EMS Synthesisers

    1970 – 1980

        1970: Subharchord

        1970: Archifooon

        1970: Buchla Synthesisers

        1970: ARP Synthesisers

        1971: Allen Computer Organ

        1971: Triadex Muse

        1972: Qasar I,II & M8

        1972: Motorola Scalatron

        1976: Hal Alles Synthesiser

        1977: Synclavier I & II

        1977: Con Brio ADS

        1977: Samson Box

        1977: UPIC system

        1977: DMX-1000

        1979: Fairlight CMI

    1980-1990

        1981: Sogitec 4X

        1981: Yamaha GS1& GS2

        1981: Movement MCS drum computer