Synthesiser...

How would you go about describing the sound of a synthesiser to someone who has never heard it before? I've got 'wailing' written down but that doesn't seem right.

Any help would do =]

I seem to remember Anne Rice describing it somewhere towards the beginning of The Vampire Lestat, but I can't find the exact quote right now. I'm pretty sure it mentioned something about how the synthesizer could draw out the notes for an unnaturally long time. The whole introduction piece has a lot of interesting descriptions of 80s rock'n'roll music from a narrator who has never heard it before.

Thanks Meep, I'll look into it.

I'll make a funny analogy, but stick with me 'till I'm done

So you've got three strands of something: one electric guitar, one flute, one piano. They're each playing the same note, but slightly out of tune with each other. Take each strand, twist them together, and smooth out the jaggedness of the out-of-tune-ness and bam! synthesizer.

That's what I think of, anyway. That and sometimes the windshield wipers make a funny sound that seems a tad synthesizer-ish, but I don't know if you could replicate that. Or if you'd want to XD

Thank you! Wish I thought more like you, I was going for 'wailing of a strangled cat' which is no good. Windwipers make the strangest noises, I'll have to sit in my sister's car to try and find the right words.

Sometimes, our church uses a synthesiser during the songs, it always has my and my sister in hysterics. That one sounds to me a lot like a piano that's had all the sharpness and clarity removed from it so that it just becomes a soft round smudged sound. If that makes any sense at all XD

I appreciate any help I can get as everyone has a different point of view. Thanks Mlle Fish =]