This is a fascinating and thorough exploration of the most important and influential instrument since the piano, from the first unwieldy valve instruments of the 1920s to the highly accessible microchip keyboards of today and the sophisticated equipment used by experts. Throughout the book are projects that can be carried out on either a synthesizer or a microcomputer. Each chapter has comprehension questions and follow-up projects; a glossary, suggestions for further reading, a discography, and a list of computer programs also are included.