<s>
A	O
software	B-Application
synthesizer	I-Application
or	O
softsynth	B-Application
is	O
a	O
computer	O
program	O
that	O
generates	O
digital	O
audio	O
,	O
usually	O
for	O
music	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
software	O
that	O
can	O
create	O
sounds	O
or	O
music	O
is	O
not	O
new	O
,	O
but	O
advances	O
in	O
processing	O
speed	O
now	O
allow	O
softsynths	B-Application
to	O
accomplish	O
the	O
same	O
tasks	O
that	O
previously	O
required	O
the	O
dedicated	O
hardware	O
of	O
a	O
conventional	O
synthesizer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Softsynths	B-Application
may	O
be	O
readily	O
interfaced	O
with	O
other	O
music	B-Application
software	I-Application
such	O
as	O
music	O
sequencers	O
typically	O
in	O
the	O
context	O
of	O
a	O
digital	B-General_Concept
audio	I-General_Concept
workstation	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Softsynths	B-Application
are	O
usually	O
less	O
expensive	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
more	O
portable	O
than	O
dedicated	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Softsynths	B-Application
can	O
cover	O
a	O
range	O
of	O
synthesis	O
methods	O
,	O
including	O
subtractive	O
synthesis	O
(	O
including	O
analog	O
modeling	O
,	O
a	O
subtype	O
)	O
,	O
FM	O
synthesis	O
(	O
including	O
the	O
similar	O
phase	O
distortion	O
synthesis	O
)	O
,	O
physical	O
modelling	O
synthesis	O
,	O
additive	O
synthesis	O
(	O
including	O
the	O
related	O
resynthesis	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
sample-based	O
synthesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Software	B-Application
Synth	I-Application
developers	O
such	O
as	O
Arturia	O
offer	O
virtual	O
editions	O
of	O
analog	O
synths	O
like	O
the	O
Minimoog	O
,	O
the	O
ARP	O
2600	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
Yamaha	O
CS-80	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
softsynths	B-Application
are	O
sample-based	O
,	O
and	O
frequently	O
have	O
more	O
capability	O
than	O
hardware	O
units	O
,	O
since	O
computers	O
have	O
fewer	O
restrictions	O
on	O
memory	O
than	O
dedicated	O
hardware	O
synthesizers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sample	O
libraries	O
 '	O
formats	O
include	O
.wav	O
,	O
.sf	B-Application
or	O
.sf2	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
software	B-Application
instrument	I-Application
can	O
be	O
a	O
synthesized	O
version	O
of	O
a	O
real	O
instrument	O
(	O
like	O
the	O
sounds	O
of	O
a	O
violin	O
or	O
drums	O
)	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
unique	O
instrument	O
,	O
generated	O
by	O
computer	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Software	B-Application
instruments	I-Application
have	O
been	O
made	O
popular	O
by	O
the	O
convergence	O
of	O
synthesizers	O
and	O
computers	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
sequencing	B-General_Concept
software	I-General_Concept
like	O
GarageBand	B-Application
,	O
Logic	B-Application
Pro	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Ableton	B-Language
Live	I-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
of	O
note	O
is	O
software	O
like	O
Csound	B-Application
and	O
Nyquist	B-Application
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
program	O
software	B-Application
instruments	I-Application
.	O
</s>
