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This article needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008) () A software synthesizer, also known as a softsynth, is a computer program, or that generates, usually for music. Computer software that can create sounds or music is not new, but advances in processing speed are allowing softsynths to accomplish the same tasks that previously required dedicated hardware. Softsynths are usually cheaper and more portable than dedicated hardware, and easier to interface with other music software such as.

See also: Softsynths can cover a range of synthesis methods, including (including, a subtype), (including the similar ),, (including the related ), and. Many popular hardware synthesizers are no longer manufactured, but have been emulated in software.

The emulation can even extend to having graphics that model the exact placements of the original hardware controls. Some simulators can even import the original sound patches with accuracy that is nearly indistinguishable from the original synthesizer.

Popular synthesizers such as the,,,,,, and dozens of other classics have been recreated in software. Some softsynths are heavily -based, and frequently have more capability than hardware units, since computers have fewer restrictions on memory than dedicated hardware synthesizers.

Some of these sample based synthesizers come with sample libraries many gigabytes in size. Some are specifically designed to mimic real world instruments such as pianos. Many sample libraries are available in a common format like, or, and can be used with almost any sampler-based softsynth. The major downside of using softsynths can often be more latency (delay between playing the note and hearing the corresponding sound). Decreasing latency requires increasing the demand on the computer's processor. 3rd Gen Intel Core I7 Extreme Edition more. When the soft synthesizer is running as a plug-in for a host sequencer, both the soft synth and the sequencer are competing for processor time.

Multi-processor computers can handle this better than single-processor computers. As the processor becomes overloaded, sonic artifacts such as 'clicks' and 'pops' can be heard during performance or playback. When the processor becomes completely overloaded, the host sequencer or computer can lock up or crash. Increasing buffer size helps, but also increases latency. However modern professional audio interfaces can frequently operate with extremely low latency, so in recent years this has become much less of a problem than in the early days of. It is also possible to generate sound files offline, meaning sound generation does not have to be in real time, or live. For example, the input could be a file and the output could be a WAV file or an MP3 file.

Playing a WAV or MP3 file simply means playing a precalculated waveform. The advantage of offline synthesis is that the software can spend as much time as it needs to generate the resulting sounds, potentially increasing sound quality. It could take 30 seconds of computing time to generate 1 second of real-time sound, for example. The disadvantage is that changes to the music specifications cannot be heard immediately. Often a composer or virtual conductor will want a 'draft mode' for initial score editing, and then use the 'production mode' to generate high-quality sound as one gets closer to the final version. The draft mode allows for quicker turn-around, perhaps in real time, but will not have the full quality of the production mode. The draft render is roughly analogous to a wire-frame or 'big polygon' animation when creating 3D animation.